Out for a walk, the child may spot every deposit of a dog's bowel movement. This concern about elimination extends to interest in bathrooms, both at home and in other places. Though he is interested in other people's toileting, he is private about his own. By 4 years of age, most children are in control of both bowel and urinary eliminations. Accidents, if any, tend to occur simply because the child does not want to interrupt his play and puts off using facilities until it is too late.
Most children stay dry all night if picked up around midnight.
If the midnight pickup doesn't work, just pad the child and bed to save on laundry, and make little comment about this immaturity, since he will outgrow it. If he has a nutritious and appealing diet and there is no history of struggle over food, the child will eat small amounts of most foods. The appetite begins to increase around 5. Generally, the best attitude, even with difficult eaters, is for the adult to be casual and pay as little attention as possible. If the child thinks that eating matters a great deal to his parent, he is likely to use that power over them.