Gaining control over your bladder is a gradual process – typically children gain control during the day first then gradually achieve nighttime continence. Day training typically depends on a child being cognitively as well as physically ready where as nighttime continence is determined by maturation of the nervous system as well as more complex factors such as genetics, bladder capacity etc. Unlike daytime continence – nighttime continence cannot be taught. Wetting at night is fairly common place for most 3-year-olds as it is important not to expect too much. You need to focus on helping her achieve daytime control first. The time it takes to toilet train varies from one child to the next – even after they seem to get on top of it, it common for them to experience accidents from time to time. Three year olds are highly distractible and can become so totally absorbed in an activity that they are not aware of anything else – when she is playing you will need to remind her that she needs to use the toilet you can help her by watching out for cues that she needs to go (like shifting from one foot to the next).

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