There have been a lot of changes in our house in the past few months. My oldest, has always been strong-willed, determined and sensitive. He is a charismatic and outgoing young man, but as with all families we have our struggles. Until recently I have struggled with issues of parenting, and also deep sleep and bathroom issues.
We have struggled with responsibility, impulse control and the consequences for our actions. This is a young man who blew out a friend's birthday candles at their party, and has often had to leave events early because he couldn't control himself in a large group of his peers.
I'm embarrassed to say that I worried we would never overcome some of these issues. I just couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel.
But, somehow the switch finally flipped and he has been making good decisions on a regular basis. He now goes out of his way to be helpful and cooperative in the family. Melt downs have ceased and a thoughtful young man has emerged. He has grown so much and I finally feel like we are connecting as a Mother and son should.
Like many 7-year olds, Owen loves all things LEGO. He builds like a pro and it is a passion that his Father passed down to him. In fact, my husband had a cherished LEGO train when he was a child, and it came as no surprise that when Owen was old enough to build one of his own, he saved up to buy his dream set.
It was hard, but we finally convinced him to hold onto his money to put towards a larger goal. Learning to save for a the train set was just one indication that our little guy was starting to grow up. In the end, he was so excited to say that he saved up for this train, all by himself.
Of course, he had it all built in about an hour!
The other huge milestone in the past year has been watching a life-long reader emerge.
When my son started Kindergarten he couldn't read on his own. He had never tried and we never pushed it. He knew his alphabet and we read to him regularly, but going to school changed the whole game.
I remember him coming home and telling me that some of his classmates could read already. Like, all by themselves. I told him that he could too. We could work on it if he wanted.
At first it was rough. I wouldn't let him guess the words based on the pictures in the book...we went slowly and sounded out each letter and word. Now my son is one of the top 3 readers in his class. Just this year he has read over 70 books and has been earning points for taking library quizzes each time he finishes one. I am so proud of him.
One of his favorite series has been The Magic Tree House and I know I will be sad when he gets to the end. Thank goodness there are over 50 so far in the series!
With all the positive changes and milestones we have celebrated recently, the one area that hasn't changed has been the nighttime routine. My son had no problems potty training years earlier, but getting through the night and remaining dry till morning has been a challenge. Just getting him up at night to use the bathroom from a deep sleep has been difficult. For a sensitive boy, this is especially hard.
I took the issue up with his pediatrician, but she wasn't worried. In fact, she said it was more common than most parents realize. He has grown and matured in so many areas, but this is one area where his body hasn't caught up yet. We can't just "train" this issue away.
Because I never want my son to be uncomfortable or embarrassed at night, we found a simple solution that works for both of us in the meantime.
I am thrilled to have less laundry and a happier son.
According to a GoodNites® brand study, it's estimated 1 in 6 children between the ages of 4-12 in the United States suffer from nocturnal enuresis, or commonly known as bedwetting. I know when I was younger I loved sleepovers, but that becomes more complicated when you don't stay dry at night. Since the The GoodNites *TRU-FIT* Underwear look and feel like my son's other underwear, he doesn't have to feel embarrassed.
For a social guy like my son, he doesn't want to be singled out for something like this.
The GoodNites* TRU-FIT* Underwear are so easy to use! The underwear is comfortable for my son to wear at night and quiet as he moves in his sleep. We just put in the absorbent insert before bedtime, he disposes of the insert in the morning and I wash them along with the rest of his underwear.
Fear or embarrassment of nighttime accidents shouldn't keep kids from fun activities like sleepovers. Check out the Better Night Network and the GoodNites Facebook page for more information on bedwetting solutions and advice from experts.
You can find the entire GoodNites® line, like the GoodNites® Disposable Underwear, GoodNites* TRU-FIT* Underwear Starter Pack and GoodNites* TRU-FIT* Insert Refill Pack, that I used, at your local Kroger store. My local Fred Meyers has a great selection for making our bedtime easier.
What milestones and accomplishments have your children celebrated recently? Have you experienced nighttime issues with any of your children?
Be sure to enter below for a chance to win some great prizes!
Pull-Ups and GoodNites Potty Training Sweepstakes
No comments:
Post a Comment
I always love reading your comments and questions. Let me know what you thought about my recipe or post. Comments are currently being moderated due to spam-tastic recent postings. I'll have your comment up shortly. Thanks!