Using Potty as an Excuse to Get Out of Bed

I would say that he is allowed to get up once after he's gone to bed, that if he says he has to go, then he better go. After that, he has to hold it, etc. He's just testing you now. You're doing right by saying no to him. Once he realizes that it won't work and he actually has to go to bed, then it won't be such an issue later. If he gets up to go, he will have to. But, right now he is just playing a new game and you will have to stop it. My kids do this too when being punished - all of a sudden they have to go. Ha.

This is a touchy subject, as you do not want to undo the work you have done. My son is four and usually it takes one to two attempts to finally get him to sleep. My advice... cut the fluids early, make sure he has at least one potty where he goes fully... that way you are sure he has emptied his bladder and with no fluids, his insistence to go now become stall tactics and you are able to differentiate between when he really has to go and when he is just wanting to go to get out of his room. Remember laying in bed alone is nowhere near as fun as hanging out with mommy so believe they will try anything. Just wait until they get up to ask for water. Ahhh!

My daughter did this too for awhile. We make her go potty VERY LAST thing in her bedtime routine. This way, she can't say she has to go 10 minutes after we put her down. We used to let her get up one time to go, but if she didn't go, then she was in trouble. All this did was make her hold a little bit back when she would go before bed so that she could get out of bed again and still have some left so that she didn't get in trouble. So, we moved the potty back to the end of the routine and now she knows that is it. If he was dry all night before, he won't regress now if he goes before bed. Just make sure you limit liquids after dinner. Good luck!

My daughter was doing the same thing... I bought a little clock for the bathroom. She had 10 minutes to finish on the potty and then back to bed. Of course, she can't tell time yet, so it was more like 'when this pointer gets to the 4, we have to finish using the potty.' I also started telling her that wasn't healthy for her bum to sit on the potty too long ("makes boo-boos on your bum").

Of course, I also didn't want to undo toilet training or send the wrong message. For me, I would probably indulge his insisting, but within ground rules (you can go for ten minutes and not again for 30 minutes after that, or if it is an emergency and you have to go before that 30 minute time limit, then I better see some immediate results.)

By the way, late night potty use means no books, no toys, no songs, no treats... A few weeks later, she lost the interest in trying to stay up.

I agree with the techniques suggested by Jenica. We used this with our daughter and it is effective - potty is part of the bedtime routine and she is allowed up once (but she usually doesn't get up at all now). We might allow one or two other tries if we know she needs to have a bm.

Also, have you considered big boy underwear? You are less likely to "undo" the potty training this way. I know accidents can be a pain, but you are less likely to undo the training if they are in big boy pants full time. When we potty trained dd, we put her straight into panties, except at night she was still in a diaper for about two weeks. After two weeks she was in panties all the time. Yes, we have had accidents, but they are very rare now and almost never happen at night.

Good luck!

My daughter used to do this too! Our rule was that she could get up once and that's it. The only time we did something different was if we thought she needed to poop. She often will have a few false alarms before she poops, so if she hadn't done it yet that day we would let her get up a few times. Also, I put her on the toilet and walk out of the room. That way she's not getting our attention, too. She did it for a while and then finally stopped using it as an excuse.

I too am going through the same thing. I just make sure that any visit to the potty after she's been put to bed is not a fun trip- no talking or playing- just business and straight back to bed. I think like many things it's just a stage.

Good luck!

I've had that problem too. The next thing that will come up is needing to potty during time out! We have long time outs (sometimes 15 minutes) but if I really don't think they need to potty and they are just saying that to get out of time out, I give them a bucket! Otherwise I will offer them a potty break HOWEVER they will have additional time added to their time out!

At night I insist they potty before bed and will allow only once to get up. After that, they may not come out of their rooms. they will cry and say they will pee in the floor but again I give them a little potty or bucket. Seems to work (and no, they don't usually use the bucket and when they do there's hardly anything in it!)

I am going through the same exact thing with my 2 1/2 year old daughter. She is potty trained but anytime she goes to bed she uses the excuse that she has to go potty just to get out of bed and most of the time she doesnt even go she just sits on the potty and i tell her ok so you don't have to go potty lets go and she'll say no and try to stay on the potty. then she gets down and wants to play so i put her back in her bed and once again she does the same thing. Finally just as u said i tell her you know what i dont care go in your diaper. I feel bad cuz im proud of her for telling me she has to go potty but it makes me so mad that she uses it as an excuse to not go to bed. I'm sorry im not help any to you but I just wanted you to know you're not alone out there. it must be a stage kids go through. I hope this stage wont last for too long lol. I'm curious to see what responses you will get. Well good luck i hope it works out for you!

Have you had him to the Dr. it is possible that he could have a bladder infection this would give him the urge to go. Other than that it could be the excuse as you said, more fun to see what is going on in the other room than going to bed, part of this is Christmas with the tree and what is under it also. Good luck and Merry Christmas.

Make potty part of his bed time ruitine. Let him know that this is his chance and if he doesn't finish now, he will not be allowed to get up to go later, and then stick to your guns! Good luck!

My daughter did the same thing. She'll be 3 in March. It's eased a lot. Went on for about 3, 4 weeks and I just lived with it and took her to the potty because I do not want any regression on that front. And, she won't go in a pullup if she can absolutely help it (she wears them only at night. Sometimes they're dry in the morning; sometimes not). Do you have him go before he goes to bed? That has helped us with the potty-as-stalling tactic. If she asks to go, though, once she's in her crib, I take her - once. It's annoying, but it will pass as a habitual thing.