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Home › Articles › Bedwetting › Nighttime as Quality Time

Nighttime as Quality Time

The Benefits of a Stress-free Routine on Your Bedwetting Child

By Teri Brown

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When you have a child who wets the bed at night, the nighttime routine can often be filled with stress for that child. They worry about drinking too much liquid, they worry about making sure they go to the bathroom and they worry about staying dry. Such worry can lead to a child feeling pressure, anxiety and tension, which can, in turn, lead to some pretty sleepless nights.

Why Is Bedtime so Important?

Dr. Sharon Buchalter, a clinical psychologist, family/marriage therapist and author of Children Are People Too: Unlocking the 8 Secrets to Family Happiness (People Too Unlimited, 2006), says nighttimes, especially for the bedwetting child, should be as relaxing and calm as possible.

"The more of an issue that is made of bedwetting, the more of an issue it will become," Dr. Buchalter says. "Potty training and bedwetting can be stressful and can cause anxiety for both children and their parents. Parents should remind their children that accidents do happen and if it happens, it is OK. While parents should engage in conversation about bedwetting if the child wants to, this should not be the focus of pre-bedtime activities."

It's important to remember that bedwetting is not something kids do on purpose, nor can they consciously control it. While open and ongoing dialog is important, there is no need for repeated discussions. This will only further stress the child. The emphasis should be on bedtime routines that calm the child and create deeper family bonds.

The Bedtime That Bonds
"Bedtime can be a wonderful opportunity for family bonding," Dr. Buchalter says. "There is a special closeness that a parent and child can get during bedtime. Consider bedtime a quality time to talk to, soothe and love your child. Most kids – especially active ones – may not like to cuddle. You may be surprised that, at night, your child may want to cuddle. Take advantage of that and feel the special closeness. Use this as an opportunity to remind your child how proud of them you are and how much you love them."


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