A New Trend: Kindergartners Not Potty-Trained

[Disir]

You read that right. Not only in my district but apparently everywhere. Students coming to kindergarten and REMAINING in kind. in pull-ups. And having bowel "accidents" in pull-ups. Many of these students are not special needs, either. They have no known medical, physical, behavioral or emotional problems.

Naturally the important thing is that these students not be mocked and feel no pressure whatsoever....

Buffalo Teachers Say Having To Change Kids' Diapers Is A Bum Deal

I would be careful with that. If you have a 5, 6, 7 year old in pull ups then you have something else going on. It is not uncommon for kids to regress. Schools seldom have the full picture.

As a rarity, it's acceptable. Some kids don't progress well.

As a rule, or even a commonality, it's a problem.

There have always been a few that might have an accident. It happens, but to be wearing diapers/pull-ups, tells me they are not doing their due diligence, unless there is a medical reason.

Sometimes there is no medical reason and then it is reverting back to the difference between not wanting to stop playing or not even being aware. The parents may not even know which direction to go or they may not have access to resources.

So, then we need to start looking at environments. Start from the outside in. What does the neighborhood look like? What is the level of violence in the neighborhood? Who are the primary caretakers? What is the family structure? What is the socioeconomic status? How many siblings?

I don't disagree with any of this, but again, I worked in some very disadvantaged districts in the past and never heard of students coming to school in pull-ups or routinely having accidents (that aren't really accidents). So it's not THAT it happens--odd things happen. It's that it's happening to apparently many kinder teachers around the nation.

And I can't buy that with zero information on the parents, the kids etc.

 

[Likkmee]

It must be the Baby Boomers fault ! We'unz useless fucks, ya know. Us guys who gave the technology you're using as I type, cell phones.Laser sights for guns, Plasma cutters. Tennis shoez with LED lights. Shit like that.

 

[depotoo]

You read that right. Not only in my district but apparently everywhere. Students coming to kindergarten and REMAINING in kind. in pull-ups. And having bowel "accidents" in pull-ups. Many of these students are not special needs, either. They have no known medical, physical, behavioral or emotional problems.

Naturally the important thing is that these students not be mocked and feel no pressure whatsoever....

Buffalo Teachers Say Having To Change Kids' Diapers Is A Bum Deal

I would be careful with that. If you have a 5, 6, 7 year old in pull ups then you have something else going on. It is not uncommon for kids to regress. Schools seldom have the full picture.

As a rarity, it's acceptable. Some kids don't progress well.

As a rule, or even a commonality, it's a problem.

There have always been a few that might have an accident. It happens, but to be wearing diapers/pull-ups, tells me they are not doing their due diligence, unless there is a medical reason.

Sometimes there is no medical reason and then it is reverting back to the difference between not wanting to stop playing or not even being aware. The parents may not even know which direction to go or they may not have access to resources.

So, then we need to start looking at environments. Start from the outside in. What does the neighborhood look like? What is the level of violence in the neighborhood? Who are the primary caretakers? What is the family structure? What is the socioeconomic status? How many siblings?

Access to resources? I don’t follow.
And blaming it on a neighborhood, socioeconomic status is a scapegoat. I would imagine there are those of all socioeconomic statuses that also take the easier route, just because it is easier.

 

[SweetSue92]

I would be careful with that. If you have a 5, 6, 7 year old in pull ups then you have something else going on. It is not uncommon for kids to regress. Schools seldom have the full picture.

As a rarity, it's acceptable. Some kids don't progress well.

As a rule, or even a commonality, it's a problem.

There have always been a few that might have an accident. It happens, but to be wearing diapers/pull-ups, tells me they are not doing their due diligence, unless there is a medical reason.

Sometimes there is no medical reason and then it is reverting back to the difference between not wanting to stop playing or not even being aware. The parents may not even know which direction to go or they may not have access to resources.

So, then we need to start looking at environments. Start from the outside in. What does the neighborhood look like? What is the level of violence in the neighborhood? Who are the primary caretakers? What is the family structure? What is the socioeconomic status? How many siblings?

I don't disagree with any of this, but again, I worked in some very disadvantaged districts in the past and never heard of students coming to school in pull-ups or routinely having accidents (that aren't really accidents). So it's not THAT it happens--odd things happen. It's that it's happening to apparently many kinder teachers around the nation.

And I can't buy that with zero information on the parents, the kids etc.

You can't buy that it's happening?

It's happening even in the UK:

Infant school recruits nappy changer because so many kids aren't toilet trained

And in Spokane WA:

Students who aren’t potty trained an issue for kindergarten teachers

 

[SweetSue92]

Where did she once bring liberals into it? She didn’t. You did.

You read that right. Not only in my district but apparently everywhere. Students coming to kindergarten and REMAINING in kind. in pull-ups. And having bowel "accidents" in pull-ups. Many of these students are not special needs, either. They have no known medical, physical, behavioral or emotional problems.

Naturally the important thing is that these students not be mocked and feel no pressure whatsoever....

Buffalo Teachers Say Having To Change Kids' Diapers Is A Bum Deal

You read that right. Not only in my district but apparently everywhere. Students coming to kindergarten and REMAINING in kind. in pull-ups. And having bowel "accidents" in pull-ups. Many of these students are not special needs, either. They have no known medical, physical, behavioral or emotional problems.

Naturally the important thing is that these students not be mocked and feel no pressure whatsoever....

Buffalo Teachers Say Having To Change Kids' Diapers Is A Bum Deal

I would be careful with that. If you have a 5, 6, 7 year old in pull ups then you have something else going on. It is not uncommon for kids to regress. Schools seldom have the full picture.

I wonder then why it seems to be an epidemic that we have only seen recently. I had never, ever heard of this in my 25 years of teaching before, say, the last 5 years.

In 1961, when I was in first grade, one of my classmates wet himself several times. He wasn't "special." He just had accidents sometimes. His mom sent him extra pants to change into.

The reason for these normal children at the edge of the developmental spectrum when it comes to potty training is that they get so engrossed in what is going on that they don't notice in time that their bladder is full or that they're bowels are rumbling. It embarrasses them as much as it annoys the teacher. They DO grow out of it.

I knew when I first read your OP that you would blame this on the dissolution of society. That's bosh. Do you really think there is a parent in this country that wouldn't LOVE to see their 4 or 5 year old potty trained? REALLY, Sue?

Maybe you're just hearing about this because it wasn't talked about before. Now it is some big deal that ultra conservatives will rush to exploit in order to show that LIBERALS don't potty train their children.

This is disgusting.

Give her a little time, Depotoo.

Who squirted lemon juice in your coffee today?

 

[Disir]

You read that right. Not only in my district but apparently everywhere. Students coming to kindergarten and REMAINING in kind. in pull-ups. And having bowel "accidents" in pull-ups. Many of these students are not special needs, either. They have no known medical, physical, behavioral or emotional problems.

Naturally the important thing is that these students not be mocked and feel no pressure whatsoever....

Buffalo Teachers Say Having To Change Kids' Diapers Is A Bum Deal

I would be careful with that. If you have a 5, 6, 7 year old in pull ups then you have something else going on. It is not uncommon for kids to regress. Schools seldom have the full picture.

As a rarity, it's acceptable. Some kids don't progress well.

As a rule, or even a commonality, it's a problem.

There have always been a few that might have an accident. It happens, but to be wearing diapers/pull-ups, tells me they are not doing their due diligence, unless there is a medical reason.

Sometimes there is no medical reason and then it is reverting back to the difference between not wanting to stop playing or not even being aware. The parents may not even know which direction to go or they may not have access to resources.

So, then we need to start looking at environments. Start from the outside in. What does the neighborhood look like? What is the level of violence in the neighborhood? Who are the primary caretakers? What is the family structure? What is the socioeconomic status? How many siblings?

Access to resources? I don’t follow.
And blaming it on a neighborhood, socioeconomic status is a scapegoat. I would imagine there are those of all socioeconomic statuses that also take the easier route, just because it is easier.

Yes. If you stop questioning right there, then you have a scapegoat. I agree with that. And No. If we know from the get go that trauma impacts children in different ways then all you are doing is ruling things out. The key thing is not to stop questioning until you have an answer.

 

[Marion Morrison]

You read that right. Not only in my district but apparently everywhere. Students coming to kindergarten and REMAINING in kind. in pull-ups. And having bowel "accidents" in pull-ups. Many of these students are not special needs, either. They have no known medical, physical, behavioral or emotional problems.

Naturally the important thing is that these students not be mocked and feel no pressure whatsoever....

Buffalo Teachers Say Having To Change Kids' Diapers Is A Bum Deal

Is this lazy parenting? I still had a couple accidents in Kindergarten and I was embarrassed (for myself).

Ofc, there were no "Pull-Ups" then and half my diapers were cloth.

There was a girl that kept wetting herself right up until the 4th-5th grade, but I think she had some issues. We tried to be nice to her. Possibly autistic? Idk.

 

[Disir]

As a rarity, it's acceptable. Some kids don't progress well.

As a rule, or even a commonality, it's a problem.

There have always been a few that might have an accident. It happens, but to be wearing diapers/pull-ups, tells me they are not doing their due diligence, unless there is a medical reason.

Sometimes there is no medical reason and then it is reverting back to the difference between not wanting to stop playing or not even being aware. The parents may not even know which direction to go or they may not have access to resources.

So, then we need to start looking at environments. Start from the outside in. What does the neighborhood look like? What is the level of violence in the neighborhood? Who are the primary caretakers? What is the family structure? What is the socioeconomic status? How many siblings?

I don't disagree with any of this, but again, I worked in some very disadvantaged districts in the past and never heard of students coming to school in pull-ups or routinely having accidents (that aren't really accidents). So it's not THAT it happens--odd things happen. It's that it's happening to apparently many kinder teachers around the nation.

And I can't buy that with zero information on the parents, the kids etc.

You can't buy that it's happening?

It's happening even in the UK:

Infant school recruits nappy changer because so many kids aren't toilet trained

And in Spokane WA:

Students who aren’t potty trained an issue for kindergarten teachers

For those who are not, about 20 percent refuse to learn to use the toilet for a variety of reasons, including excessive parent and child conflict, the child’s parents attempted to start training too early, irrational fears about going to the bathroom, a child’s difficult temperament or even constipation.

Generally, if a child is 5 and still not potty trained, the child needs to be seen by a doctor, McCarthy said.

Bleecker’s concern is that such medical support for students from poor families, who make up nearly 60 percent of Spokane Public Schools’ student body, is not available.

“I would say over the last five or six years we have lost a lot of the community support for families, such as resources for mental health, public nursing services,” Bleecker said. “That lack of support has had an impact.”

 

[depotoo]

It is happening in the UK as well. It is sadly a trend-
And 1% of classroom teachers surveyed had experience of older children in nappies.

The survey was completed by 602 teachers in primary schools and 561 teachers in secondary schools across the country.

Anne-Marie Middleton, deputy head of Warden House Primary School in Deal, said she was aware of children going to school in nappies or pull-ups.

She said: "We are seeing primary school-aged children wear nappies or pull-ups.

"It's something the school nursing services advocates not using: go from nappies to knickers or underpants, but don't use pull-ups, because children don't get trained that way.

"We are seeing more and more children like this - and we don't always know about all of them, and the nurseries don't always tell us, or if children don't go to nurseries, nobody knows."

She said the issue appeared to be on the increase.

Ms Middleton added: "I know of an 11-year-old who is still wearing pull-ups at night.

"It's sort of a hidden area. Parents don't want to talk about it; children don't want to talk about it."

But she said the issue could be resolved, once identified, within a matter of weeks in all but the youngsters with underlying health complaints.

Children as old as 11 'wearing nappies or pull-ups'

 

[depotoo]

I would be careful with that. If you have a 5, 6, 7 year old in pull ups then you have something else going on. It is not uncommon for kids to regress. Schools seldom have the full picture.

As a rarity, it's acceptable. Some kids don't progress well.

As a rule, or even a commonality, it's a problem.

There have always been a few that might have an accident. It happens, but to be wearing diapers/pull-ups, tells me they are not doing their due diligence, unless there is a medical reason.

Sometimes there is no medical reason and then it is reverting back to the difference between not wanting to stop playing or not even being aware. The parents may not even know which direction to go or they may not have access to resources.

So, then we need to start looking at environments. Start from the outside in. What does the neighborhood look like? What is the level of violence in the neighborhood? Who are the primary caretakers? What is the family structure? What is the socioeconomic status? How many siblings?

Access to resources? I don’t follow.
And blaming it on a neighborhood, socioeconomic status is a scapegoat. I would imagine there are those of all socioeconomic statuses that also take the easier route, just because it is easier.

Yes. If you stop questioning right there, then you have a scapegoat. I agree with that. And No. If we know from the get go that trauma impacts children in different ways then all you are doing is ruling things out. The key thing is not to stop questioning until you have an answer.

It is trending up. For one thing, today’s diapers and pull-ups completely wick away the wetness so a child doesn’t even feel discomfort when they pee in them. It traditionally had been that discomfort that helped kids decide it was better to go in the toilet, rather than in their diapers. They don’t have to deal with that today.

 

[SweetSue92]

There have always been a few that might have an accident. It happens, but to be wearing diapers/pull-ups, tells me they are not doing their due diligence, unless there is a medical reason.

Sometimes there is no medical reason and then it is reverting back to the difference between not wanting to stop playing or not even being aware. The parents may not even know which direction to go or they may not have access to resources.

So, then we need to start looking at environments. Start from the outside in. What does the neighborhood look like? What is the level of violence in the neighborhood? Who are the primary caretakers? What is the family structure? What is the socioeconomic status? How many siblings?

I don't disagree with any of this, but again, I worked in some very disadvantaged districts in the past and never heard of students coming to school in pull-ups or routinely having accidents (that aren't really accidents). So it's not THAT it happens--odd things happen. It's that it's happening to apparently many kinder teachers around the nation.

And I can't buy that with zero information on the parents, the kids etc.

You can't buy that it's happening?

It's happening even in the UK:

Infant school recruits nappy changer because so many kids aren't toilet trained

And in Spokane WA:

Students who aren’t potty trained an issue for kindergarten teachers

For those who are not, about 20 percent refuse to learn to use the toilet for a variety of reasons, including excessive parent and child conflict, the child’s parents attempted to start training too early, irrational fears about going to the bathroom, a child’s difficult temperament or even constipation.

Generally, if a child is 5 and still not potty trained, the child needs to be seen by a doctor, McCarthy said.

Bleecker’s concern is that such medical support for students from poor families, who make up nearly 60 percent of Spokane Public Schools’ student body, is not available.

“I would say over the last five or six years we have lost a lot of the community support for families, such as resources for mental health, public nursing services,” Bleecker said. “That lack of support has had an impact.”

All of this is true and I am not disputing any of it.

But the facts remain the facts. Teachers are expected to teach children now TO READ in kindergarten--while also changing some of their kids' diapers apparently. I very much look at what is. And I do that because we can't fix what's broken if we can't even CONFRONT what's broken.

And my profession is ever adept at dancing around a lot of issues rather than confronting them.

 

[SweetSue92]

It is happening in the UK as well. It is sadly a trend-
And 1% of classroom teachers surveyed had experience of older children in nappies.

The survey was completed by 602 teachers in primary schools and 561 teachers in secondary schools across the country.

Anne-Marie Middleton, deputy head of Warden House Primary School in Deal, said she was aware of children going to school in nappies or pull-ups.

She said: "We are seeing primary school-aged children wear nappies or pull-ups.

"It's something the school nursing services advocates not using: go from nappies to knickers or underpants, but don't use pull-ups, because children don't get trained that way.

"We are seeing more and more children like this - and we don't always know about all of them, and the nurseries don't always tell us, or if children don't go to nurseries, nobody knows."

She said the issue appeared to be on the increase.

Ms Middleton added: "I know of an 11-year-old who is still wearing pull-ups at night.

"It's sort of a hidden area. Parents don't want to talk about it; children don't want to talk about it."

But she said the issue could be resolved, once identified, within a matter of weeks in all but the youngsters with underlying health complaints.

Children as old as 11 'wearing nappies or pull-ups'

Many many children wet the bed at night and later than you might expect. I'm not talking about that nor, again, accidents. I'm talking about not being potty trained at all, which is different.

 

[OldLady]

You read that right. Not only in my district but apparently everywhere. Students coming to kindergarten and REMAINING in kind. in pull-ups. And having bowel "accidents" in pull-ups. Many of these students are not special needs, either. They have no known medical, physical, behavioral or emotional problems.

Naturally the important thing is that these students not be mocked and feel no pressure whatsoever....

Buffalo Teachers Say Having To Change Kids' Diapers Is A Bum Deal

I would be careful with that. If you have a 5, 6, 7 year old in pull ups then you have something else going on. It is not uncommon for kids to regress. Schools seldom have the full picture.

As a rarity, it's acceptable. Some kids don't progress well.

As a rule, or even a commonality, it's a problem.

There have always been a few that might have an accident. It happens, but to be wearing diapers/pull-ups, tells me they are not doing their due diligence, unless there is a medical reason.

Sometimes there is no medical reason and then it is reverting back to the difference between not wanting to stop playing or not even being aware. The parents may not even know which direction to go or they may not have access to resources.

So, then we need to start looking at environments. Start from the outside in. What does the neighborhood look like? What is the level of violence in the neighborhood? Who are the primary caretakers? What is the family structure? What is the socioeconomic status? How many siblings?

Access to resources? I don’t follow.
And blaming it on a neighborhood, socioeconomic status is a scapegoat. I would imagine there are those of all socioeconomic statuses that also take the easier route, just because it is easier.

There is nothing EASIER about having a kid soiling himself at 5 years old!

 

[depotoo]

It is happening in the UK as well. It is sadly a trend-
And 1% of classroom teachers surveyed had experience of older children in nappies.

The survey was completed by 602 teachers in primary schools and 561 teachers in secondary schools across the country.

Anne-Marie Middleton, deputy head of Warden House Primary School in Deal, said she was aware of children going to school in nappies or pull-ups.

She said: "We are seeing primary school-aged children wear nappies or pull-ups.

"It's something the school nursing services advocates not using: go from nappies to knickers or underpants, but don't use pull-ups, because children don't get trained that way.

"We are seeing more and more children like this - and we don't always know about all of them, and the nurseries don't always tell us, or if children don't go to nurseries, nobody knows."

She said the issue appeared to be on the increase.

Ms Middleton added: "I know of an 11-year-old who is still wearing pull-ups at night.

"It's sort of a hidden area. Parents don't want to talk about it; children don't want to talk about it."

But she said the issue could be resolved, once identified, within a matter of weeks in all but the youngsters with underlying health complaints.

Children as old as 11 'wearing nappies or pull-ups'

Many many children wet the bed at night and later than you might expect. I'm not talking about that nor, again, accidents. I'm talking about not being potty trained at all, which is different.

That was my point. They are relying on the easy route.

 

[OldLady]

Where did she once bring liberals into it? She didn’t. You did.

You read that right. Not only in my district but apparently everywhere. Students coming to kindergarten and REMAINING in kind. in pull-ups. And having bowel "accidents" in pull-ups. Many of these students are not special needs, either. They have no known medical, physical, behavioral or emotional problems.

Naturally the important thing is that these students not be mocked and feel no pressure whatsoever....

Buffalo Teachers Say Having To Change Kids' Diapers Is A Bum Deal

I would be careful with that. If you have a 5, 6, 7 year old in pull ups then you have something else going on. It is not uncommon for kids to regress. Schools seldom have the full picture.

I wonder then why it seems to be an epidemic that we have only seen recently. I had never, ever heard of this in my 25 years of teaching before, say, the last 5 years.

In 1961, when I was in first grade, one of my classmates wet himself several times. He wasn't "special." He just had accidents sometimes. His mom sent him extra pants to change into.

The reason for these normal children at the edge of the developmental spectrum when it comes to potty training is that they get so engrossed in what is going on that they don't notice in time that their bladder is full or that they're bowels are rumbling. It embarrasses them as much as it annoys the teacher. They DO grow out of it.

I knew when I first read your OP that you would blame this on the dissolution of society. That's bosh. Do you really think there is a parent in this country that wouldn't LOVE to see their 4 or 5 year old potty trained? REALLY, Sue?

Maybe you're just hearing about this because it wasn't talked about before. Now it is some big deal that ultra conservatives will rush to exploit in order to show that LIBERALS don't potty train their children.

This is disgusting.

Give her a little time, Depotoo.

Who squirted lemon juice in your coffee today?

Just borrowed a little of yours, Sue.

 

[depotoo]

I would be careful with that. If you have a 5, 6, 7 year old in pull ups then you have something else going on. It is not uncommon for kids to regress. Schools seldom have the full picture.

As a rarity, it's acceptable. Some kids don't progress well.

As a rule, or even a commonality, it's a problem.

There have always been a few that might have an accident. It happens, but to be wearing diapers/pull-ups, tells me they are not doing their due diligence, unless there is a medical reason.

Sometimes there is no medical reason and then it is reverting back to the difference between not wanting to stop playing or not even being aware. The parents may not even know which direction to go or they may not have access to resources.

So, then we need to start looking at environments. Start from the outside in. What does the neighborhood look like? What is the level of violence in the neighborhood? Who are the primary caretakers? What is the family structure? What is the socioeconomic status? How many siblings?

Access to resources? I don’t follow.
And blaming it on a neighborhood, socioeconomic status is a scapegoat. I would imagine there are those of all socioeconomic statuses that also take the easier route, just because it is easier.

There is nothing EASIER about having a kid soiling himself at 5 years old!

So, you believe this trend of more and more not being trained has to do with what?

 

[SweetSue92]

As a rarity, it's acceptable. Some kids don't progress well.

As a rule, or even a commonality, it's a problem.

There have always been a few that might have an accident. It happens, but to be wearing diapers/pull-ups, tells me they are not doing their due diligence, unless there is a medical reason.

Sometimes there is no medical reason and then it is reverting back to the difference between not wanting to stop playing or not even being aware. The parents may not even know which direction to go or they may not have access to resources.

So, then we need to start looking at environments. Start from the outside in. What does the neighborhood look like? What is the level of violence in the neighborhood? Who are the primary caretakers? What is the family structure? What is the socioeconomic status? How many siblings?

Access to resources? I don’t follow.
And blaming it on a neighborhood, socioeconomic status is a scapegoat. I would imagine there are those of all socioeconomic statuses that also take the easier route, just because it is easier.

Yes. If you stop questioning right there, then you have a scapegoat. I agree with that. And No. If we know from the get go that trauma impacts children in different ways then all you are doing is ruling things out. The key thing is not to stop questioning until you have an answer.

It is trending up. For one thing, today’s diapers and pull-ups completely wick away the wetness so a child doesn’t even feel discomfort when they pee in them. It traditionally had been that discomfort that helped kids decide it was better to go in the toilet, rather than in their diapers. They don’t have to deal with that today.

If it were my kinder-aged five year old with this situation, I would first take him/her to every single professional necessary: the doctor, a counselor, etc. If there was found to be no problems, I would take a leave from work and homeschool my child until that issue was solved. No pull ups, no diapers, and I would tell my child, lovingly but firmly, "In our home five year olds take care of their own toileting. You will either take care of your poop and pee by flushing it away in the toilet, or you will help me clean it out of your underwear."

Natural consequences, folks.

 

[Disir]

As a rarity, it's acceptable. Some kids don't progress well.

As a rule, or even a commonality, it's a problem.

There have always been a few that might have an accident. It happens, but to be wearing diapers/pull-ups, tells me they are not doing their due diligence, unless there is a medical reason.

Sometimes there is no medical reason and then it is reverting back to the difference between not wanting to stop playing or not even being aware. The parents may not even know which direction to go or they may not have access to resources.

So, then we need to start looking at environments. Start from the outside in. What does the neighborhood look like? What is the level of violence in the neighborhood? Who are the primary caretakers? What is the family structure? What is the socioeconomic status? How many siblings?

Access to resources? I don’t follow.
And blaming it on a neighborhood, socioeconomic status is a scapegoat. I would imagine there are those of all socioeconomic statuses that also take the easier route, just because it is easier.

Yes. If you stop questioning right there, then you have a scapegoat. I agree with that. And No. If we know from the get go that trauma impacts children in different ways then all you are doing is ruling things out. The key thing is not to stop questioning until you have an answer.

It is trending up. For one thing, today’s diapers and pull-ups completely wick away the wetness so a child doesn’t even feel discomfort when they pee in them. It traditionally had been that discomfort that helped kids decide it was better to go in the toilet, rather than in their diapers. They don’t have to deal with that today.

That may be true for some if there is no other reason. When you have a squalling baby, what do we do immediately? Is a baby hungry? Did we check the diaper?

 

[Disir]

Sometimes there is no medical reason and then it is reverting back to the difference between not wanting to stop playing or not even being aware. The parents may not even know which direction to go or they may not have access to resources.

So, then we need to start looking at environments. Start from the outside in. What does the neighborhood look like? What is the level of violence in the neighborhood? Who are the primary caretakers? What is the family structure? What is the socioeconomic status? How many siblings?

I don't disagree with any of this, but again, I worked in some very disadvantaged districts in the past and never heard of students coming to school in pull-ups or routinely having accidents (that aren't really accidents). So it's not THAT it happens--odd things happen. It's that it's happening to apparently many kinder teachers around the nation.

And I can't buy that with zero information on the parents, the kids etc.

You can't buy that it's happening?

It's happening even in the UK:

Infant school recruits nappy changer because so many kids aren't toilet trained

And in Spokane WA:

Students who aren’t potty trained an issue for kindergarten teachers

For those who are not, about 20 percent refuse to learn to use the toilet for a variety of reasons, including excessive parent and child conflict, the child’s parents attempted to start training too early, irrational fears about going to the bathroom, a child’s difficult temperament or even constipation.

Generally, if a child is 5 and still not potty trained, the child needs to be seen by a doctor, McCarthy said.

Bleecker’s concern is that such medical support for students from poor families, who make up nearly 60 percent of Spokane Public Schools’ student body, is not available.

“I would say over the last five or six years we have lost a lot of the community support for families, such as resources for mental health, public nursing services,” Bleecker said. “That lack of support has had an impact.”

All of this is true and I am not disputing any of it.

But the facts remain the facts. Teachers are expected to teach children now TO READ in kindergarten--while also changing some of their kids' diapers apparently. I very much look at what is. And I do that because we can't fix what's broken if we can't even CONFRONT what's broken.

And my profession is ever adept at dancing around a lot of issues rather than confronting them.

That was from your article.

 

[SweetSue92]

I don't disagree with any of this, but again, I worked in some very disadvantaged districts in the past and never heard of students coming to school in pull-ups or routinely having accidents (that aren't really accidents). So it's not THAT it happens--odd things happen. It's that it's happening to apparently many kinder teachers around the nation.

And I can't buy that with zero information on the parents, the kids etc.

You can't buy that it's happening?

It's happening even in the UK:

Infant school recruits nappy changer because so many kids aren't toilet trained

And in Spokane WA:

Students who aren’t potty trained an issue for kindergarten teachers

For those who are not, about 20 percent refuse to learn to use the toilet for a variety of reasons, including excessive parent and child conflict, the child’s parents attempted to start training too early, irrational fears about going to the bathroom, a child’s difficult temperament or even constipation.

Generally, if a child is 5 and still not potty trained, the child needs to be seen by a doctor, McCarthy said.

Bleecker’s concern is that such medical support for students from poor families, who make up nearly 60 percent of Spokane Public Schools’ student body, is not available.

“I would say over the last five or six years we have lost a lot of the community support for families, such as resources for mental health, public nursing services,” Bleecker said. “That lack of support has had an impact.”

All of this is true and I am not disputing any of it.

But the facts remain the facts. Teachers are expected to teach children now TO READ in kindergarten--while also changing some of their kids' diapers apparently. I very much look at what is. And I do that because we can't fix what's broken if we can't even CONFRONT what's broken.

And my profession is ever adept at dancing around a lot of issues rather than confronting them.

That was from your article.

I know that. How does that change what I said? How does that make it any easier for teachers to teach children to read in the same year they have non-potty trained students in their classes?