Almost time for school, but not potty-trained yet. Help!

Help! My child is about to start school... !

• Is your child about to start elementary school and not quite potty-trained yet? That can be stressful. You’re worried about how things will go. We understand.
• Did you know that kids need to be able to do more than just use the restroom at school? Your child also needs to be able to go to the restroom on their own, take off and put on their pants, sit on the toilet, wipe themselves, wash their hands, and go back to class.
• Is your child still in diapers? Don't wait any longer. Start today with step 1 of the training and work through all the steps.

What can you do?

• Tell your child that at school, all the kids use the restroom and don't wear diapers anymore.
• Practice at home everything your child will need to be able to do in school. Or play school with stuffed animals. Act out all the things the stuffed animals need to practice.
• Are you already on step 4? Great! Keep it up and keep practicing. Kids can often learn a lot in just a few months. Maybe you’ll get there in time.
• Start talking to the school now. When your child first starts or is getting used to school, discuss where they are in their development.
• Ask the teacher how the school handles accidents. Who changes your child’s diaper? Do you need to come pick up your child? How do they help children who are still learning?
• Children older than 3.5 years old often already understand the process very well. This can speed things up. However, your child may also be very used to wearing diapers and prefer to do things their own way. So don’t rush and go through all the steps.
• Don’t put pressure on your child. So don’t say, “You can’t go to school if you keep wetting your pants.” That will make your child feel insecure and sad. And it doesn’t help. Instead, say, “You’re almost there. If we keep practicing, you’ll be able to go to school. Good job!”