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Most children begin to stay dry at night around three years of age. When a child has a problem with bedwetting (enuresis) after that age, parents may become concerned.

Physicians stress that enuresis is not a disease, but a symptom, and a fairly common one. Occasional accidents may occur, particularly when the child is ill. Here are some facts parents should know about bedwetting:

• Approximately 15 percent of children wet the bed after the age of three
• Many more boys than girls wet their beds
• Bedwetting runs in families
• Usually bedwetting stops by puberty
• Most bedwetters do not have emotional problems

Persistent bedwetting beyond the age of three or four rarely signals a kidney or bladder problem. Bedwetting may sometimes be related to a sleep disorder. In most cases, it is due to the development of the child's bladder control being slower than normal. Bedwetting may also be the result of the child's tensions and emotions that require attention.

Parents may help children who wet the bed by:

• Limiting liquids before bedtime
• Encouraging the child to go to the bathroom before bedtime
• Praising the child on dry mornings
• Avoiding punishments
• Waking the child during the night to empty their bladder

Most child and adolescent psychiatrists recognize that the ideal environment for raising a small child is in the home with parents and family. Intimate daily direct parental care of infants for the first several months of life is particularly important. Since the ideal environment often is not available, the role of day care, especially in the first few years of the child's life, needs to be considered. Some experts recommend a minimum of six or more months leave for parents. All agree that when day care is used, the quantity and quality of the day care are significant in the child's development.

Before choosing a day care environment, parents should be familiar with the state licensure regulations for child care. Also check references and observe the caregivers with the child.

Parents sometimes take their young child to the home of a person who is caring for one or more other children. Infants and children under two-and-one-half need:

• More adults per child than older children require
• A lot of individual attention
• The same caregiver(s) over a long period of time
• A caregiver who will play and talk with them, smile with them, praise them for their achievements, and enjoy them

Parents should seek a caregiver who is warm, caring, self-confident, attentive, and responsive to the children. The caregiver should be able to encourage social skills and positive behavior, and set limits on negative ones. Parents should be sensitive to the caregiver's capacity to relate to children of different ages. Some individuals can work well only with children at a specific stage of development.

It is wise for parents to find out how long the individual plans to work in this day care job. High turnover of individuals, several turnovers, or any turnover at critical points of development, can distress the child. If parents think or feel the day care they have chosen is unsatisfactory, they should change caregivers. All parents have the right to drop in during the day and make an unannounced visit.

Many children, particularly after the age of three, benefit from good, group day care, where they can have fun and learn how to interact with others. Child and adolescent psychiatrists suggest that parents seek day care services with:

• trained, experienced teachers who enjoy, understand and can lead children
• enough teachers and assistants, ideally, at least one for every five children, small rather than large groups if possible. (Studies have shown that five children with one caregiver is better than 20 children with four caregivers)
• staff that has been there for a long period of time
• opportunities for creative work, imaginative play, and physical activity
• space to move indoors and out
• lots of drawing and coloring materials and toys, as well as equipment such as swings, wagons, jungle gyms, etc.

If the child seems afraid to go to day care, parents should introduce the new environment gradually: at first, the mother or father can go along, staying nearby while the child plays. The parent and child can stay for a longer period each day until the child wants to become part of the group.

Though parents may worry about how the child will do, they should show pleasure in helping their child succeed. If the child shows unusual or persistent terror about leaving home, parents should discuss it with their pediatrician.

Links to Home Safety Tips

Better Homes and Gardens: Home Security Guide - Maintain your peace of mind with practical tips and advice.

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Mold Help - Photos and descriptions, anecdotes, mitigation methods.

SafeDragon Inc. - Purpose is to organize safety information conveniently.

security-resources.com - Information about anti-virus software reviews and home security issues.