Fully Potty Trained 5 Yr Started K5 and Is Now Pooping in Her pants..Help

It is very very very common for kids in Kindergarten to go through this. They have so much going into their brain and they just have a brain growth spurt and potty training goes out the window for a little while.

Punishing her doesn't help. She is not really able to manage this right now. In a month or two her brain will adapt and she'll start going again.

Talk to the teacher and make them understand what is going on with her choices about toileting, they can help.

Like you said, it is your fault because you did not teach her how to go poop on her own and now she's thrown into this school situation and made to do something on her own that she's not been taught to do in an environment she is just now becoming familiar with.

Have you thought to go into the bathroom with her and teach her how and help her at home to learn?

Tell her it doesn't matter if it gets on your hands because hands can be washed! No problem! I might even go so far as to pick up something yucky (not poop) and squish it through my fingers and then show her that after I wash my hands, it's like it never happened. See! All better!

I understand not wanting to go at recess - too many people in the bathroom then. Tell her she can wait until after recess and then just ask the teacher if she can go. Then, immediately send the teacher a note explaining the situation and ask her to please allow your daughter to go to the bathroom even if it is right after recess.

As for the weekend thing, she would be punished. She is potty trained. She is choosing not to use the toilet. In my house, that would equal choosing to spend the weekend in her room.

I have two initial toughts. My first thought is to look for a food allergy. Is she eating anything different than before? Or even if there's not something different, she could be having this reaction to a food that she hasn't reacted to before now. Milk, eggs, different grains, etc. can effect how the bowels work.

Second, look into emotional issues. What changes has she been through? Is there a bully at school? Is she afraid of her teacher? Is it a long walk to the bathroom, so that from the "urge to go" moment and the "opportunity to go" moment there's not enough time? Is it embarrassing to go at school because of having to ask or the restroom arrangement?

Punishing her will make it worse, so STOP doing that. She needs you to be on her team.

the school can not help them if they mess their pants. it covers them from saying ms/mrs/mr so and so touched me. they will help with the occaisional buttoning of pants. they will not have wipes there just regular tp. she may be nervous there or just not want to miss anything. at home maybe she is just worked up over her week and getting worked up over the week ahead. theres no real telling because we are not there. just tell her that its ok she had an accident but she needs to listen to her body and make sure she goes to the restroom before an accident. if she can stay dry all week (m-s) then she can have a movie day, special treat, etc.
hope this phase passes soon. my daughter wet herself a few times when in pre k last year.

I'm sorry, but you sound like you have only punished her. Do you always punish her for accidents? You don't mention any real 'reward' and I doubt stickers would have much of an impact with this issue.

There is a big emotional difference between punishing her and helping her find solutions. For instance, since she mentioned wipes, send in travel size wipes with her to school. Or put a pad in her undies if she's not wiping very well on her own. She can easily remove the pad and throw it away at school if it gets messy.

Holding poop, and having pooping issues is not a good, emotional sign. If this doesn't improve please talk with the school counselor or her Pediatrician.

GL!

Just so you know - you are not alone! We are having issues with our kindergarten as well. Weekends are getting better & we have had 2 good days this week. It is a big routen change... I'm hoping once he get a little more use to the change it will get better.

We haven't taken anything away, but we do rewards (usually candy) at the end of the day (right before they brush their teeth)... if he does poopoo his pants he dosen't get his. And he doesn't like his siblings getting the reward and him not. So, I think that is also helping a little.

Also, we make him clean himself up when he does it. Which I think he is starting to figure out it takes less time to just go potty in to toliet then it does to clean up the mess he has made of himself.

Now, if he lies about it when we smell it... he does get punished for lieing - which is usually a time out.

Not sure if this is your only child or not, but if you do have more then one... try to reward for other kids at the end of the day and her only if she stays clean & see if it helps. With Halloween near, candy is in nice sized treat/reward size bags & a lot of stores have the fun size bags on sale. We have a treat bowl they get to pick out of... right now it has Skittles, Gummies, and other fruity flavored candy - my kids favorits!

Good luck!!!