My daughter...4.5 has on occasion been doing the "baby talk" lately and I keep reminding her that she is a big girl, not a baby.
About a week ago my husband was watching tv and kept smelling poop and couldn't find the source...well it was coming from my DD !! Just out of nowhere, she didn't even bother to tell us. Mind you she has been potty trained for a LOOONG Time. I asked her what happened, she said I don't know.

Now she just did it again!! I kept smelling poop and smelled the baby and the toddler...nope....my daughter again!! She did not tell me she had pooped, but just acting as if nothing happened.

What is going on!! I took away her VTECH with her new Dora game and told her it was for big girls , not babies. HELP What do I do?

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has there been any major changes at home? arguments, stress and etc.?

What about a new DCK that she may feel is getting more attention?

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You could sit down and have a big girl talk with her making sure to list all the things she gets to do because she's a big girl. Then make a list of things she gets to do because she's a big girl and hang it somewhere she can see it. Let her know that if she doesn't use the toilet then she looses big girl privileges for __ days of behaving like a big girl. Then just start with the top of the list and go down it taking things away and be sure to include stuff like going to a separate room without first letting you know if you kept her insight when she was younger and have since let her go to her room on her own.

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We have a very stable and peaceful home. So I am assuming that it's the shift in attention from her having me 100% of the time, to now shared time with the DCKs.

I had a loving talk with her and I'm hoping it helps. My husband suggested not taking away her new game but just sit her down and talk with her and to give her LOTS of attention all day. SIGH

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Yes this is exactly what's happening. Lots of change going on and regression is pretty normal. Please don't punish her for this behavior because it will make her feel shame which won't help anyone. Set aside special time for her every day just the 2 of you and even set aside special space for her that's all her own.

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THANK YOU, LORD that I"m not the only one!!!!!

My dgs started this at five. After some extensive research, reading and even a visit to the doc, it seems he is just very strong willed and intelligent. It has been a struggle since July and he is just now starting to be potty trained AGAIN!!! Gotta love this kid!

One child behavioral psychologist I found on line said it can be quite common with very intelligent children around the 5 yo mark. They are actually trying to assert their independence by not being what is expected of them. (joy)

His remark was that he "loves these kids" they come up with the darndest things.

His suggestion was just to put them back in training pants or diapers until their little will made up their own mind. However, use natural consequences..... like..... once we were going into town and he wet his pants. Thankfully we had a friend along. So the friend went in all the stores without us and we sat in the car through every single one. No treats, no shopping, no nothing. I had the friend pick up the things I absolutely couldn't do without for the week. Believe me, it made an impression my gs will not soon forget. You have to impress on them that there are places, when you are a big boy(or girl), that wet pants are absolutely not acceptable.

At other times we couldn't "go to McD's" for lunch or he couldn't stay overnight at a friend's house. He even has had to leave the supper table.

He is now FINALLY back into big boy pants.. but only during the day. But hey! at this point I'm a happy camper!

I can't wait for the teen years........ aaaarrrgghhh!

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