Child Intentionally Urinating on Floor – What Could Be the Problem?

So, your child Intentionally urinating on the floor is an outright major concern. But this happens to the majority of parents even if their toddler has been potty-trained.

 

This can be explained with a number of reasons, one of them being defiant to your rules or just doing it to get attention. Moreover, some children completely refuse to be potty-trained and pee inappropriately in almost every corner of the house.

 

Understandably, a urine-smelling house isn’t a good environment to live in, and we believe that’s why you are seeking information. Fortunately, this comprehensive guide will go in-depth and uncover this child’s purposely urinating on the floor behavior.

 

Read on…

 

Why is Your Child Intentionally Urinating on The Floor?

Before even rushing to find solutions, it would be best to first understand why your child is purposely urinating on the floor. And the one thing that you must eliminate from your suspense is a medical condition.

 

In some cases, your child might be unable to control their bowels, which makes them urinate inappropriately and at any time. But if that isn’t the case, then the following are some of the reasons why your child is purposely urinating on the floor:

 

To Seek Attention

Most toddlers are attention seekers and urinating on the floor is one of the main arsenals they use to get their parent’s attention. That’s because your child has needs and comments that they want to be handled.

 

Therefore, they know that urinating on the floor won’t only irritate you but also have you paying attention to them. If this is the case, your child will combine this inappropriate behavior with many others just to get you irritated.

 

In addition to urinating inappropriately on the floor, your child might also combine that behavior with the following to rile you up:

• Misbehaving in school

• Throwing temper tantrums

• Sympathy seekers by talking petty about themselves

• Angry outbursts among other such reactions

• Talking more about their good deeds

 

As you’ve seen, child-seeking children will do plenty more just to get their parent’s attention. And because they mostly combine such behaviors with purposely urinating on the floor, it can be quite hectic to deal with them.

 

Health Issues

Needless to say, your child might also be purposely urinating on the floor due to underlying health issues. And one of the main health issues that may cause your child to purposely urinate on the floor or anywhere for that matter is a mental problem.

 

When talking about a mental problem, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is the one that truly sticks out in this area. That’s because any child with ODD is an ultimate attention seeker and they always want to be and feel in control.

 

If this is the case, most experts suggest that the best way to handle your child is by letting them be. When you do this, your child may stop their irritating behavior and decide to move on to something else.

 

Other than ODD, some other mental issues that might be luring your kid into urinating inappropriately include:

• Anxiety

• ADHD

• PTSDD

• ADD

 

If your child is purposely urinating on the floor and you notice that the problem is more than just an ODD disorder, then you need to seek professional help. In this scenario, a Psychiatrist would be the best option since they can adequately evaluate and help your child with any mental disorders.

 

But if mental issues aren’t the problem, you should also get your child observed for other health issues relating to their urology health. Remember, that health as a cause here is very comprehensive and needs to be addressed adequately.

 

Note that some medical issues other than mental health might also prevent your child from reaching the toilet when they really need to. This even happens to older children who end up being unable to hold themselves and just start peeing from wherever they stand.

 

The following are some of the common medical conditions that may lead to a child urinating on the floor:

• Bladder infection

• Urinary tract infection (UTI)

• Overactive bladder

• Or an underdeveloped bladder

 

If you are unsure what might be causing the inappropriate urinating behavior on your kid, then you should seek a pediatrician’s assistance. Like the psychiatrist, a professional pediatrician can help your child cope with such disorders medically – remember, the sooner, the better.

 

Too Occupied

Sometimes you might have even potty-trained your toddler and you still find them urinating all over the house. And if it isn’t a health issue or them trying to seek attention, then your child might be too occupied to remember the appropriate way to pee.

 

That’s right, your kid might be too busy to pee. It happens to most toddlers as they usually tend to put off bathroom time.

 

This mostly happens when they are playing and are excited to the point they decide to hold it in. Unfortunately, not all of them have the capacity to do it for long and this makes them go from wherever they are.

 

Stress

Stress is another common factor for a child urinating on the floor. When your kid is stressed, they might throw tantrums, exhibit anger outbursts, and pee on the floor.

 

There are multiple reasons that may cause your child to get stressed, and vary differently in many toddlers. Below are some of the common causes of stress for your kid:

• Getting enrolled in a new school

• A new sibling in the house that’s receiving more attention than them

• A new pet

• Moving out

• Bullying or any other difficulties in school

• And routine changes

 

If your child is purposely urinating on the floor due to stress, then you need to minimize or completely eliminate any stress triggers around them. Ensure that you make changes slowly so that your child can easily and adequately adjust to new routines.

 

As you’ve seen, there are multiple reasons that may cause your child to purposely urinate on the floor. And like other parenting strategies, you first need to understand the root of this problem to arrive at the appropriate solution.

 

That said, we’ll now have a look at how you can deal with a child urinating purposely on the floor. Below are some of the tips on what you can or should do if you notice your child purposely urinating on the floor.

 

What to Do If Your Child is Purposely Urinating on the Floor

Regardless of age, medical condition, or situation, a child urinating on the floor purposely is a frustrating encounter for any parent. However, note that it’s normal for your toddler to get too preoccupied and only rush to the toilet when they can’t hold it in anymore.

 

That is purely accidental and understandable, but still not a good feel or look as a parent. Therefore, you need the best solutions to help you deal with this situation effectively and comprehensively as well.

 

In some cases, children even try to hide the fact that they’ve actually urinated inappropriately. That’s because they know it isn’t allowed and they’ve been purposely potty-trained to handle themselves in such situations.

 

That said, let’s look at some tips to help you know what you can do if your child purposely urinates on the floor.

 

1. Increase Bathroom Visits

Creating a bathroom routine for your child to follow is one of the best things that you can do to prevent them from deliberately peeing on the floor or themselves. Therefore, you need to increase their bathroom visits to further emphasize on the routine.

 

You can explain to them when they need to visit the bathroom and ensure that you indicate it’s a rule for everyone in the house as well. This way, your toddler will see that visiting the bathroom regularly is a mandatory thing and not just a ‘by the way’.

 

Moreover, they’ll feel more included in the family affairs when they see everyone partaking on the bathroom routine. Remember, most toddlers aged around 4 and above are highly attached to rules.

 

This means that they can easily follow the rules if you set them up the right way. Even better, sinking bathroom routines into your child’s system at such a young age becomes beneficial as they grow older.

 

2. Be Assertive

Creating a bathroom routine is one thing, but enforcing it is a completely different experience for most parents. First of all, ensure that you make it clear to your child that it’s mandatory for everyone to pee in the toilet and no place else.

 

However, ensure that you don’t make it a struggle situation because they can always win when they go back to their inappropriate behavior. As a parent, it can’t be that hard to understand how your child perceives instructions.

 

Therefore, find the best way to strike your point while at the same time considering the best way they can digest your instructions. When done correctly, your child will completely get into the idea and start peeing appropriately.

 

3. Permit them to Pee Outside

For some reason, this might not sound like the best idea to some parents. However, it can be the best way to get your child doing the act appropriately.

 

Do ensure that you guide them in an appropriate area far from plants or the garden. Once they get the hang of it, then it becomes an even better solution for urinating purposely on the floor.

 

4. Assist Your Child Accordingly

If your child is urinating purposely on the floor, then that’s a clear indication something is not right. As explained earlier, this behavior may be triggered by multiple altercations.

 

Thus, you need to understand what’s causing them to act out like this to find a better and befitting solution. So if it’s your attention they seek, having a problem in school, anger issues, or just need more potty training, ensure that you assist your child accordingly in whatever they are going through.

 

5. Employ a Reward Chart

Reward charts are very significant in ensuring that your kid adheres to whatever rule you put in place, not just about urinating. To them, this makes following the rules a fun and exciting practice.

 

Therefore, you can try to employ the same strategy on your child’s peeing routine. Use a reward chart and give your child a star every time they use the bathroom for peeing instead of the floor.

 

However, some people think that this routine usually causes the child to focus more on the reward rather than the actual rule to follow. Arguably, that statement is true to some extent.

 

But remember, you are the parent and in no circumstance should you let your kid outsmart you with your rules. To ensure that your child doesn’t get too stuck up on rewards, you can stretch out the reward count maximum to take their focus off the rewards.

 

6. Cheer Your Child On

Aside from gifts and rewards, one thing that really makes a child happy is seeing their parents praising them. So, in addition to the rewards, ensure that you don’t forget to cheer your child on whenever they pee on the potty or toilet according to your instructions.

 

Throw in phrases like “good job!”, and “I knew you could do it”, among others that would feel praise appropriate. When you do this, your child will always want to hear it every day, which leads them to doing the act appropriately.

 

How Your Parenting Style Impacts Your Child’s Urination Behavior

When trying to figure out why your child intentionally urinates on the floor, it’s important to consider the way you parent and how it may be influencing their behavior. How you interact with your child can have a significant impact on their responses to rules and their need for attention. Different parenting styles can contribute to their tendencies to seek attention or defy authority, which may manifest as this behavior.

Let’s take a closer look. If you’re practicing overly permissive parenting, where rules are loose or inconsistent, your child might interpret this as an opportunity to seek attention. When they realize that urinating on the floor gets a reaction from you, even if it’s negative, they may use this behavior as a way to capture your attention. On the other hand, neglectful parenting, characterized by a lack of engagement or supervision, might make your child feel ignored. In response, they may resort to inappropriate urination to desperately seek connection or control.

To effectively address intentional urination, it’s crucial to strike a balance and maintain consistency in your approach. Clearly communicate your expectations and set boundaries for your child. Make sure they understand that urinating on the floor is unacceptable and won’t get them the attention they seek. By being consistent in enforcing rules, you can help redirect their attention-seeking behavior and foster more appropriate ways for them to seek your attention.

Understanding and Addressing Emotional and Psychological Factors

Emotional and psychological factors also play a significant role in your child’s intentional urination on the floor. Stress, anxiety, and underlying emotional disturbances, such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), can contribute to this behavior, indicating that there might be deeper issues at play.

It’s important to recognize and address these factors to help your child overcome intentional urination. Stressors like major life changes, starting a new school, or dealing with bullying can overwhelm your child and lead them to act out, including through inappropriate urination. Anxiety can also manifest in physical symptoms, like urgency or a loss of control over bodily functions. Additionally, conditions like ODD, characterized by defiance and a need for control, can drive your child to purposefully engage in this behavior as a way to express their power.

To support your child through this, create a nurturing and supportive environment. Encourage open communication and provide opportunities for them to express their feelings. Implement stress-reduction techniques such as relaxation exercises or engaging in activities they enjoy. If the behavior persists or if you suspect more complex mental health issues, don’t hesitate to seek professional assistance. A psychiatrist or pediatrician can offer valuable guidance and help determine the best course of action.

Remember, by taking the time to understand the underlying reasons for intentional urination, you’re on the right path to finding appropriate solutions. Through your parenting style and addressing emotional and psychological factors, you can provide the support your child needs to navigate this challenging phase and establish healthier urinary behavior.

 

Conclusion

Generally, a child purposely urinating on the floor can be a sign of many things. And as explained earlier, it’s a completely normal phase that parents shouldn’t get stressed too much about.

 

Even if your child is doing this as a result of a medical condition, rest assured that there is professional help to assist you through it. But if not, then you can apply the above tips to ensure you get the best out of this experience.

 

Remember, the most important thing is to first understand why your child is purposely urinating on the floor. Once that’s out of the way, finding the best solution for your child becomes an easy walk in the park.