Night Time Toilet Training: Is it Training or Development?

When it comes to toilet training, parents often find themselves having to navigating both daytime and night time toilet training. While daytime potty training seems more like a skill that can be actively taught, night time toilet training takes on a different role in a child's development.

Daytime Potty Training: A Teachable Skill?

Daytime potty training involves teaching your child the skills and habits associated with using the toilet during waking hours. This process includes recognising bodily cues, communicating needs, and developing the ability to control their bladder.

Tips for Daytime Potty Training:

1. Consistent Bathroom Breaks: Encourage regular bathroom breaks during the day to reinforce the habit of using the toilet.
2. Positive Reinforcement: Celebrate small victories to motivate and reinforce the importance of using the potty.
3. Establish Routine: Create a consistent routine for bathroom breaks to help your child anticipate and respond to their body's signals.

Night Time Toilet Training: More about Development

Night time toilet training or night time potty training as some might call it, on the other hand, is often more about the natural development of a child's ability to control their bladder while asleep. It may not be something you actively teach but rather something that evolves as your child grows.

Routines for Night Time Toilet Training
1. Pre-Bedtime Toilet Visit: Encourage your child to use the toilet before bedtime to minimise the risk of nighttime accidents. In boys - it's better if they can make their last wee of the day sat down rather than stood up as this ensures that they are the most relaxed and meaning their bladder is more likely to empty fully.
2. Hydration Balance: Ensure your child drinks regularly throughout the day but avoid offering liquids too close to bedtime to reduce the likelihood of bedwetting. Good Hydration can also help to prevent constipation which is often linked to bedwetting in children. 

Balancing Act: Development and Routine for Night Time Potty Training

While night time potty training may not be as actively "trained" as daytime potty training, parents can play a supportive role in their child's development by establishing healthy bedtime routines. By incorporating habits like pre-bedtime toilet visits and managing hydration, you contribute to a positive environment that aids your child in developing night time bladder control.

In summary, daytime potty training is more of a teachable skill, while night time toilet training aligns with a child's natural development. By combining the two approaches, parents can create a supportive environment that facilitates both aspects of the toilet training journey.

Take Care 

Catherine x