Sammy is learning to use the toilet and is wearing underwear now instead of diapers. He has several accidents a day and it's upsetting him and causing you to spend a great deal of time helping him to get cleaned up. What can you do?

Sammy is learning to use the toilet and is wearing underwear now instead of diapers. He has several accidents a day and it's upsetting him and causing you to spend a great deal of time helping him to get cleaned up. What can you do?

• A. Talk to his parents about his accidents and suggest they put him in pull ups as an in-between step to help him avoid any frustration with toilet training.
• B. Yell at him
• C. Punish him
• D. Move him to diapers

Answer: (A)

When a child is learning to use the toilet, accidents are a normal part of the process, and the goal is to keep the experience supportive and stress-free so he can keep learning. The most helpful step is to talk with his parents about using pull-ups as an in-between option. Pull-ups provide a less punishing, more forgiving way to practice staying dry while still wearing underwear, which helps reduce frustration for both child and caregiver. This transitional tool supports the learning rhythm, lowers the emotional impact of accidents, and helps maintain Sammy’s motivation and self-esteem as he gains independence. It also helps ensure a consistent approach between home and other environments, so he receives the same expectations and strategies everywhere he spends time. Yelling or punishing can create fear or shame around toileting, which tends to make the child more anxious and less willing to try. Moving back to diapers would slow progress and message that underwear is off-limits, undermining the gradual, goal-oriented approach of toilet training.

When a child is learning to use the toilet, accidents are a normal part of the process, and the goal is to keep the experience supportive and stress-free so he can keep learning. The most helpful step is to talk with his parents about using pull-ups as an in-between option. Pull-ups provide a less punishing, more forgiving way to practice staying dry while still wearing underwear, which helps reduce frustration for both child and caregiver. This transitional tool supports the learning rhythm, lowers the emotional impact of accidents, and helps maintain Sammy’s motivation and self-esteem as he gains independence. It also helps ensure a consistent approach between home and other environments, so he receives the same expectations and strategies everywhere he spends time.

Yelling or punishing can create fear or shame around toileting, which tends to make the child more anxious and less willing to try. Moving back to diapers would slow progress and message that underwear is off-limits, undermining the gradual, goal-oriented approach of toilet training.