Sep
23
There are times when parenting can be frustrating, especially when the child is going through a phase which is inconvenient, and can be a concern to the parents. Most of the time the child will grow out of a particular behavior, but going through the process as they overcome the problem can be worrying. One particular instance that can be frustrating and a concern for parents is when a child wets the bed during the night.
Wetting the bed is quite common with young children particularly infants. However when the child gets to school-age and older and bed wetting is still happening then it becomes frustrating for the parents and embarrassing for the child.
Bed wetting is a difficult subject to deal with because of its delicate nature. If a parent deals with bed wetting with punishment,teasing or nagging it will have a negative impact. The best way to deal with the problem of bed wetting is not to make the child feel bad about it, but rather comfort and reassure them that this is a problem that can easily be overcome. Here are some preventative measures you can take to help your child go through the night without wetting the bed.
Make it part of your child’s night time routine to go to the toilet just before they get into bed. Make sure that the child can easily get to the toilet if they wake up during the night needing to empty the bladder. Perhaps having a night light or leaving the doors open can easily facilitate this.
Protect the bed with a plastic sheet so that it doesn’t get wet with urine, and become smelly. By protecting the mattress with rubber sheets, it becomes easier to change the bed and avoid wet sheets and mattresses.
Start reducing drinks a couple of hours before the child’s bedtime so that they have less fluid in the body during the night.
When a child does wet the bed think more of the child than your personal inconvenience of having to change the bedding. It is important for the child to develop confidence and a sense of self belief that they can overcome bed wetting and that you believe that they will be able to achieve this.
Children do what gets rewarded. Praise your child when they do go through the night without wetting the bed. When you focus on the positive rather than the negative it helps the child understand and want to earn more praise.
As parents try not to show your anxiety if your child has this bedwetting problem. Most of the time it is just a phase that the child will grow out of in time, and has no serious implications.
Aug
31
Is Your Schedule Back to Normal Yet?
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Summer’s are hectic times for families, because usually your daily routines & schedules that are set in place during the school year are thrown out the window, and freedom reigns! :) Your children have gotten in the habit of going to bed and getting up later. Since school has started, it’s important to get children back on a school schedule or you will find a house full of grump kids and parents. Use these tips to get your family back into the swing of things.
Don’t wait too long to get them back in the habit of going to bed for school. In fact, it would be helpful if they started going to bed a little bit earlier each night, over a week, until they reach their normal “school night” bedtime. Children will rebel against having to go to bed so early if they’ve stayed up late all summer.
While you’re working on re-establishing a normal bedtime, you probably want to also get them up a little earlier each morning. This will help them acclimatize to the regular school schedule of going to bed a particular time and then having to get up in order to get ready for school. If you haven’t already done so, why not purchase an alarm clock and teach your child how to use it.
Instead of goofing off when they first wake up, have your children start getting ready as as they get up. Then let them relax before rushing off to school Before they go to bed each night, have them set out their clothes for the next day so everything’s ready for them when they rise.
What do you do if your child has to change classes during the day? Visit each classroom with your child, helping them find the quickest route between classes and other areas they’ll use. Your child will be a pro at maneuvering the halls in no time.
Will your child ride a bus, carpool with other children in the neighborhood, or will you take them to school each day? Knowing how they will get to and from school is important and will give them continuity to their day. This is particularly helpful if you have younger children.
Be prepared to get up earlier yourself, especially for the first few weeks. You’ll want to be up ensuring the children have everything and get ready in time. It’s not just children whose schedules are thrown off during the summer. Since it’s time to get back on your schedule when children go back to school, they’ll be on theirs as well.