Reply from Tom, Child's Age N/A - 3/7/03 - IP#: 159.39.16.14

Usually peer pressure from other kids, especially in a day care or pre-school, will make a child want to use the toilet because all the other kids do. But there are a few that aren’t affected by peer pressure and are comfortable being the only one wearing diapers. At age 4 he should have both the awareness and the motor skills to become trained, what is probably lacking is motivation. You need to find some way to convince him that he doesn’t want diapers any more, and preferably make him think it was his idea. As far as the school issue is concerned, that depends on the local school system or the school itself if it isn’t a public school. Some systems require children to begin kindergarten by a certain age and others would consider lack of toilet training as a sign of immaturity and hold the child back. There are a few children with real bladder control problems that make training impossible and schools usually have to take them as they are. If your child will attend kindergarten at his current school, you should check with them – they already know he is still in diapers.