Anonymous
Post 01/22/2025 13:14     Subject: Re:Potty Trained PreK-3
If your child has a developmental delay toileting can be part of an IEP.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2025 12:29     Subject: Re:Potty Trained PreK-3
My son was a young PK3 student; we worked on potty training all summer leading up to school starting. We're at a charter school so policies may vary, but he had a few #1 accidents (generally during naptime) after starting school that were treated as no big deal. Starting school is a big transition and teachers and admin were very understanding, regressions like that are very normal.

We sent a few changes of clothing and he was sent home with dirty clothes in a ziploc bag in his backpack whenever that happened.

I don't think we ever dealt with a #2 accident at school so that may have been a different protocol, but figured I'd weigh in with our experience!
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2025 19:23     Subject: Potty Trained PreK-3
Charters can and do absolutely have rules about potty training. Also, DCPS absolutely will not change poop-filled underwear, so expect to be called for that & your kid to sit in it while they wait for you. For pee accidents, your mileage will vary with the teacher and whether your kid is having accidents or just not potty trained; don't expect much sympathy if it's the latter.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2025 18:56     Subject: Potty Trained PreK-3
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:They will change your child in PK3, it is recommended but not required to be potty trained.


It depends on the teacher.


Found this to be very true at our Title 1 DCPS. Teacher was very against having a kid wear pullups but that was not against school policy. Just her preference and she made it clear that she would not be assisting with helping to change him. The aide was much more willing to work with us on this by quietly helping our son with reminders and by the winter break things got better with less accidents and we were able to forego the pullups in the spring.

Now aftercare was a whole different story. The staff were really unhelpful and not understanding. Several times our son was found crying alone in the bathroom because he had an accident and was embarrassed to tell anyone. Everyone kept telling us not to worry, that the other potty trained kids would be a motivating influence. Turned out to not be true for us and the maturity (late summer baby) gained later in the school year helped the most. I will add that we and his daycare teachers were constantly trying to get him fully potty trained before the start of PK3 so it wasn't a lack of effort.


Which is strange. Why make it so that the kids don’t have to be potty trained? If the teachers don’t have to help, it should be a rule that all the children should be potty trained.


While PK isn’t compulsory DC does guarantee a spot for every child who lives in the district. They can’t deny kids entry if they have a DC address.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2025 18:10     Subject: Potty Trained PreK-3
We worked really hard the summer before pre-k 3 started on potty training. It took some time for my kid to get it, and she had some lapses the first few months of school (many kids will), but overall she was fine. There were probably 5 kids in the class who were still in pull-ups in pre-k 3; I think it was close-ish to 0 by pre-k 4.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2025 15:16     Subject: Potty Trained PreK-3
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:They will change your child in PK3, it is recommended but not required to be potty trained.


It depends on the teacher.


Found this to be very true at our Title 1 DCPS. Teacher was very against having a kid wear pullups but that was not against school policy. Just her preference and she made it clear that she would not be assisting with helping to change him. The aide was much more willing to work with us on this by quietly helping our son with reminders and by the winter break things got better with less accidents and we were able to forego the pullups in the spring.

Now aftercare was a whole different story. The staff were really unhelpful and not understanding. Several times our son was found crying alone in the bathroom because he had an accident and was embarrassed to tell anyone. Everyone kept telling us not to worry, that the other potty trained kids would be a motivating influence. Turned out to not be true for us and the maturity (late summer baby) gained later in the school year helped the most. I will add that we and his daycare teachers were constantly trying to get him fully potty trained before the start of PK3 so it wasn't a lack of effort.


Which is strange. Why make it so that the kids don’t have to be potty trained? If the teachers don’t have to help, it should be a rule that all the children should be potty trained.


Because it would leave out many kids who have disabilities and/or neglectful parents, which are the kids DC most wants to have in PK. Also because potty training is a spectrum and where would you draw the line--expel after 1 accident?
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2025 15:10     Subject: Potty Trained PreK-3
Ours helped our child change. At the beginning he had one accident every other week since he didn't know how to speak up. They helped change him and let us know so we could figure out what was going on.

Took maybe 3 accidents till we/he figured it all out. But perfect since.

But they worked with us and him.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2025 15:05     Subject: Potty Trained PreK-3
I think it depends on the teacher. They or the co-teacher will help them change and clean up. They will also take the group to the bathroom at regular intervals.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2025 13:52     Subject: Potty Trained PreK-3
My oldest started at a charter that required the prek3 students to be fully potty trained to be at school. I was called for 2 accidents to change him and if he had a 3rd I was told we'd be kicked out.

Now at a DCPS where they support students who are finishing the process but no one come in having not be almost finished. And the kids need to be able to change themselves in the bathroom if they have an accident.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2025 20:29     Subject: Potty Trained PreK-3
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Anyone’s child potty trained before they started PreK3? If not, how did the school handle it?


My god, how have you not potty trained your 3 year old? Unless they have a developmental delay they should be good by now. All 3 of my kids were done by 2. This sounds like a parenting issue…

Don’t pass it along to the pre-k teachers.


My 3 year old does have a developmental delay.

I have no problem with the rule. However, the point is why say children don’t have to be potty trained if the teachers have the choice on if they want to help. If they aren’t going to assist, change the rule.


According to the r/teachers subreddit, more and more kids are showing up to kindergarten not toilet trained (not developmental disabled); you can't deny a child access to education for this.

Spitballing here, but maybe DC doesn't know how to handle what would otherwise be an apparent discrepancy in policy? I.e., you can't attend (voluntary) PK3 and PK4 if you're not potty trained, but in (compulsory) K you can?
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2025 20:13     Subject: Potty Trained PreK-3
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Anyone’s child potty trained before they started PreK3? If not, how did the school handle it?


My god, how have you not potty trained your 3 year old? Unless they have a developmental delay they should be good by now. All 3 of my kids were done by 2. This sounds like a parenting issue…

Don’t pass it along to the pre-k teachers.


My 3 year old does have a developmental delay.

I have no problem with the rule. However, the point is why say children don’t have to be potty trained if the teachers have the choice on if they want to help. If they aren’t going to assist, change the rule.


Some schools will call parents for a #2 accident. The staffing just isn't there to devote one on one staffing to each child if they have an accident.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2025 20:11     Subject: Potty Trained PreK-3
I potty trained my kid before they started in a charter school at 3. He was ready, and I was grateful to have the nudge of starting full time school to help me get him on the path to potty training. I used the weekend method.

Teachers in school can deal with accidents, but you should at least have your kid on the road to potty training because the staffing is simply not there to deal with changing diapers.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2025 19:51     Subject: Potty Trained PreK-3
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Anyone’s child potty trained before they started PreK3? If not, how did the school handle it?


My god, how have you not potty trained your 3 year old? Unless they have a developmental delay they should be good by now. All 3 of my kids were done by 2. This sounds like a parenting issue…

Don’t pass it along to the pre-k teachers.


How lucky for us to have such a superior human being grace us with her presence on this thread!


The comment was very strange. Kudos to their child for being potty trained at 2.


Sure, sock puppet.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2025 19:38     Subject: Potty Trained PreK-3
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Anyone’s child potty trained before they started PreK3? If not, how did the school handle it?


My god, how have you not potty trained your 3 year old? Unless they have a developmental delay they should be good by now. All 3 of my kids were done by 2. This sounds like a parenting issue…

Don’t pass it along to the pre-k teachers.


How lucky for us to have such a superior human being grace us with her presence on this thread!


The comment was very strange. Kudos to their child for being potty trained at 2.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2025 19:37     Subject: Potty Trained PreK-3
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Anyone’s child potty trained before they started PreK3? If not, how did the school handle it?


My god, how have you not potty trained your 3 year old? Unless they have a developmental delay they should be good by now. All 3 of my kids were done by 2. This sounds like a parenting issue…

Don’t pass it along to the pre-k teachers.


My 3 year old does have a developmental delay.

I have no problem with the rule. However, the point is why say children don’t have to be potty trained if the teachers have the choice on if they want to help. If they aren’t going to assist, change the rule.