I got an interesting email over the weekend from my post on Friday. It is from a teenager named Candice, who has struggled with bedwetting. She recently stayed with her grandmother, who had different ways of dealing her issues, than her parents.
Hi Miss Veronica, my name is Candice, and I saw your blog post about teenagers who wet the bed, so I thought that I would email you to tell you my story.
I am fifteen years old, and live in Waukesha, Wisconsin. My parents had to go out of town for a week this past summer, so I was sent to stay with my grandmother in Green Bay. I didn't realize that my cousin, Samantha was staying with her as well. Samatha is four, and is struggling to potty train. Things went pretty normal until bed time. My grandmother asked Samantha and I to come to the nursery she keeps for my younger cousins. She told me wait, as she undressed Samantha and put her in night time, all in one cloth training pants, before dressing her in her pajamas. Grandma turned to me and told me that it was my turn. She told me to just relax. I stood there as she completely undressed me, before holding an identical pair of training pants for me to step into. I took a deep breath and slipped my feet into the leg holes, and my Grandma pulled them up over my hips. They were really thick between my legs. I stood there as Grandma checked the fit. Once she was satisfied, she put a set of pajamas on me and led me over to the toddler bed that Samantha was sleeping. Grandma explained that if we were dry in the morning, we would be able to sleep without our training pants, but if we were wet, we would be in full time potty training. I got in bed, and Grandma raised the side rail.
Of course, the next morning, I woke up wet. It was nice, that the training pants were able to hold everything. I could feel that Samantha was wet too. All we could do was wait until Grandma came in. When she did, she pulled back the covers and checked our training pants. She said, "Well, it looks like I have two wet little ones, don't I? I think you two need to take a step backwards, so you can appreciate using the potty like big girls."
I didn't understand what she meant, but I watched as she lifted Samantha out of the bed and carried her to the changing table, where she as cleaned up and pinned into cloth diapers, and set down on the floor in just her diaper. Grandma came over and picked me up as well, and carried me over to the table next, and did the same thing, I ended up standing next to Samantha, also wearing just a cloth diaper.
Grandma explained, "I want you two to realize how good you how good you have it. For the rest of the day, you will be wearing and using your diapers. Tomorrow, we will try the potty." While you are in diapers, you be getting bottle feedings, naps and any thing else a baby does."
I had never been more embarrassed. I had to use the diapers, all day, for not just wetting. And wasn't allowed to tell Grandma when I used my diaper. I had to wait for her check me. I had two naps, in the crib that day. I ate baby food in a highchair, and got fed four bottles of baby formula.
The next morning, Samantha and I were put in cloth training pants, and t-shirts. Grandma had a potty chair set up for us in the living room, where we could go, with permission. Daytime accidents were never an issue for me, and didn't have any trouble making it to the potty, but, Grandma said that if one of us fails, we both do. So, if Samantha had more than two accidents in a day, we would both end up back in diapers for the rest of the day.
I did my best go get Samantha to the potty. By the time I was supposed to go home, I had been dry for two nights, and Samantha had been dry during the day for 3 days.
-Candice
I think her Grandmother had the right idea. It helped her with her bedwetting, and her cousin to was able to have a positive role model to imitate. I don't agree with potty training children before they're ready, but it seems like Samantha made the decision to be like her cousin.
I will have another email for you tomorrow!
-Veronica
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