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Genetics and Bedwetting
When Kids Follow in Your Footsteps
By Deborah Geary
Greg Smith, also of Dallas, Texas, feels that his history of bedwetting gives him special empathy for his daughter, Samantha, who at 6 years old wets every night. "I definitely feel my own struggle, and how harshly my parents responded has given me a soft spot for Sam that is deeper than my wife's," he says.
Parents who remember their bedwetting experiences as kids often have special insight into the impact it is having on their children and what they can do to help to soften any trauma. "I have been where she now is," says Smith of his daughter. "I do all I can to help reassure her and make it so she does not feel she is letting me down. I also work hard on making her comfortable both physically and emotionally."
Parents who wet the bed share advice that centers strongly on encouraging your child emotionally. "Relax," Nichols says. "Take time. Be patient. Offer your [child] lots and lots of hugs and reassurance. Relate to them what wetting was like for you so they know you can relate." Knowing that Mom or Dad also wet the bed is a powerful confidence booster for kids. Nichols knows from her own experience that kids usually grow out of bedwetting, and she is working hard to have her daughters come through it with their self-esteem intact. To help children understand more about some causes of bedwetting, including heredity, check out the GoodNites® KIDS site (www.GoodNites.com).
Want to see more?
- 5 Phrases to Make Your Child Feel Better About Bedwetting: Statements That Have a Positive Impact on Your Child
- When Daddy Doesn't Understand: Supporting a Bedwetting Child Is a Job for Mom and Dad
- Just Like Mom and Dad: Let Your Bedwetting Child Know He's Not Alone
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