Reply from Rog, Child's Age 12 - 1/29/02 - IP#: 12.86.11.132It is becoming increasingly politically correct nowadays to say that no child should ever under any circumstances be scolded, punished, embarrassed or frowned at for bedwetting and should be completely protected from the natural consequences of bedwetting such as diapers, a smelly room, friends finding out, etc. Like all absolute statements, we ought to be skeptical of this one. The Wetbusters site is filled with advice about rewarding kids for staying dry, giving them stars, sending them congratulatory e-mails, encouraging them to try harder (like an athlete out to win a race), along with a good smattering of reports in the research section of children who learned to stay dry because they were embarrassed or ashamed to wear diapers or have their friends find out. All of this indicates that some children CAN learn to control their bedwetting (which is not the same as saying they are "doing it on purpose") and we may be making a big mistake by making the whole bedwetting/diapers business so incredibly easy, comfortable, non-embarrassing, etc. If there is no problem with bedwetting or diapers, why would a child ever be motivated to stop? |