Originally Posted by PB&J:
I can’t tell you how many parents have said “but my kid stays completely dry in underwear. He/she ONLY has “accidents” in pull-ups [diapers].” One, I tell them exactly what you say abt not wanting to be wet whether they are in underwear, pull-ups, or Saran Wrap ... and they insist their kids go everywhere all weekend dry in underwear. Or, I believe them and put their kids in underwear and EVEN WITH reminders these kids mess their pants. Help.
I tell parents that the dynamics can be very different at home and at day care. Until I'm comfortable that the child is fully potty trained at day care, he/she will have to wear either diapers or Pull Ups at my house. I explain that at day care, the potty training kid usually insists he doesn't have to use the bathroom until I sit down to feed an infant who's starting to fuss because he's hungry or until I start to change another kid who just had an explosive poop in his diaper. All of a sudden, the potty training kid has to go
NOW. We then end up with a puddle on the floor that I have to try to keep 5 other kids from splashing in while I finish up with the kid on the changing table or put a now screaming baby down so I can clean up the mess on the floor. At home, parents can usually react pretty quickly when their child says he has to go; I can't always drop what I'm doing to bring the child to the potty. Maybe I've just been lucky but most parents understand when I explain it to them like that.