Ok, wanted to see if any of you have been through this, and might be able to offer some advice, tips, etc.  My four yr. old step-son (a few months away from being five) has been potty trained for over a year now, and for some reason in the last six months, he has gotten to where he is using the bathroom in his pants again...sometimes just wetting them, sometimes doing the "other".  We've talked to his mom (she & I get along great and can discuss anything because her & my husband just don't like to speak at all unless necessary), and she said that they (her & her new husband) are going through it as well.  She basically spanks him and then just ignores it...BUT we (my husband and I) know there's got to be some reason that this is happening, and we just don't know if ignoring it is the solution.  We've talked to him about it, spanked him, put him in time out, taken things away, tried just about everything to make him understand that he cannot use the bathroom in his pants and it just doesn't help.  He always say he'll stop, but then does it again & again...and of course he lies about it, never tells us, we just find out when we see his pants wet, or smell him.  His excuse is "I was busy, or I was watching my show and didn't want to get up, or didn't want to put my toy down, or when he's outside playing with friends, he says he doesn't want to stop playing to come inside and use the bathroom).  We're at our wits end and just don't know what to do.  He starts kindergarden in eight weeks, and of course kids have to be potty trained by then, plus we don't want him to be picked on for being the kid who uses the bathroom in his pants (we all know how some kids can be cruel these days and pick on others).  Plus its getting ridiculous that I'm having to clean dirty underwear every weekend because he doesn't want to take a 5 minute trip to the bathroom. Does anyone have any suggestions???  Help...we're desperate!              Been potty trained BUT.... Atlanta- Stores, Restaurants, Services, Products, Activities, Events