He has stopped using the toilet at school altogether. He holds it from 8 till he gets home at 3.45, runs straight in, and twice this month he hasn't made it to the door. His teacher says he never asks to go. I work with children all day and somehow can't get a straight answer out of my own. If your child did this, what was the reason in the end?
Before guessing at reasons, it might help to find out how toilet breaks work in his class. In my daughter's school they went in pairs at fixed times, and a few children simply didn't want to go with the partner they'd been given. I'm not saying that's his reason, only that for us the rule itself turned out to be the problem.
My elder one did exactly this in class 1. It turned out the older girls used the same block at break and she felt rushed and watched. Once the teacher let her go five minutes before break, when it was empty, it stopped within a couple of weeks. Do ask if he can go at a quieter time. They usually come round once the reason is found.
With my younger one it was the hand dryer. Very loud, right next to the door, and she would rather wait six hours than walk past it. It took us a month to find out because she was embarrassed to say it.
ours was the latch. got stuck inside once in class 1, maybe two minutes, and that was it, he refused for most of that term. didnt tell us either, a classmate's mother did. worth asking if anything happened in there even something small
This happens more than parents think. From the teacher side, a lot of them don't ask because they don't want to miss whatever is going on, or they don't want to put a hand up and say it in front of everyone. A couple of kids in my class have a card they just leave on my desk and go. No announcement. Could ask his teacher whether something like that is possible.
Is he drinking his water at school? Our son cut down on water so he wouldn't need to go. Took us a while to notice.
Bottle comes back about half empty, so he's drinking some. I spoke to his teacher this morning about a quieter time, and she'll try sending him just before lunch. Will see how next week goes.
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