Time to night train or let it happen later?

[Anonymous]

My 4.5 year old has been waking up dry sometimes, but not always. I’m reading that to nighttrain, you should walk then to the bathroom at 10 or 11... I feel like he doesn’t get enough sleep as it is (probably gets around 10 hours most nights and no nap). What do you think?

[Anonymous]

Try it and see what happens. Just started with my 3.5yo and she doesn't wake up fully and goes right back to sleep. Your kid might be different and you'll figure it out quick.

[Anonymous]

Not your question and my newly 4yo is wet almost every night...but just curious generally why not just wait until he's dry more consistently? Does night training not happen unless its more forced at some point (by walking to bathroom / made official). truly curious...i've just punted on it for now

[Anonymous]

You can’t night train. It just Happens.

[Anonymous]

Wake up a half hour before your child gets up and check his/her diaper. If it’s dry, you can lose the diaper as it means they pee when they first wake up. If it’s wet, it means they were peeing in their sleep and not ready.

Both my kids were dry a half hour before they woke up up without the “twilight pee” (walking them to the bathroom at 11). We put them to bed with no bottoms on for a couple months and they were night trained.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wake up a half hour before your child gets up and check his/her diaper. If it’s dry, you can lose the diaper as it means they pee when they first wake up. If it’s wet, it means they were peeing in their sleep and not ready.

Both my kids were dry a half hour before they woke up up without the “twilight pee” (walking them to the bathroom at 11). We put them to bed with no bottoms on for a couple months and they were night trained.

Best advice. It’s a habit to pee in a diaper when you’re just waking up. And, seriously, on cold mornings when you’re cozy in bed, who wants to get up to pee in the toilet?

[Anonymous]

You don't have to fully wake them up, just carry to the bathroom and put them on the toilet...it should naturally happen when they feel the cold from taking off pj's and diaper.

The visit to the toilet at 10/11 doesn't train them, it's just a stopgap to stay dry overnight during the months that they're sleeping 8-10 hours at a time but their bodies haven't yet learned to signal that it's time to wake up to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not your question and my newly 4yo is wet almost every night...but just curious generally why not just wait until he's dry more consistently? Does night training not happen unless its more forced at some point (by walking to bathroom / made official). truly curious...i've just punted on it for now

I’d rather wait, but he has also said he doesn’t like wearing a pull-up at night because it is not comfortable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wake up a half hour before your child gets up and check his/her diaper. If it’s dry, you can lose the diaper as it means they pee when they first wake up. If it’s wet, it means they were peeing in their sleep and not ready.

Both my kids were dry a half hour before they woke up up without the “twilight pee” (walking them to the bathroom at 11). We put them to bed with no bottoms on for a couple months and they were night trained.

Best advice. It’s a habit to pee in a diaper when you’re just waking up. And, seriously, on cold mornings when you’re cozy in bed, who wants to get up to pee in the toilet?

No bottoms as in just naked from the waist down? My 4 year old is all about routine and I don’t think he would go for that. As a younger toddler he even insisted on wearing socks to bed.

[Anonymous]

I would say wait but if he's expressing that he is uncomfortable in some way, then yes, wake him up early and see if he's dry and only peeing as he wakes up, set a new earlier wake up and get him used to waking up and getting himself to the bathroom right away. If he's peeing overnight, then try the twilight bathroom trip.

[Anonymous]

We bribed our kids around that age and shockingly enough, they stayed dry. So no, it's not just something they will do on their own. They were just peeing diapers because it was easy and you don't feel wet because diapers are a bit too absorbent/nice. One liked chocolate and the other got a special prize they wanted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We bribed our kids around that age and shockingly enough, they stayed dry. So no, it's not just something they will do on their own. They were just peeing diapers because it was easy and you don't feel wet because diapers are a bit too absorbent/nice. One liked chocolate and the other got a special prize they wanted.

My DD liked Skittles.

Might not work for every kid but for some it does and you'll know if it doesn't pretty quickly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We bribed our kids around that age and shockingly enough, they stayed dry. So no, it's not just something they will do on their own. They were just peeing diapers because it was easy and you don't feel wet because diapers are a bit too absorbent/nice. One liked chocolate and the other got a special prize they wanted.

My DD liked Skittles.

Might not work for every kid but for some it does and you'll know if it doesn't pretty quickly.

PP here. Yep that's what I meant. If they're physically ready for it, bribery will work instantly. If they aren't ready, no shame in trying.

[Anonymous]

We're in no real rush with my DS (also 4 yo). His brother trained day/night at the same time and was overall a breeze to potty train. YDS trained a bit later, and is nowhere near close at nighttime, and sleeps like the dead.

Not at all a problem with us, he wears a diaper at night, and we don't make a big deal out of it whatsoever. He'll get there when he's ready. All kids are different.

[Anonymous]

The alarm underwear did wonder for my kids. Rodger wireless or something like that. Just took a few nights when the alarm rang and I had to walk them to the bathroom. After that it just clicked for them and no accidents since. Money well spent.