More - but Different - POTTY Problems
By Raven7317
@Raven7317 (691)
United States
August 19, 2009 8:09am CST
Hello my friends... I'm back on the potty thing! I swear, I feel as if my ENTIRE life is about toilets, Pee-Pees, Poopies, and Clorox wipes!
Anyway, I have a new problem with my 4 YO... As alot of you know, he finally mastered the "gotta go potty" thing and is now in big boy underwear... Alot of you helped me thru this agonizing process and i'm hoping you will once again share wisdom...
The problem now is he's discovered the power he has with his pee-pee! He thinks it's funny to aim EVERYWHERE but in the toilet... He's amazed at the sight of liquid coming out of his body... I know little ones will be obsessed with their bodies for a long time and I know it's completely normal... We've been working on the 'appropriateness' of touching, holding, showing and talking about our bodies...
But how do I get him to stop showering my bathmats, the floors, his own clothes, and this morning - the wall!!!! ?????
It usually starts as an accident, like he can't pull down fast enough or something, but he doesn't even try to make it... he just stands there and finishes! I can just imagine the little beast's thoughts... "oh lookit that...a squirt gun!"
Any shared advise would be greatly appreciated!
5 responses
@charblaize (1026)
• United States
19 Aug 09
My son had and still has that issue. He is 6. He doesn't like to "hold on to it" and aim. The school and his therapist when younger would tell me about the cheerio's or fruit loops. Its not "a game" per say but to help him where to shoot for, unless you tell him to aim for the hole in the toliet since your husband is old fashion.
I would always have him go outside at his grandmas (she was in the country). boys are very stubborn with learning and "finding" new things about their bodies....sometimes I even wished I had a girl!!!
lol and good luck.
@Raven7317 (691)
• United States
19 Aug 09
Hi, thanks for your response... Well, my little guy has NO problem holding on to it, or touching it, or grabbing it... I'm constantly telling him, "let it go, it's not going anywhere" or "get your hands outta there, it's not lonely"
LOL LOL
boys... You knowl, when we first started this process, and he got it, when we were outside, we thought letting him go on the tree or in the bushes wasn't a big deal... then we realized, WAIT, big boys/men need to learn to recognize, hold it and make for a mens room.... he needs to learn this... Especially in SCHOOL...
One of my worst nightmares is getting a call from the school saying "Come pick up your son, he just p**sed on the swingset."
I'm laughing now, and I realize it's not the end of the world... just another step in raising a man. Thanks.
@charblaize (1026)
• United States
20 Aug 09
My son "holds" and keeps his hands down there also, think its just a guy thing. My son also went outside all the time and in preschool, I didn't get any calls. Plus in preschool/headstart they will work them and help them if they are having issues, and i am sure he isn't the only boy that p's everywhere. Just relax and take a step back, he could also being doing it to hear you "fight" with him....i know mine likes to do things just to hear me yell......:))
good luck.
@JAYMAR777 (840)
• Philippines
19 Aug 09
How about putting a bullseye target on your bowl? or put something like a toy duck and tell him how he can hit it at first shot.
Or just wait until he is bored of aiming at anything, or anyone. He will eventually outgrow it.
Honestly I'm pretty excited on what people have to say
@Raven7317 (691)
• United States
19 Aug 09
Thanks for the response... You know, I've thought of the cheerio method, but my DH is sort of old fashioned and doesn't think bodily functions are a game and should be treated as serious and thinks that by making it fun or a game that it will encourage him to do inappropriate things... I only got as far as being allowed to sit and sing with DS while training, DH got ticked if I made it too fun or too much like a game...
And he's so old fashioned, that I can't say "I told you so" and point out that even though I treat this process seriously, the boy still did what was natural.. He plays aim games with his newly discovered bodily function!
LOL
Seriously, my concern is when he goes back to school... I can't have the teachers calling to say he's peeing on the floor! And me too - I'm excited to see what people say!
@dreamjapan (409)
• Japan
21 Aug 09
I have 3 boys and thankfully all grown up but I do remember going through this as well. One thing is to float some toilet paper for him to aim at. Also after you clean up get hom to clean up!!! Sometimes kids need to realise that making a mess means cleaning it up as well. I bought some wipes for the toilet that are easy to use. I would clean up the mess as usual with bleach, making sure the boys saw the effort it took (no shooting and running!), then I would give them the wipes to go over the place "incase Mommy missed". They hated cleaning up and it got them out of the habit, of accidents happened but with a few months they got less.
@shaggin (71634)
• United States
25 Aug 10
My nephew was here last night and today and wow he made a mess of the toilet and floor and hes going to be 8 in January so I guess it never ends. My husband only made a mess when he was drunk lol. My son will be 3 in October and loves going pee on the potty chair. I never pushed him to start potty training. I think its important for them to go at their own pace so they are ready. He just takes off his diaper when he wants to go. Its so nice not to have to use so many diapers anymore. I do cloth diapers but once in awhile when I run out of clean covers I have to use disposables and they are expensive and bad for the environment so I hate using them even if they are a little easier. With my daughter I was kind of sad to not have to do diapers anymore but with my son I'm just like ok I've been doing diapers between the two kids for 6 years now its enough lol.
@hmfryklund (389)
• United States
20 Aug 09
Is there something he receives when he is really good, like snacks or gold stars or something? Maybe try to enforce onto him that every time he does that, he loses that privilege, and wont regain it back unless he stops spraying everything. Have you taken any consideration into this? I saw how people said to make a bullseye type of thing, and that sounds fun too! I think those ideas would keep him under control, lets hope lol
