Baffled Teacher Questions Why More And More Kids Are Being Sent To Kindergarten Still Wearing Diapers

A surprised teacher has expressed her shock at the number of parents sending their children to kindergarten while they’re still wearing diapers.

Brenda Capone Kingston, known as @Ms3rdGrade on TikTok, is a well-known educator with 43.7K followers on the platform. 

Recently, she posted a video that she has since deleted, revealing her astonishment that some kids are still in diapers when they start kindergarten.

"Diapers in kindergarten - this has been something that's been a conversation with fellow teachers for the past several weeks now," she said.

"The amount of kids in diapers in kindergarten- I had no idea. The more I talk to some kindergarten friends, and they tell me how many they have."

In the video, filmed in her classroom, the teacher made it clear that her comments did not concern children with special needs.

Instead, she talked about her own experiences raising her kids. 

She mentioned, "I remember when my kids went to school...your child had to be potty-trained before you could send them to kindergarten," noting that her daughter will turn 24 in November and her son will be 22 next month.

"I don't feel like I imagined that," the teacher added. 

"I am in the state of Arkansas, and I learned last night that in the state of Arkansas, it's not required, and I'm like 'Why?'"

She continued to question, "Why do we have so many five-and six-year-olds still in diapers?"

"To all you kindergarten teachers dealing with this, bless your heart because I don't think I could," Ms3rdGrade said, shaking her head.

Her surprise grew even more evident when she widened her eyes and said, "If you have two or three kids in diapers...woooh," and wondered if other teachers had faced similar situations.

"Am I alone on this? Do you have a lot of diapers in your school right now?" she asked at the end of her video.

The teacher questioned why so many children were still wearing diapers in kindergarten. Mrs / Getty

After receiving negative feedback from viewers, Kingston removed the original video and posted a follow-up clip thanking those who supported her.

"Let's address the elephant in the room," she began in the new video. 

"First let me start by saying thank you to the overwhelming amount of people, especially teachers, that have reached out to me."

"It was so sad that somebody took something innocent and turned it into something harmful. And it didn't need to be that way," she continued.

"If you know me, have followed me long enough, you know that was never my intention. I really try to keep my page upbeat, and positive, and I try to really spread joy."

"Why do we have so many five-and six-year-olds still in diapers?" Brenda questioned. SolStock / Getty

In March, Utah passed a new law requiring children to be potty trained before they can enroll in kindergarten. 

Rep. Douglas Welton, who sponsored the bill, explained that it was a response to the growing number of children starting school without being fully potty trained, according to Daily Mail.

Ms3rdGrade works in Arkansas, where no such law has been enacted. 

The Mayo Clinic notes that most children are ready to begin potty training between 18 to 24 months old, though some may take a bit longer, around three years old.