Why are some 4 year olds still not potty trained?

Question

I find it really surprising and makes me think the parent has slacked off as a parent. My child was potty trained at 2 years old and completely potty trained at 2 1/2 years old that means sleeping at night in underwear everything. like completely done at 2 1/2 years old. I just don't get these mothers who asks questions about their 4 year olds and pull-ups and how to potty train their 4 year old?

Answer 1

It depends on the kids and the parents.. MY 1st was done by 18month, 2nd by 2 years and my son I thought I would be going to kindergarten and changing him. We both work but he is with family that kept up with the training when we were gone.. He was NOT interested... he was 3 1/2 when we got him trained. one day it was like he just decided it was time. we worked on him for over a year..

BUT there are those parents that just don't try.. when i did daycare this was a constant problem.. we even had kids that we had trained at day care but they would go home and there parents would put them in a diaper again.

Answer 2

I think that part of the reason for late potty training is due to pull up confusion.  The typical age range for girls is 2-3.5years for completion of potty training.  Boys are 2.5-4.  For kids with delays its 4-7.  My sons were "early" for autistic kids.  They were completely trained at 4yrs. 0 months, and 32 months dry at night too, no pullup, no accidents.

My cousins daughter trained at 4.5 years which I thought was a bit ridiculous, since this kid was talking in 3-5 word sentences at only 18 months old.  She was more than capable from about 3 years.  She would say mommy I have to p**p where is my diaper?  When my cousin tried to not give her a diaper, she held it, till it became impacted and needed doctors removal, so my cousin wanted to avoid that from happening again.

Answer 3

Okay i seen this question my son just turned 4 and just finally got 100% potty trained. When you and your husband both work 60+ hours a week do you think day care is going to potty train your child? My husband just got a great job and im now able to stay at home with my son. When we were home with him when we were both working we tried he got the peeing in the potty thing right away but it was the pooping that was the issue. I even ask a doctor. They will when they are ready. Just like all kids are different my son started talking at 6 month he was walking at 9month 1 week.. some babies dont walk until they are a year. EVERY child is different. When you work 60 +plus hours and your husband does to, then you still have a house to clean, and errands to run, and a child to teach to potty train! Then you can say i slacked off! I think that was a VERY RUDE question!!!and we have been working with him since he was a year and half old!

And working parents (some) do only have the weekends. in my case i was working from 3am-3pm 6-7 days a week. So i had evening time to try to potty train him. And most the time i would have to go back into work on some nights. I think you should think about things before you post another question like this because im sure you pissed off alot of mothers by this question!!!  There are parents that dont try and there is some that try and work to support their family.

And daycare's do not potty train kids! I can speak on this because my best friend owns 3 daycares! They will help if help is needed but they cant stay on one kid all day.. and coach them!

And now a 4 year olds p**p is not bigger than your husbands. Its about the same as a 2 1/2 yr olds. Instead of pooping in a diaper its in undies, You just have to clean them out.

Answer 4

Sometimes its just the way it is... I have 4 children from ages 22 to 3 all girls and all but the 3 yr old were potty trained by 2... My 3 yr old just wants no part of it.. I have tried everything . And to be honest I'm not really worried about it...I know that it will happen,, and just so you know I have not slacked off as a parent... I'm just older and much more experienced and know whats important... and this is not.

Answer 5

because you don't force kids to learn to use the potty you wait for them to take interest and try them selves. I got potty trained in about a week that way. we had a really private back yard so she let me run around on the deck nude, and I had an accident. then the next time I sat on the kids potty out side and got it the second or third time. took about a week for me to get it completely right.

some kids it takes longer, some times not.

Answer 6

probably busy.. or perhaps they just dont know what to do..

i agree though, 4 is way too old..

Answer 7

my daughter was fully potty trained at 34 months. when she started staying dry all night, and was interested in the potty we started full potty training. there was no way i was gonna force it and then have accidents and screaming and fits. maybe you should mind your own buisness, because sometimes it can not be helped, and unless you are rude enough to ask you have no idea what the reason is.

Answer 8

wow those are some bad mothers

Answer 9

Some kids simply develop slower than others.  My oldest boy did not walk until his 2nd birthday - despite every method possible and community/local experts in the program for childhood development.  Similar to some kids talking slower, or going potty - it's very difficult to force it, but the more parents work with them the more they understand it and want to do it.

Answer 10

Every child is different. Some kids just don't get things through their heads. And some just can't control their bladder.

Answer 11

Potty training takes:

Time

Consistency

Physical Ability

Loving attention

If both parents work, it's basically left to the caregiver, and they won't potty train because it's not their job.

I understand your dismay.  You are a concerned parent who took the time with your child.  Most kids potty train themselves by that age.  Maybe the child has physical or mental problems.

TX Mom