preschool teachers help

[pamouselover]

Are there standards for preschools that all children must be potty trained?
I am working at a before and after care program that then the childen go into pre school setting. We have two children who wear pull -ups and every day. One child does #1 and 2 in the pull up. When hired I thought all children had to be potty trained. I look and it states it in the rules of the preschool I am working at. When I spoke to the owner today she informed me that this child has a disablitily so he is a speical case.
I refuse to change a child who does # 2 regular in a pull up. This is a large child, who I feel pull ups are to small.
There is no place to change this child but on the floor.

 

[Cindy B]

In my district we have a early childhood center. What your director is saying is correct... the special ed classified students do NOT need to be potty trained for entrance into the program.

There are many students that are NOT potty trained and in pull ups. If the student has a documented developmental delay they are not required to be potty trained.

 

[pamouselover]

Would ther then not be a certain place that we would need to change this child? Right now he is being changed behind a desk on a cement floor. We are working out of a mIddle school building and do not have a bathroom in our room. There is no diaper changing station as there wold be in a day care.

 

[rt2dz]

http://www.naeyc.org/

Above is the link for the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Basically, preschools pretty much make their own rules regarding potty training, but here are some recommended standards on what is best for all children. Accrediation from the NAEYC is a pretty big deal regardless of where you are located. You might want to check out their site for any answers to questions who may have.

 

[Cindy B]

I thought you were asking if the pull up was allowed then yes it is if the student has a documented development delay (at least in my district)

As for a place to change the child, thats a whole other problem. The school district center (yes this is pre K, K setting as part of the school district not daycare) has changing tables in the bathroom.

Since you are a satellite office, you may just need to get a pad and change him on the floor.

 

[Hedy]

I refuse to change a child who does # 2 regular in a pull up. This is a large child, who I feel pull ups are to small.

No, there's no standard requirement for potty training. Frankly, I think this is a part of your job which you are just going to have to deal with.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

Generally, preschools are allowed to make their own rules about when children should be trained. Many quality schools feel that requiring children to be potty trained is not in line with developmentally appropriate practice.

However, if there is a medical reason or a developmental delay or disability that is interfering with potty training, then changing the child at school is a "reasonable accommodation" that is required under American With Disabilities Act.

If you're that horrified by taking care of a young child then you need to find another job.

 

[JoyG]

Are you in a school district's preK or a private preschool?

I ask because I would be uncomfortable if I had to change a 4 year old's diaper in preK even if I understood that the child had developmental delays.

I honestly don't think PreK classroom teachers in my building are required to change diapers of delayed students...but I don't know for sure. It seems to me that it would fall under some sort of medical condition that would need special care and I don't believe your typical classroom teacher would handle that.

I could see that more likely being covered by the school nurse or a special aide that is assigned to that student only.

Of course, I'm talking about a public school...in a private preschool all bets are off.

 

[pamouselover]

I was just asking. No need to get so offensive.
When I took this job, it stated on the guidelines that all children must be potted train. I was told I would be teaching 4 year curriculum. I was never told of the child not being potted trained.
This child has speech delay, and frankly I see no other disability. I know this because I previously work with special education.
It was not till the other teacher brought up the issue that the child was going in his pull-up everyday, twice a day that it became a problem. She wrote a note to the parent and then the director called us and said when he has an accident we have to change him. Well it is no accident. The parent said well he has a disability. I am sure you know well enough, that some parents will say anything. We are in a very rough situation, and our program is not being run, like we think it should be. One child started today with out no warning. Parent showed up and we tried not to act surprised. Just drooped off. So all we had on him was his name. He cried the majority of the day.
This is supposed to be a preschool setting, and has turned into a day care. Neither of us is happy with the problem. We have no pad to change him, and I think it is sad. As I believe the director is just in this for the money.
The preschool was an addition to the before and after care program ran inside of our school district. But it is privately owned and operated. All the other children are potted trained in the class. Today was just really bad, the other children were complaining of the smell. One parent came to pick her child up, to a wonderful smelly room for a Dr. Appt.
I just asked the questioned because the parent seemed very upset, and stated her child had said to her that this child does it regular in his pants. I did not want to lie. She then said well I thought to go to preschool you had to be potty trained. She seemed very upset, and is a teacher at one of our other schools.
I just wanted some answers, no reason to attack me.

I thought this was a friendly board, that is why I asked here.

 

[PaulaSue]

I help ot at our PS all the time and it is recommended that they be potty trained but not a rule. We change any child as needed and many often every class time.

IMO, I wouldn't make a big deal about it the child, director or family. Many kids have special needs and it is nice that the child is wearing a pull-up and not in regular panties. kwim

 

[waughzee]

According to the director of the Nursery School where I work, it would be considered discrimination to turn away a child that is not potty trained.

 

[pamouselover]

This is not a special needs child! I sorry, but I know. This is a child whose butt has not contacted to his head(as my Mom always said) and whose parentis just to lazy to train the kid, and pay for a day care.
She has other children in the other programs. They are negleted from my point of view. He comes to school with dried poop on his butt.
The director knows, she stated to me today they he will not be comign to the summer program if he is not trained by then. That is because she runs the summer program.

 

[crazyme5kids]

Sounds like you have an issue with the parent. As frustrating as the situation is, remember that this is a young child. If it were your child how would you like him or her to be treated? Change the pull-ups (most have sides that rip easily now). Try to get the child to the bathroom a little more. Maybe a little extra attention will make a difference.

 

[Cindy B]

Note I said documented developmental delayed.--documented by early intervention specialists, pediatricians, nuerologists, psychologists, well you get the idea... if a parent just said "he's delayed" well, the pre K-K center would ask for documentation.

As for parents being lazy and taking advantage of a before/after school program, well....thats an issue that has been going on since the end of time. In every program (private or non private) there is always that one parent that well waits ten minutes after the pick up time every day, gets a massage or has a tennis game when the center is closing, or just plain doesn't want to pick up the kids.

(Cant you tell, I've been there, done that?)

The director or supervisor needs to talk to these parents. If other families are complaining, well.. let that other family complain to the director and let the director/boss sort it out.

If there is a documented dev. delay, pull ups during the school day is appropriate. I've been a sub teacher and a sub aide in this center for a long time. It is technically the aides job to take care of bathroom issues, and yes potty training goals are in every childs IEP. Will every child make the goal? Maybe not, but some goals will be attainable step by step. It could take an entire year for a child to learn to undo his/her own pants.

I would just be very careful using the word neglect. That term could come back and bit you in the butt if you aren't careful.

 

[arielsleepingbeauty]

You are a mandated reporter, if you feel that he and his other siblings are being abused you need to file a report. IF he is coming to school with poop stuck to his butt, then obviously there are issues there. You can make an anonymous report, but i definately would. You don't know what else is going on in the home.

My neice is 6 and is in kindergarten, she has down syndrome and is not potty trained yet. She may not be potty trained for many years. No one knows. It's not all laziness on the part of my sister. She tries everyday and has for years now. It's just not happening.

Do you have a teacher's assistant? Maybe you could assist the children who are not potty trained in the bathroom. Obviously if you don't have anyone else to watch the other children, going outside of the classroom is not an option. But the child is at an age where he should want to be potty trained. It can't make him feel good to have his butt being wiped in front of the other chidren.

 

[Blondy876]

I work in a state mandated preschool classroom so we cannot turn any child away. To be perfectly honest, preschool is probably not the best place for you to be if you are refusing to help change a child. I do understand that it is nasty, but it is part of the job, like it or not. Over the past 10 years I have encountered about 15 four year olds who are perfectly normal developmentally but not potty trained. It just comes later for some kids.

It does seem odd to me that there are no facilities for you to change this child. A cold, hard, dirty floor is no place to change a diaper.

 

[pajamommy]

Hi, I am Head Teacher of an NAEYC accredited preschool. We prefer to have our preschoolers potty-trained, but sometimes kids just aren't. We allow them anyway, and we, the teachers, work on the potty training with the children ourselves. We ask that the parents send the child in underwear, no pull-ups or diapers, and also send LOTS of extra clothes! The last child we had join our program that was in diapers....well, he was trained within a week. Obviously, sometimes it takes longer. Sometimes it is the parents who delay the potty training, as you have said might be part of the problem in your situation. Usually the kids are ready, but the parents anticipate that it will be a huge ordeal, and they put it off. All I can say to you is that it is part of the job. I have kids who have been potty trained forever, but still need me to wipe their bottoms when they have a messy poop. I know, not fun, but I put on a glove and do it, it is part of the job, and I recognize that and accept it. I know that it states in your policy that kids will be potty trained....I can't tell you how many things are in our policies that we have to bend a little on from time to time. Every child is different, so sometimes you just have to bear with it. Good luck with your situation.

 

[Blondy876]

This is not a special needs child! I sorry, but I know. This is a child whose butt has not contacted to his head(as my Mom always said) and whose parentis just to lazy to train the kid, and pay for a day care.
She has other children in the other programs. They are negleted from my point of view. He comes to school with dried poop on his butt.
The director knows, she stated to me today they he will not be comign to the summer program if he is not trained by then. That is because she runs the summer program.

Then you need to document and report this. You are a mandated reporter, if you feel the child is in danger you are required by law to report it.

It sounds to me like you have a problem with the parents more than the children. Are you sure they are lazy, or simply exhausted from working 2 or 3 jobs? Are you sure they don't want to pay for day care or maybe they can't afford it? I'm not saying they aren't terrible parents, I don't know, but what I am saying is that maybe you don't know the whole story either.