Every parent wants to help ease their child’s frustration and embarrassment over bed wetting. There is always great intentions. However, some mistakes are often made in this regard. Let’s take a look at a few what NOT to do.
Don’t Be Overprotective
Parents can often feel guilty they’re child is struggling with bedwetting. Instead of helping them to fix the issue they sometimes wrap and muffle their child with layers of protection instead. Like we said, this is never done with harmful intent but it doesn’t allow or ask the child to cope. In many instances, parents will deny the situation’s very existence. Maybe they don’t want to offend or hurt their child.
The issue with this is that it usually doesn’t end once the bed wetting does. The parent will continue to feel guilt and be overly protective of the child after full recovery or problem solved. Allow your child to take responsibility for the issue and try to avoid over protection.
Don’t Ignore the Issue
Many parents will choose to ignore the issue instead of tackling it head on. Their hope is that the problem will “just go away”. This is seldom the case. Like the old saying goes, “bad news gets worse with age”. Besides, your child will be in distress whether inwardly or outwardly. They will need your support and commitment to solving the issue more than you need to pretend it’s not there. If we ignore the issue then the child feels that you don’t understand or have any answers and may feel that you are not to be relied on.
Don’t Compare to Siblings
Probably a bad idea in any situation but particularly in this one. If there is a situation where a younger sibling is sleeping through dry nights or able to get up and relieve himself on time then it is most likely a point of embarrassment, shame and even jealousy among the older sibling who is having bed wetting issues.
Don’t assume that because your 5 year old is doing great that your 8 year old should be better. That’s not the case. At all. We’ve heard horrible accusations and statements by parents who imply their child is wetting the bed “on purpose”, “lazy”, etc. Bad attitudes lead to frustration and helplessness. Don’t pressure your child even more by communicating that you wish they more like their older or younger siblings.
Don’t Use Pull-Ups
Using pull up diapers or underwear is an easy solution. But it’s often the wrong one. If you’re using pull-ups on 4 to 5 years old children in order to potty train and prevent wet beds, that’s perfectly acceptable. But on older children is where the problem begins. This suppresses the motivation to actually learn to control the bed wetting. And it send a message of “just give up”. Putting pull ups on older children communicates that they anticipate another unsuccessful night of keeping the sheets dry. This perpetuates the issue rather than correcting or treating it.
