Transitioning from Pull-ups to Underwear

I think the simplest solution would be to get plain undies (boring, right?) or like the other poster suggested, ones with all-over designs. Or you could show him how the front opens to let his "peep" peek out for a pee! But that could create a monster, I know! Just a thought!

LOL Yup! My triplets were like that! Two easily understood that with big kid panties it's the other way and they followed suit. One was stubborn and kept wearing them backwards. Well, I just let him do it for a while. No big deal. Once the newness wore off and it started feeling uncomfortable having the back be too tight and riding up his butt cheeks he finally put them the other way. Didn't take long, lol. If he's able to take off his panties and turn them around all on his own then he's mastered a good task, so that's a good thing. I wouldn't stress about it. I'd just keep trying to get them the correct way and eventually he'll relent. The next time you buy panties you can find some with a small picture on the front. I did that and it helped some cuz they do get annoyed not being able to see the pic on the front. Or you can get some panties with an all over design. My sister in law did that for my boys and that helped too. I just always reminded all the kids that the tag goes in the back... it's the law! LOL

K. B
mom to 5 including triplets

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We totally skipped pullups, so I didn't have this same situation - but I'm the type of mom that does things "differently." haha... in other words - I come up with ridiculous ways to help solve problems... (etiquette aside.) Haha!

I think you should give your son some markers (with supervision) and allow him to draw pictures on the front of his underwear. Not 20 pair - just a couple... or you can use a marker and write his name on the front. Or stamp a design on the front... do whatever he thinks is fun so that he can wear them and show off the front. Remember, he can't see the back of the underwear so to him - it seems like a waste. Give him a reason to want to look down at the front... and then he should keep them on that way.

Just an idea - good luck!

Hi A.,

First off I am glad to hear that my son was not the only one to wear his underwear backwards.

He has been potty trained for almost a year now and he is pretty much over the backwards wearing. Only when he is feeling very silly does he turn it around and mostly because he knows I want him to wear them the correct way.

He did not wear them backwards for long...the more I fussed about it the more he wanted to wear the wrong. I noticed this pretty early on and stopped fussing so within a week maybe two he wore the underwear right...again occasionally he wants to see if it will bother me and does it now but I just try to not give him the reaction he wants. Before you know it the underwear is on correct.

E.

I agree with the other poster -- "tag goes in the back - it's the law". That's true for dressing themselves. I personally despise pull-ups. It's like "paper training" a puppy -- then trying to get them to go outside to do their business. I had much better luck with "big boy underwear" and PODS during the day. Night time *until the bladder grows* I broke down and used nighttime pull-ups. Once I knew the child could "hold it" through the night, the rubber pants were worn at night.

My son still does this, he is 4 and has been in underwear for a year and a 1/2. For us, it is a non-issue. As long as he is wearing it, we couldn't care less if it is backward, forward, or upside down (although that could be a little uncomfortable ;). We have bigger fish to fry and have no interest in adding this to our list of worries. When he realizes that it is more comfortable to wear them the "right" way, he will turn them around. He won't be using the hole in the front anyway for a few years, we still just pull them all the way down, even just for pee.

I can't really comment on putting the pullups on the right way- we use the huggies with Cars characters on them and the big white area is in the front and seems sort of obvious. However, what I can say is - pullups did nothing for us. We do use them at night, but as far as daytime potty training, our son felt like he still had a diaper on so he might as well just pee. So we went right from diapers to underwear. I know others who have had success with pull ups but we weren't one of them...

As far as putting them on backwards - my son sometimes does this though he's been in underwear for 9 months already. My husband explained to him that the front of the underwear have the "pee pee hole" - not so crazy about this terminology but he definitely got it. Of course, he puts his pants on backwards too sometimes. He'll figure it out eventually!

Hi A.,

I would suggest either letting it go for awhile as long as the potty training is working, or you can explain that "big boys" have the picture on the back, so it makes him think it's a benefit to have the picture behind him. Does his brother has pictures on his undies? Would he be willing to show the little one?

Either way, he won't go to kindergarten that way! You can explain it when he is a little older, and show him why the opening needs to go in front! LOL.