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The Effects of Divorce on Children
A Potential Cause for Bedwetting
By Carma Haley Shoemaker
Galveston, Texas, knew that when she separated from her husband, her children would take it very hard. "When our middle son began wetting the bed at night, I discovered he took it harder than I thought," she says. "I did all I could to reassure him that he was not the reason his father and I separated. His father and I worked together and made sure whenever there was an issue that needed attention, we approached it together. After some time, our son learned that just because his father and I don't live in the same house, doesn't mean we don't still love him."
One way to help your child through the bedwetting period is by having him or her wear disposable absorbent underpants like GoodNites® underpants. Waking up to dry clothing and a dry bed alleviates the negative feelings and guilt a child can internalize. Especially at tough times like these, kids need all the help they can get to retain their dignity and self-worth.
Bedwetting is just one of the many behaviors that can be exhibited by children whose parents are separating or getting a divorce. According to Dr. Sheldon, it is not the behavior that needs to be addressed, but rather, the underlying cause. "When a child wets the bed as a result of stress due to divorce, they are not doing it so much for attention as they are in reaction to the situation," he says. "Address the bedwetting issue, by all means, but do not put the spotlight on it. It is not the bedwetting that is the foremost problem. Instead, address the issues the child has about the divorce. The bedwetting will be resolved as the concerns, fears and uncertainty are."
