Peeing and going to bed....

Alright-the issue the last two nights... They go to the bathroom downstairs before we head upstairs. Then we read a book, or whatever. Then it's time for bed-so they go to the bathroom again. Put them in cribs, say good night, and walk downstairs. DH and I are sitting downstairs and then within five minutes, "I have to pee! I have to pee!" Now-it's Anthony who jumps up and says this. And he's not just saying it, or whining. He's all out FREAKING out that he has to pee! Crying, jumping in his crib-hysterical! Then of course the domino effect, and Nicholas has to go as well.

And the kicker-they go!

So it happened again tonight, and dh was NOT happy. The FIRST time it happened, he marched up there, was really mean about it-thus resulting in HUGE tears from the both of them. How do you ignore their pleas that they have to pee? Neither of them went that first time(I came up and intervened and sent dh downstairs). But two minutes later, Anthony was at it again wailing that he had to pee. So I march up the stairs-and sure enough-he pees.

When do you stop? 99% of the time-it's no crying wolf.

Diapers sounds lovely right about now. :laughing:

 

No advice, but I feel your pain. We have the exact same issue.

 

We went through this as well, the girls would tell me they had to go pee at least 3 times between starting bedtime and finishing it. They would usually manage to go pee a little each time. I started telling them that it would be the last and final time they would be allowed to pee until morning. Much of the multiple pee requests were them just procrastinating going to bed. We started potty training in June and they just recently stopping do this over the past few weeks.

 

That sounds frustrating! Mine aren't potty trained yet, but that is what I fear will happen! Anyway, I wouldn't be able to leave a screaming child in the crib who says they need to go potty, I would always go to them. Perhaps you can start bedtime routine a bit earlier, so that you can factor in 10-15minutes of potty trips? and, hope that in a few months when they really have the hang of potty training you can give them an ultimatum (this is the last potty until morning). Perhaps you could also try just going in and helping them with their potty break with no words or expressions from you - maybe if its no fun to be around you then they will loose interest quicker with this behavior?
Sorry, I dont have any better advice.

 

I never deny my kids going to the bathroom, because I fear the one time I do, they would truly have to go and they would be traumatized. With that being said, mine did this as well and after a couple weeks that fascination wore off. I also put a potty in their bedroom, so if they had to go, they could. It works out great for us, and it has been smooth sailing. Good Luck!

 

Thanks ladies! I would never deny them a trip to the bathroom. What they did tonight though, they did have little smirks on their face-especially after they didn't pee the first time.... :aggressive:

Oy. They are still in cribs. That's the next big thing in this house. Although that is something I am not eager to do... :laughing:

 

Both of mine did this at bedtime when they first started PTing. I would always take them because like you said, they would go too and it would baffle me since they had just gone. Luckily, it does end, mine did it for a few weeks and then then they stopped. :good:

 

If they're not in diapers at night, and they're in cribs (or too young to go potty by themselves, or can't go by themselves for whatever other reason), then I think you just have to take them when they say they have to go. They do use it as a stalling tactic, and that's maddening, but I think if you are as calm about it as possible, hopefully the fascination will wear off. (If you get mad, that becomes even more exciting for them!)

One of my DDs is still in pull-ups at night at almost age 5, so maybe you don't want to take advice from me. :laughing: But I have to say that it was very nice, when they were still in cribs, to be able to just say "No, I am not taking you to the potty again, you just went -- if you have to pee again, you can go in your diaper." There's something to be said for holding off on night training until they're old enough to just go by themselves!

 

Mine have gone through this stage as well. The fascination will wear off. I just made sure that I took them, really without talking to them or anything, & took them straight back to bed as quickly as possible, so that their diversionary tactics didn't gain them much time. Eventually, they stopped asking all the time.

 

My son Eli is doing this. Since I still have them in a night diaper, he gets like two trips, by the third time, it's droplets of pee anyways, I don't usually let him go more than twice. I was honest with him. I told him I knew that he was just trying to keep from going to bed, and that it wasn't gonna fly.

 

I have no experience with this as my boys are not ready to PT yet. However, maybe I can offer a suggestion? Will they use a potty if it's in their room? I fear they'd take the seat out and dump the pee on the floor, but some kids don't do that. Maybe they'd feel like they have some control if they have the opportunity to pee without having to wait for you or DH? It also might let them know they no longer have an excuse since they have a potty to use if they need to go. I'm assuming here, they have either pull-ups or regular underwear they can pull down themselves now.

OH, I just read, they are still in their cribs. I don't know if you give them anything to drink before bed, but if you do, you should not give them anything within three hours before bedtime. They tend to need to go more if they still have full bladders and the three hours should give them enough time to empty out. If you do not, then I wish I had more advice for you.

I hope you are able to get through this. I too am concerned my boys will be pulling this delayed sleep idea of asking to use the potty when they are training. They are in normal beds though.

 

I would also make sure they're standing there long enough to get it all out...

 

Yeah-we are still in cribs, and will be for a little bit longer. I'm thinking third birthday presents... LOL!

But even then, I can't see them waking up and going to the bathroom in the middle of the night. They seem too little to do that!

Last night was better-I gave them amble chances to go. So they went as soon as we got upstairs. Then again. And again. And again. But I didn't put them in their cribs and walk out. I kept asking them, and they did. Then the last time, I told them it was the last time-and it was.

Until 6am. :faint:

 

My son was doing this all the time. We just make a point to stress that he has to get all of the pee out before going to bed. When he does get up we don't go through the whole bed time routine (ie hugs, kisses, stuffed animials, etc). It is just up and back in bed. It has gotten a lot better now that he knows it doesn't really delay bed time like he thought it would.

 

When my boys did that, I told them that if they didn't go, when they said they had to, and drops didn't count, then they would loose a bunny or blankie (depending on the child), once I took the lovey away once, they stopped using it as a procrastination tool.