5Yr Old Wetting the Bed

Updated on November 15, 2006
D.D. asks from East Prospect, PA
4 answers

My boyfriends daughter is about to turn 5. She's been potty trained for a while now, but the last few months she's been wetting the bed. He gets her on the weekends and has addressed this subject with her mother, who claims that the girls is not wetting the bed there. There are other circumstances that I think are contributing to this issue.
For the past month my boyfriends daugther has been saying that she doesn't want to stay overnight, she wants to go to her mom. Of course that really bothered him because he is such a devoted father. I told him that his daughter was probably just concerned that she won't see her mother again. They've moved at least 3 times in the last year, working now on a fourth time. Her mother had been staying at home with her, as well as her mothers boyfriend. The both of them started jobs, as well as moving, so the poor girls is scared. I found out later that I was right. I'm thinking that this may be part of her bed wetting.
My question is what should we do about this. It's really causing problems with all of us. I have to work on the weekends and being woken up at 4, then having my boyfriend tossing and turning because he can't fall back asleep etc. is obviously a problem. He's getting stressed out because he doesn't know what to do, and the girl feels helpless. I want her to stop wetting the bed, and to feel safe here. Any suggestions?

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Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

N.G.

answers from Washington DC on

A 5yearold should not have anything to drink after 7pm( unless they get really thirsty in the middle of the night).

*a night light would help also!{in each room that she would come incontact with in order to get to the bathroom}.

*more important then anything,both house holds need to make her feel safe & comfrontable @ both places.

*a nice chair for daddy @ bedside,wouldn't hurt.

*make sure she goes to bed happy.....by making her feel safe with some of Mother Goose's nursery songs & rymes(softly played).

*PLENTY OF ENCOURAGING WORDS, FROM MOM & DAD ALWAYS HELP!

Blessings To You All!

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S.L.

answers from Philadelphia on

Talk with her and let her no that its ok please dont yell at her because she doing it . she stressed out with all thats going on. If its that bad on you guys sleeping buy the pulls and make sure she go to the potty before bed. let her know that you and daddy are here for her and that all four of you love her verry much she will grow out of it im time. I have 6 kids and we have moved a lot in the last 4 years. and two of my daughters did the same thing.I will tell you that I try to get them to go in the middle of the nite when i do , I wake them up to go. hope this helps
S.

E.A.

answers from Erie on

First, this is only a phase. Remember that and you will relieve a lot of the stress. Second, I absolutely agree NEVER punish or yell at her for this. never. never. You are to become her partner and helper in overcoming this. She needs to believe that.
That said, simple suggestions include using the toilet before bedtime, waking her up later in the evening to use the toilet again, talking with her about it to let her know you are not angry with her and do share in her frustration; also, get a washable waterproof pad for the bed. If she wets the bed, this will save your mattress. Assume she will wet the bed and prepare yourselves to deal with it, and then reward her when she doesn't (she gets to choose what to have for breakfast, for instance.)
I very much empathize with your frustration.

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Y.Z.

answers from Philadelphia on

If you think stress is what's making her wet the bed at nite, try talking to the girl. It might sound too simple, but get her involved in something she likes, like a puzzle, or make cookies together, and just chat. Letting her get her concerns out in the open, and validating that yes, she does have some fears that are ok to have, can be a big weight off her shoulders. Even for a 5 year old, having someone to talk to and vent to can be very therapeutic. You're not her mom, she already has two parents, but you can be a great adult friend. It may even be easier to talk to you than her parents...we've all felt that way at times.

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