Even though most children enrolled in preschool are using the toilet independently, all preschoolers need help from time-to-time. They also always need a complete change of clothes in their backpacks: shirt, undies, pants, and socks. Not only do preschoolers have potty mishaps, they’re also known to spill juice or water down their shirts or in their laps.
Things we understand about preschoolers and the potty
> You are your child’s teacher of all things potty. We understand that you are working on perfecting potty skills at home and that preschool pottiers are sometimes a work-in-progress.
> We understand that newly-trained preschoolers often need help managing this newly-acquired skill. Please reassure your child that they will not be abandoned in the bathroom if they need assistance, and that they should never hesitate to ask the teacher for assistance with anything, including toileting.
> We understand that newly-trained preschoolers sometimes regress right before school starts, or during that first month of preschool. The child who seemed to be just about trained is suddenly having accidents. Likely your child is nervous about preschool and this is part of the fallout. They aren’t doing this on purpose, which is why they’re called accidents and not intentionals. When accidents happen, in addition to a change of clothes, they need a loving, low-key response and support and encouragement from their adults at home and at school. For more information, check out this helpful article entitled How To Deal With Potty Training Regression.
> We understand that the most well-trained preschool pottier can still get so wrapped up in a moment that they don’t feel the signals their body is sending that it’s time to hightail it to the bathroom. We keep an eye out for those squirmy kids shifting from foot-to-foot trying to finish a puzzle or get that last block on the tower. We’ll tell them to take a potty break and make sure they follow up. If we miss the signals ourselves, we’ll help them into their change of clothes.
> We understand that some children, regardless of their level of toileting competence, want the reassurance that pull-ups give them. If your child wants to wear a pull-up (but not a diaper) to school, that is fine. Please let us know they’ll be wearing a pull-up, and be sure to include several spare pull-ups in their backpack along with their change of clothes.
If . . .
- you have not introduced potty training to your child or
- your child has not made the connection between body signals and the need to relieve themself in the toilet
you’ll need to delay their preschool start.
