The other day, I was able to speak with Meagan Francis, one of the NiteLite panelists, about bedwetting.
Meagan Francis is a mother of five and the author of four books, including The Happiest Mom: 10 Secrets to Enjoying Motherhood.
She writes about enjoying family life and motherhood for parenting magazines and her blog, thehappiestmom.com.
Meagan and I talked on the phone while she was camping with her 5 kids, and while I was sitting in the passenger’s seat of my mom’s car during my vacation. I had to laugh – what a classic situation for two mothers of five!
Our Bedwetting interview
1 – As a mother of 5, I have had very different experiences with each of my kids and nighttime bedwetting. Are there any family-wide bedwetting trends that parent can expect?
Meagan: There aren’t necessarily bedwetting trends in families, but I do know that if one of the parents wet the bed, then the children are more likely to wet the bed as well. If both parents had bedwetting problems, then it’s even more likely that their child will also wet the bed.
2 – When my kids were day time potty training, I watched for readiness signs. Are there any signs to know when your child is ready to stay dry at night?
Meagan: Night and day time potty training are two totally different animals. Night time dryness (or lack of dryness) is not really related to potty training. It really is more a matter of brain and body maturity. It’s also very normal for kids to start and stop bedwetting at night.
3 – Is there an average age for kids to stop bedwetting?
Meagan: No, not really. However, it is important to remember that bedwetting is typically not even considered a problem by doctors until the age of 6. Before six, it is simply a normal developmental situation.
4 – What are some strategies to help children who have a problem with bedwetting not feel embarrassed or ashamed?
Meagan: My #1 tip is to make sure your reaction is calm….and not through gritted teeth. I love to use GoodNites® because my kids and I don’t have to harbor any anxiety about waking up wet. It takes the stress off both the parents and the child. As a mother of several children, I also believe that it’s important not to make a big deal about night time accidents where other siblings can hear. Keep it quiet.
5 – I have tried putting my 6 year old son in underwear at night to see if he was wetting the bed out of laziness (he had a diaper on, so why get out of bed?). However, he still wet just as much in underwear as he did in a diaper or GoodNites underwear. How much of bedwetting seems to be a physical “problem” versus a mental one?
Meagan: Like we talked about in the 3rd question, most doctors consider bedwetting a developmental norm and not a problem for most children. We’re not sure exactly what the problem is. Research has shown that kids who fall asleep at a regular time every night are less likely to be wet in the morning. I have found that making night time routines more calm and peaceful and using GoodNites® so that the child doesn’t have to stress before bed or when they wake up in the morning helps a lot.
What questions would you love to ask the NiteLite Panelists?
Please note: I am participating in the GoodNites® Blogger Ambassador program and I am compensated for my time. The thoughts and experiences expressed here are my own.
© 2011 – 2014, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.
Leave a Reply