Pre-School Teachers! I have a question for you.

[connorlevismom]

So we are thinking of putting DS (who is currently at a daycare center) into a private schools pre-school program. I only have one question about doing this. When it says that kids must be potty trained to attend, does that mean that he cannot wear a pull-up for nap? He is completely trained other than he does still have an occasional accident at nap time. I am hoping that they would allow him to wear a pull-up but if not, those are their rules and I will respect them.

Kristine

 

[MomDad&2boys]

I'm in Canada so I'm not sure if this would apply but it may be a hygiene rule. There may not be facilities to change a pull-up. I think you'd have to check with the specific school on this. I'm sure there isn't an across the board rule & hopefully your school will make an exception.

I'm also certain that there would be a bathroom routine right before naptime so accidents probably wouldn't happen.

 

[mommy2savannah]

I am not a pre-school teacher but I do have a dd in a private pre school. Every school we researched said no pull ups at all. In fact, they are not even allowed to have a change of clothes with them. If they have an accident, the parent is called in to change the child's clothes in the bathroom. I was also worried about her having an accident during naptime, however, the teacher said that none of them really ever sleep! They lay on their mats and rest for 30 minutes or so. Hope this helps.

 

[lindsmom]

First, I must say that each state's regulations are different - I'm in Mass, where the laws are fairly extensive. We are required to provide all children under age 5 with a "rest" time of 45 minutes. If they fall asleep or not, they still have to rest their bodies. You didn't say how old your son is, so I'm guessing between 3 and 5.

Your first move should be to ask the school for clarification. Sometimes a program doesn't have staff dedicated to potty time, and speaking from experience, pull ups are actually more of a hassle than diapers - diapers can pop on under the underwear and come off after rest without having to completely undress and re-dress the child.

I would open the discussion with the school by saying "My son is potty trained, but I was wondering if you would prefer a diaper / pull up or training pants for rest time, as he has occasional accidents? Or do you prefer extra clothes? I feel he would rest better without having to worry about having an accident." Most programs don't want to go through the hassle of disinfecting the rest mat / rug / immediate area for each accident. And kids have accidents ALL THE TIME.

If you really wanted to get into a certain program, you can technically play the ADA card; a child who has occasional accidents should not be biased against due to physical inability to control body functions when sleeping. (Can you tell I've dealt with those parents before )

Also, I just want to mention to mommy2savannah, I would be so frustrated to be a parent in your area; a childcare / preschool program should be designed to assist a family, not hinder it by dragging a parent to school to change a child's clothes. It would also be embarrassing (humiliating?) for a child whose parents have to come because s/he had an accident. Just my opinion, of course.

 

[princesspwrhr]

I worked in day care for close to 8 years. These were national 'chain' centers, but potty trained meant fully, 100% at all times during the day. I worked in the 2 year old room and we weren't allowed to move children up or even start to transition them (spend a few hours a week in the 3 yo room) until they had been accident free for a month. So we usually had a few 3 year olds who were still in the 2 yo room for a few months after they turned 3. It didn't matter to either of the centers I worked at if the child was trained at night at home, but the child definately had to be day trained. The 3yo rooms don't have scheduled potty times like the 2 yo room so the child is also expected to be able to tell when s/he has to go and get things taken care of. Both of the centers I worked at required a change of clothes for ALL kids, even those in the pre K program and they 'strongly suggested' keeping a change of clothes for the afterschool kids as well. That was primarily for activity related accidents not bathroom tho.

 

[connorlevismom]

Thanks so much for your responses. I feel sorry for some of these kids! My son would be mortified if he had an accident and they called him mommy to come and change his clothes. He already cries when he has one because he is so embarrassed.

He has attended a national chain as well but they did not have those rules for the 3-4 year old room. Most of those kids wore pull-ups for nap. I don't know about how many kids in his current DC wear pull-ups but I know he is not the only one.

I guess we will address it with the schools that we really are interested in and keep working with him on the napping thing. There is no school worth him feeling horrible if he has an accident. That is not how I want him to start his school years. Every kid is different and if mine has accidents sometimes during nap, then he just wont go there I guess until he stops.

Kristine

 

[connorlevismom]

I am not a pre-school teacher but I do have a dd in a private pre school. Every school we researched said no pull ups at all. In fact, they are not even allowed to have a change of clothes with them. If they have an accident, the parent is called in to change the child's clothes in the bathroom. I was also worried about her having an accident during naptime, however, the teacher said that none of them really ever sleep! They lay on their mats and rest for 30 minutes or so. Hope this helps.

My son naps, and naps hard. His teacher said that he is always the first one to fall asleep and he sleeps the entire time. At home, he naps for 2-3 hours on the weekends. I think he naps so hard that sometimes he does not wake up and that is why he has an accident.

Kristine

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

Former private Pre school teacher here from NY, and we only accepted children who were fully potty trained. But of course we asked that parents bring a change of clothes if they had an "accident" HOWEVER, that said, we did have to call parents to come get them if there was an accident b/c weren't allowed to change or wash them up.

 

[princesspwrhr]

Kristine - Part of the 'problem' may be that at day care nap usually comes immediatly after lunch when they have just drank something, usually milk or juice. I would suggest working with your son to faithfully use the restroom before nap, even if he doesn't feel the desire he can just try and that may help.

It took forever for my youngest (3 next week) to stay dry at night w/o a pull up becuase she wouldn't finish using the restroom before hopping down to play in the water (otherwise known as washing hands and brushing teeth), so we had to start having her try 2 or 3 separate times before bed to help her stay dry all night. It was interesting becuase her pull up would be dry continuously so we took it off and she started wetting the bed. But all is dry now.

So if your son is in the habit himself of using the restroom before nap, maybe it will help in the 10 minutes of semi organized confusion that happens between lunch & nap when the teachers have to ensure the mats are down, get blankets & lovies out of cubbies, read a story and try to keep track of who has gone potty and who hasn't. The 3 yo rooms don't usually track how many times a child used the restroom like the 2 yo rooms do so it's a bit easier to forget who has and hasn't gone.

 

[Passions71203]

Both DS and DD are in preschools (different ones, its a long story)
Anyway at both schools you have to be fully potty trained but they do allow us to bring in a change of clothes to keep there "just in case".
Also, neither preschool have nap times. They go from 8:45-11:45 (DD) and 9:30-12:00 (DS)

 

[tiggger1]

My dd is an a intergrated Pre-k in our town school system. She needed to be potty trained but since it is only a 2 1/2 hour program they dont nap or have rest time. We had to bring a complete change of clothes in case of an accident, including socks. I was a bit worried about accidents because she has bladder issues and doesnt like using the potty without me, so I make sure she goes when I drop her off. They will also change her if she has an accident because they have 2 boys with Downs that are in diapers...( but I offered to come in if she needed me because i am right down the street)

 

[mom2aredhead]

But of course we asked that parents bring a change of clothes if they had an "accident" HOWEVER, that said, we did have to call parents to come get them if there was an accident b/c weren't allowed to change or wash them up.

If they have an accident, the parent is called in to change the child's clothes in the bathroom.

Is this a school policy or an actual legal regulation? My son is in pre-K in NY at the same location where he was in daycare and there was never an issue with them changing them in the event of an accident...I'm confused?

 

[sunkist]

I am a director at our churches preschool-mothers day-out program. our children do not have to be p.t. We have a small program where if we need to we can work with them. We keep a change of clothes at the school, plus we have extra clothes in storage. If they do have a accident we change them while we have gloves on. It just depends on the daycare what their policies are. Not every child is p.t. by a certain age.

 

[MSSANDRA]

I too am a director at a small christian preschool and we too are flexable in our policy but are going to be a little stricter this fall. We are the ONLY preschool in the area that does not require threes to be totaly trained. Our policy now is fours do have to be trained but we will clean up a child if they have clothes there. our problem is that word has gotten out that we did not require total taining so we are getting a LOT of untrained children and that is so hard!!!We do not have changing facilities in the 3 &4 classrooms. I have had quite a few 4's however wear pull ups for security with the understanding that we do not change them. Once or twice in the past 10 year we have had a parent to come and change them. HOWEVER-- We do not do naps and sleep dryness in NOT the same as day training. I would hope you could find a place to allow a pull up at nap time. ANother option if you really want this school: do they do 1/2 day program where the chidlren leave at lunch and do not nap???? Might work even if you need a sitter for afternoon care?????????

 

[disneyjunkie]

Is this a school policy or an actual legal regulation? My son is in pre-K in NY at the same location where he was in daycare and there was never an issue with them changing them in the event of an accident...I'm confused?

Maybe it has something to do with the two programs being private?

I teach kindergarten in a city-funded day care center. Our kids are not allowed to wear pull ups past the two-year old rooms.

The city(ACS and the health department) requires all children to have a complete change of clothes at all times.