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Child Behavior  (Expert Forum)
 | 
My 3 1/2 year old refuses to use the toilet.
Answered by
Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy, Family Therapy, Crisis Intervention
Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates
This forum is for questions and support regarding child behavior issues such: Child Discipline (behavior management), Normal Child Development, Parent-Child Communications, Social Development

My 3 1/2 year old refuses to use the toilet.

by Shawnmb, Oct 05, 2002 12:00AM
We have tried treats, praise, patience, and now frustration.  How can I get him to do it.  He has normal movments and pees just fine in the diaper of course.  He has never been traumatized, so we don't get it.  He has one half brother who is 13. He has no other siblings.  what can I do?  His preschool will not move him to his appropriate age class until he can go in the toilet.  He is in Preschool three 1/2 days a week.

by Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D., Oct 07, 2002 12:00AM
You have basically two choices. You can wait this out if you wish. There are a number of children who are not trained until they are four and even some who are nearly five. Regardless, they get it done. If you want to push it a bit, and this is often not such a good thing to do, and if your son is dry at night, you can establish a date on which you will end the use of diapers. You talk with your son about this, and then do it. It's a go-for-broke strategy that sometimes works. If you choose to do it, makit occur in a fun, relaxed, unpressured manner (you might even have a little cake or cupcakes to celebrate the end-of-diapers day). You see what I mean. The climate in which these things are accomplished can mean a lot.
Member Comments (2)

by Gihedly, Nov 10, 2002 12:00AM
i think that you should just put your child back into diapers.
Becouse he or she is not yet ready to use the toilet.
You need to show them how to use the toilet and show them that it can be fun but intell then just leave your child in diapers.
I know this thing from excperience my child Stecon is 13 and he still runs around the house in diapers.
So my advise is just wait intell they are ready some children might be slow at this.
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