3rd year old to lazy to use the toilet

[armybratOK]

I have a 3 yr old niece who lives with me, and recently she has decided she doesn't feel like using the bathroom so she pees in her bedroom. She has been potty trained for nearly a year and half, but when we ask her why she does it, she says that she didn't want to use the bathroom. I'm at my wits end because my house is begininng to smell like pee no matter how much we clean it, or punish her. I dont know what her problem is, she hasn't done this before. Any ideas?

[indigo39]

Could be a couple things...maybe she is upset about something in her life, and it's her way of acting out. Or she could be suddenly afraid of the bathroom or toilet; sometimes preschools develop fears of things because of something they saw or heard (like someone talking about being flushed down the toilet). Maybe try to talk to her a little more about it (when she's not being punished or has just done it again).

[althepal39]

I agree with indigo - some kids do develop fears of the toilet just from seemingly innocent things - like cartoons where a character is flushed down the toilet.  It can scare little kids!  Does she have her own potty she can use?  Maybe that would help?