Parenting Tips for Your 45-46 Month Old Child
You thought your child was toilet trained, but now he is having accidents. What is going on? Daytime wetting is common among preschoolers. The excitement and praise for using the toilet has tapered off. Using the bathroom may not seem as important as playing with friends or finishing a story. Children may try to “hold it” too long and the result is wet pants. Excessive laughter or excitement can also make accidents happen.
Stressful events like moving to a new home or the birth of a brother or sister may result in accidents. There also may be physical causes like urinary tract infections that may cause children to have daytime accidents.
After ruling out medical issues, here are some ways to help prevent accidents.
- Ask your child to go to the bathroom every 2 hours.
- Remind your child to go before getting in the car or on the bus.
- If you see signs of “holding it” like squirming or holding the genital area, take him to the bathroom right away.
- Select clothing that is easy for your child to remove to go to the bathroom.
- Public toilets may be scary. Try to make him feel more comfortable.
Do not ignore wet clothes when accidents happen. Your child’s skin can get a rash quickly from the wetness. Help your child change clothing without scolding or punishment. Your child is not wetting on purpose. He wants to avoid accidents as much as you want him to.
