Am I wrong to think my sister-in-law's 4 year-old son is too old for diapers?

My sister-in-law has a 4 year-old son. She was potty training him for a while but he hated it, so they allow him to still wear diapers. He is her only son and i'm worried that the family over babies him. Grandma watches him during the day while she is at work, but grandma will not let my nephew cry and gives in immediatly. Should the family show concern or talk to my sister-in-law?

Answers:
YES THEY SHOULD!!!!!! My sister-in-law is a kindergarten teacher and has had children show up for school still in diapers. The child is turned away, the teachers are not required to change diapers,(actually they are not allowed) and since the child is of school age and not in school most times it is turned over to the Dept. of Social Services. Dept. of Social Services feels that the parent has not taken care of the child in a proper manner and not readied the child for school. There can be consequences for this that your sister-in-law will not like. This is a form of abuse whether your sister-in-law realizes it or not.
And my Lord if your sister-in-law cannot control the child in this issue, how well do you think she will do on other ones. I for see a very spoiled uncontrollable child in the makings.

Other Answers:
He is definiteley too old for wearing diapers. he should have learned it now! talk to your sister-in-law!

If he is not potted trained before he starts school they may call protective service.they don't change diapers at school.she needs to find someone to help her train him. while your concern is genuine and well meant, you are not the kids parent. Unless you think that he is being abused or neglected, which if he isn't being properly prepared for life, he may be; then you should call child protective services.

But just not agreeing with their parenting choices, you need to stay out of it.

hell no, she must be lazy if she has no trained him yet.
poor kid will get teased so bad.
tell her to get off thepot and be a responsible parent if she does not want to see her son get hurt by other kids who CAN use the bathroom

Yes, you are wrong. Until such time as you are doing the family's laundry, you don't get a vote--in *either* direction! Even if you *do* do their laundry, this is a child-rearing question.

The fact is that there *are* some four-year-olds who are *not* ready to use a toilet/potty. And, the child holds all the cards in the decision. You *cannot* force a child to use the toilet. If your brother and sister-in-law are okay with the situation, mind your own business.

That's nuts!! But, rest assured he won't be wearing diapers in College. My son just turned three and the potty boat is in rocky waters. I know he is capable of using the potty he does it all day at school/daycare, and many times at home. But then all of a sudden its back in the pull-ups. I started just letting him run naked around or with underwear on at home. Suggest this to your sister, I think kids get lazy with it. They don't want to take the time out of play to pee. I got the idea to let him go pantsless after one time he was in the bathtub and he got out went #2 in the potty all by himself. ( of course I was watching but he did it himself) and never told me he had to use the potty. It has worked wonders.

I would talk to her about it though, in another year he'll be the only kid in kindergarten with pull-ups!

A child should be potty-trained by the time they are three years old. Four is too much of a stretch. The majority of 4 year olds are toilet trained but many are not. Especially boys - who tend to train later than girls do.

And if he was having issues with using the potty, pushing him will only make it worse. The best advice I can give you is not to worry about it. He'll do it when he is ready.
Source(s):
Pediatrician

Yes, children grow at different paces. But she should at least try to train him. It might be good for your sister-in-law to tell her son about his friends that have been trained to see if that will encourage him. It might make him want to be a groun-up! He is toooooooo old he needs to sit on a potty like all the time. And with him being babied all the time that doesn't help it will only scar him for life. I will think that is the way it goes all the time. They should be ashamed of their selves.

i used to think things like that, but having a 3 and 1/2 year old struggling with potty training i'm starting to wonder. i have been potty training him for over a year and a half and it's a constant struggle, pull ups are a waste of money (he pees and they leak) but diapers seem to make him feel more secure in peeing in them. he is only willing to pee on the potty as soon as he wakes up and the rest of the day he fights me no matter what. potty training is hard, but i think they should at least be working on it and having him wear real underwear part of the day. my son has superman and scooby underwear i have him wear a few hours a day so he can notice the difference and it seems to help more than on the days we are at someone elses house and in diapers all day.

yea hes to old hes ready for school and soon there will not be a size big enough for him

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Am I wrong to think my sister-in-law's 4 year-old son is too old for diapers?

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