Help With Potty Training a 4-Year-Old

Children develop at different rates and it can be a struggle if parents try to initiate potty training before a child is ready. The advantage of potty training a 4-year-old is that he can express his needs better than a younger child; however, at 4 years old a child also has a mind of his own and will not always do what mommy and daddy tell him.

  1. Diagnose the Problem

    • Diagnose why your child is reluctant to potty train or not responding to incentives to potty train. Children usually show an interest in potty training by age 2 or 3. Most children are potty trained by age 4, though they may still wet the bed. It's not unusual for some children to take longer than others. It could be that she is maturing slower or feels too pressured to potty train, a fear of the potty, failure or even a physical problem a doctor needs to check out such as constipation.
      Pediatricians do not encourage parents to wait until their children are 4 or 5 to potty train. By this age, many children have developed their self-awareness and an independent streak; they may decide they are quite happy wearing diapers and strongly resist the change to underwear.

    Make It Fun

    • Praise and encouragement are at the forefront of any potty-training effort. It will be a frustrating process fraught with accidents and defiance, but parents need to keep their cool. Don't criticize children for mistakes or they will associate potty training as a negative experience. Don't add too much pressure or it will increase a child's resistance.
      Make it fun by providing their own toilet decorated with their favorite character, such as Dora or Handy Manny. Girls have it a little easier because they can accomplish both bowel movements and urinating by sitting down. It's important to make sure your daughter wipes from front to back, especially after a bowel movement. This prevents vaginal infections. Four-year-olds should have an easier time remembering this than younger girls, but if it's a problem teach her to pat dry first.
      Remove the urine guard on a boy's potty chair because it can scrape his penis. He should not associate potty training with pain. Teach boys to stand up while using the potty by floating a few pieces of cereal or other flushable targets in the bowl. Be patient with spills; the more he practices the more adept he will become. Provide a trusted male role model to demonstrate or supervise and help your boy.

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