Question: My 3-year-old son has been potty trained for the last year. He's never had an accident, but lately he's been urinating in different places around the house (carpet, dog bed, etc.). When he's confronted he says he couldn't get to the bathroom in time. If this were the case, I'd expect him to wet his pants, not deliberately pick a place to urinate. I also have a one- and two-year-old. I've been trying to potty train the two-year-old and am thinking this may explain some of my older son's regressive behaviour. Any insight would be helpful.

In addition, my oldest son likes to cause chaos. When everything is calm, he creates commotion or tries to persuade his younger brother to do it. He knows what he's doing is wrong. He can be aggressive and will say off-the-wall things like: "Do you hate me?"

My husband and I have discussed having him talk to a child psychologist. I'm a stay-at-home mom and feel that I give all my children plenty of group and individual attention. He's always been what we call "high maintenance." Are we overreacting, or do you think talking with someone would be beneficial?

Answer: Your intuitive conclusion about your oldest son is probably correct.

His urinating in inappropriate places is undoubtedly regressive behaviour to claim attention from his brother who's being potty trained, and it will undoubtedly disappear with a simple sticker reward system and patience.

Asking him the reason for his regressions isn't likely to yield a helpful answer, because he's unlikely to understand exactly why he's begun this new attention-getting behaviour. Regression is typically a subconscious response for a child and not a deliberate plan. Having him talk to a psychologist about his disruptive behaviour is less likely to change it than your talking to a psychologist about how you can manage three children so close in age who vie for your attention.

Oldest children usually cope with sibling rivalry better when they receive some daily one-on-one time and are referred to as the big brother, a helper, and other positive statements that assist them in building some status.

You would also want to be conscious of your referential talk to other adults within your children's hearing.

For example, if you talk about your son's love for creating chaos within his hearing, you can probably expect more chaos, because that will begin to feel like part of who he is.

If you talk to others about his positive attributes within his hearing, for example, being a good learner, a hard worker or sharing well, it will give him a more positive self-image and better self-control.

Don't hesitate about getting yourself some guidance to prevent your older child from becoming the behaviour problem of the family. It's very challenging to raise three children so close in age.

Dr. Sylvia B. Rimm is the director of the Family Achievement Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, a clinical professor of psychiatry and paediatrics at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and the author of many books on parenting. More information on raising children is available at www.sylviarimm.com. Please send questions to: Sylvia B. Rimm on Raising Kids, P.O. Box 32, Watertown, Wisconsin 53094, USA or srimm@ sylviarimm.com.