My almost 3 year old son is potty trained, he's even potty trained at night time, either dry the whole night or waking up in the middle of the night and ask for going potty. However, I have an issue w/ him on taking off his pants/shorts and underwear when he want to go potty. He just wants to take them off all the way instead of leave them at the ankles. Which make it very hard at school since he would have shoes on and hard to take them all out, then he would have to put them all back on by himself and he hasn't master on that yet. We try to teach him to pee standing, or just leave the clothes at ankle level instead of taking off all the way. But he wouldn't budge, and now he started to hold in at preschool to avoid using potty, especial on the cold day that he wears pants instead of shorts. Did any of you have a similar problem? How would you cope w/ it? What can i say or do to encourage him using potty at school more often? I am very concern about his health, 'cause holding in for several hours could really hurt his bladder.
Thank you all in advance for all your advices/stories,
Just want to update to everyone that my boy starting to stand-pee recently. He still want to take the pants all out if he need to sit on the toilet at home, but he told us that at school he just leave them at the ankle. thank you so much for all your advices, I didn't push him about the pants situation or pee standing, and he just do it on his own.
Thank you so much,
You should just try and teach that if he takes off his pants all the way he won't be able to put them back on.
My 3yo always takes his underwear and shorts off when he goes to the bathroom at home. Always! Doesn't bother me a bit, as long as he is going! LOL!!
As for school, I think in the first week or so, he tried but found getting them off over his shoes difficult. I think the fact that the toilets at school are little toilets makes it easier for his shorts/underwear to just fall down to his ankles and he doesn't feel a need to remove them, also the kids watch eachother and most of the boys sit while peeing and don't take their clothes off. With the exception of one boy who still removes everything. Your son not holding is more important than if he removes his pants/underwear. I just read above that he isn't 3 yet but will be in Dec. I wouldn't sweat it! He is taking them off because it is more comfortable for him to use the bathroom that way. He will eventually stop removing everything, I promise!
Best wishes,
M.
This is typical, as he ages and matures, so will his pants. If he holds it at school then comes home to go, its not a bad thing, I would not worry to much about it, the more you try to force him the more he will rebel.. you can not control the potty issues, they need to deal with it on there own timing of it will back fire on you
Hi A.:
I agree with Michele. The important thing here ,is that he's potty trained. I'm afraid,that the reason hes holding it longer now, is because hes feeling pressured into doing it the way others request, and he's uncomfortable with that right now. Believe it or not, some children undress,because they have stood up, only to trip on their pants,and fall on their face.He will watch the other boys,and see how they get around it,and begin doing it himself.Give him time,and let him know, that if he feels safer taking off his clothes for now, its alright.I think that will ease his tention,and he'll stop holding back at school.I wish you and your darlin son the best.
My now 6 year old used to take everything off too. My only suggestion is try to send him to school with elastic waist pants/shorts so it will be easier for him and anyone else to help him get his pants back on. It does eventually stop.
My oldest son started standing to pee when he saw his dad do it. The younger ones had the older boys as examples. Has he seen his dad go...it is such a "big boy thing."
As far as potty and the clothing, until he gets the pants wet of something from laying them down in a puddle at preschool, he may not budge.
H.
My son does the same thing. He is now 4 and still does it. He says he does it because he does not want to get pee on his clothes. When he goes #2 he is completely naked. lol.
Hi A.,
My son did the same thing. He especially drove me crazy in public bathrooms when he did this. I think it's just phase they go through because they are used to taking off all their clothes to have their diapers changed.
First your husband should get involved to teach your son to go standing up when he has to pee. Your son should go with dad to the bathroom in a restaurant, etc. to see how everyone else is doing it. This might help him along. In our preschool, the teachers went with the kids to the bathroom to help them get their clothes back on correctly. Maybe your son's teacher can help out with this at school.
I kept explaining to my son that it was ok at home to take off this clothes to go to the bathroom but in public places or at school - we don't take our clothes off. It eventually worked. (Now I'm trying to convince him to lift both seats on the toilet before peeing - I'm tired of finding a wet seat when I sit down!)
You might also want to try some incentives - like a behavior chart - if he goes to the bathroom correctly for one week he gets a special treat or present. This might help.
Good luck! This behavior will pass - it just may take some time.
My son is 3-1/2 (day & night potty trained for about 10 mos) and still does the same thing sometimes. The good news is he is keeping his clothes on more often now, so maybe yours will simply outgrow it with a little more time, too. My little guy is very particular and likes things to be a certain way, so I don't push it with him. I'm just grateful that he is potty trained and never has accidents (and no regressions, yet, even with a move).
With my little guy, one thing that has helped is that he wants to be just like his Daddy, so when Daddy is home, he typically will go standing up and keep his clothes at his ankles. Many times, he and Daddy "go" together (sorry if that is TMI!) and he loves it! Last night as he was getting ready to get into the bath, he asked Daddy if he wanted to tinkle together with him. He just loves doing things with his Daddy and being like his Daddy, and I think most little boys are the same way. So I would suggest getting his Daddy involved, if he is not already.
When your son is at school, I'm sure the teachers will help him and don't make a big deal of it. They are with these little people every day and see the same kinds of things all the time, so I'm sure it doesn't phase them. But since he is holding it as school, I would talk to the teachers and just be sure they are aware that he does this and that he needs some help getting dressed. And be sure he knows that his teachers will help him get dressed. Maybe talk to the teachers together with him, so he can hear it from them that they are happy to help him get dressed.
I think the key is not to make a big deal out of it. Keep telling him how proud you are of him and what a great job he is doing. He's not even 3 yet, so it is pretty impressive that he is fully potty trained. Focus on the things he is doing well. Gently encourage him to keep his clothes on and not hold it at school, but always include some praise for how well he is doing and praise him every chance you get. I think it will come with time and gentle encouragement without pressure.
I wish you the best!
My daughter was like that at that age, and she still is, now at 6 years old. But, now she only does that at home.
As she's gotten older, I just explained to her that taking off all her clothes (her bottoms and underwear, then shoes to get them off), in public bathrooms... can be "unsanitary" because unlike at home, you don't know what is on the floor in bathrooms... and it's sorta gross and it's not a good idea to have your clothes/bare feet touching/laying on the floor of those public bathrooms...
Also, I have always taught her that being "bare-footed" in public bathrooms is unsanitary.... (and it is). That it's not like at home.
So, this worked for her, and us. And no, it did NOT give her a "hang-up" about germs or make her "phobic." She just is pragmatic about it, and it's common sense to her now. She just knows that only at home she can do that.
Yah, holding urine all day, is bad for the bladder.
Hopefully, maybe explain this to him....in an age appropriate way as well.... and maybe it will help him to understand...
Good luck,
Susan
Be grateful! One of my friends' children took ALL their clothes off whenever they went to the potty! But seriously, if he does happen to take his pants off in pre-school, then usually there are teachers around to help them out. You can let the teachers know about this issue. Hopefully, when he figures out how hard it is to take his pants off with his shoes on, this will stop. I'm a big believer in letting kids be when it comes to the potty, because otherwise I have seen kids develop huge issues. All I can say is, don't worry, he won't be like this forever. And honestly, a boy being potty trained at almost 3 is a miracle to me!
Hi A.,
My son is 3 and always takes it all off to use the bathroom. I have not bugged him about it because I know that he cannot pull his boxers up by himself and have them fitting right without me having to fix anything. He also needs helping buttoning/snapping his shorts. So either way, he needs my helf. I am thinking that one day he will just want to do it on his own and figure it out:)
He does pee staning up which makes it easier because then he doesn't take them off. Maybe you can just work on the standing while peeing. Maybe you can start offering treats if he goes while standing, or put some cheerios in the toilet for him to aim at:)
Good luck. It's great that he is trained, and at night too! Wow!
