Although there are many children who have been able to defecate by themselves since the age of 4 years, some children still have to wear diapers even though they are older and have been trained to defecate on their own. If you feel that your child still needs to wear a diaper, but he doesn't want to, this article can provide a great guide to getting your child to agree to wear it.
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Method 1 of 3: Preparing Equipment for Kids
Step 1. Find a diaper with the right size for your child at the nearest supermarket
Usually, you have to buy diapers without your child knowing, or take them to the supermarket to pretend to buy diapers for your friend's child.
- If your child is young and weighs less than 18-22 kg, he may still be able to wear a toddler diaper. However, there are children who need larger diapers, namely diapers that are specially made to prevent children from wetting the bed (maximum weight 56 kg).
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However, if it turns out that your child weighs more than 56 kg, you will certainly have a hard time finding the right diaper. If this happens, go to the department store that sells cleaning supplies.
Once your child reaches a certain age, he or she will be reluctant (or unwilling) to wear a printed diaper. Diapers for adults usually have no visual element except for the two lines that go around the middle. There are also plain adult diapers, but these are more difficult to find. The "big" child may still want to wear a diaper without the extra conspicuous image
Step 2. Use cloth diapers for the child
Cloth diapers can be a great substitute for people with allergies to gels and crystals in disposable diapers. Fortunately, this thing still has the absorption power a child needs. Cloth diapers do not shrink when the child moves so they are not noisy and can be the best solution. If your child doesn't like the sound that disposable diapers make when changing or walking, you may want to find a cloth diaper instead.
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Most major supermarkets (such as Hypermart and Giant) sell cloth diapers for babies. There are also online stores that sell cloth diapers with additional features, such as retractable sides or extra-large sizes for adults.
If you buy cloth diapers with rubber pants, keep in mind that your child needs more space in the buttocks for the diaper to fit. If it is too tight, the product may be oversized and may leak
- Some supermarkets sell special cloth pants for bowel movements (usually found in the toddler diaper section) that function like diapers and are leak-proof, but are made to fit older children. However, you still need to look for rubber pants to protect the child's lower body and in case there is a leak.
Step 3. Don't forget the Huggies diaper variant called “Goodnites” which is designed for children who like to wet the bed
This product is a popular alternative for older children who still wet the bed. Made in various sizes for children weighing 17-56 kg, Huggies Goodnites diapers can be used comfortably by older children.
Pampers' anti-foaming diaper product – UnderJams – does not have as many size variants as Huggies and is only sold in smaller product variants. Therefore, this product cannot be used as an alternative (it will not last long if used)
Method 2 of 3: Giving Understanding to Children
Step 1. Don't embarrass your child when you talk about his diaper, or make him feel uncomfortable talking about it
You may have already decided when it's a good time to ask your child to put on a diaper, but if he refuses, you should be patient and discuss the matter in a more private place (like your home or apartment to allow your child to feel free to talk).
Most children feel safe when spoken to in their own home (not in public). There are children who are embarrassed to talk about things in front of their siblings, but not much. After explaining that diapers can help her move, make wearing diapers a routine, whether it's day or night. Don't make your child feel weird about wearing a diaper. Make this feel like a "normal" routine, for both the child and the person taking care of it
Step 2. Point out the pros and cons of using diapers for a child his age
You can make your child believe that diapers are a “private bathroom” that can be used when the bathroom at home is not available. However, also let him know that this requires him to change diapers frequently – even if he doesn't want to.
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Give a simple understanding. Make your words easy to understand according to the age of the child. However, confirm to him that even if you wear a diaper, you won't treat it like a baby.
Step 3. Explain why you are telling your child to wear a diaper
While most kids won't voice their distaste for diapers, there are kids who absolutely hate them. You should be able to explain why your child needs to wear diapers – for example to solve a health problem that only diapers can treat. Remember, don't make your child worry as if diapers are the only way to help him – use words that are easy for your child to understand.
Step 4. Accept various forms of rejection from the child
Your child may feel normal the first time he puts on a diaper, but he will have to make it a new routine that he may not be able to accept. Parents must accept that the child may rebel at first. However, over time, the child may be able to understand it and accept the new habit.
- Let your child understand that wearing diapers at night is not a bad thing. If he needs to go to the bathroom, he doesn't have to get out of his comfortable bed – whether it's a toddler bed or a cot. Diapers can be friends.
- Don't push your child away from the bathroom, but make him aware that diapers can make it easier for him to go to the bathroom so he wants to put it on.
Step 5. Make your child think that wearing a diaper can give him an advantage
It really depends on the nature of the child. One child may immediately understand that wearing a diaper can allow him to move more freely, while another child needs to be encouraged and coddled. Tell him that using a diaper can give him more freedom to do what he likes.
Step 6. Let your child know that he or she can ask you for help changing the diaper and that you will still ask your child's permission before doing so
- If you can't help her change diapers, explain your reasons, and say that you'll help her at another time. You can also ask your child to ask for help from people who are nearby at that time. He needs to be able to accept your trust in wearing his own diaper and help him not feel like a baby while wearing a diaper.
- Even if crying is a normal response when a diaper feels dirty, help the older child by telling him that this is not a good way to get your attention. Teach him to want to change his own diaper so that there are no medical problems that arise due to late diaper changes.
Step 7. Tell your child that you will continue to hug and kiss him to celebrate success in various aspects of life – whether you are still wearing the diaper or when you have taken it off
Explain that diapers are not going to change the way you look at your child – no matter what. Treat the child in the same way as you normally would, regardless of the child's age, while still focusing on encouraging him to put on a diaper, if necessary.
Step 8. Treat children according to their age
Make your child realize that he is older even though he is still wearing a diaper through verbal and visual encouragement.
Don't use childlike vocabulary or a spoiled tone when talking to an older child unless he can accept it. Sometimes, there are children who don't mind it, but most children are usually offended. Find out the best way to communicate with your child
Step 9. Let the child express opinions about the use of diapers
However, make sure your child knows that you are the one making the final decision and point this out once in a while. Give your child a chance to say whether or not he likes wearing diapers again. Although some older children will refuse and insist on wearing regular underwear, there are children who don't mind this.
Encourage children to dare to be honest and express opinions about using diapers to solve certain problems in children their age. Make sure you can accept, justify, and accept the reason
Method 3 of 3: Taking Advanced Steps
Step 1. Show your child that putting on and changing diapers is easy
You may be able to do this while placing the diaper directly on the child. Let your child know why he needs to use a diaper. Make this your first attempt at reintroducing diapers to older children. Point out that changing diapers is a lot quicker if he doesn't fight back – but you may still face some resistance. Show that cooperation is important to meet his needs, but do it gently so that the child remains relaxed and understands that cooperation will make his life easier. Most parents explain this when helping their child change their diaper. This will make your child less irritable, and will make it easier for you to put diapers on him – even if he's embarrassed by the action.
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Explain that if the child keeps moving, the diapering process will take longer and he will look like a child.
Wear a Diaper Step 4
Step 2. Don't let your child take off his diaper at first, but ask how he felt the second time he put the diaper on
Have a short question and answer session with the child. Explain what you want to do and how you can make sure he wears the diaper.
Step 3. Make an agreement on how the child will get out of the house or how to hide his diaper in public and friends who come to the house (including his own sibling), and how long he must wear the diaper
If you want your child to continue to use the bathroom, allow him to take off his diaper every now and then (assuming he's been trained to defecate on his own). However, it's best to encourage your child to pee in the diaper at night (determine this according to your needs).
Step 4. Place the diaper in a place that is easy for you and the child to reach, but out of sight of other guests or relatives and consider a location where the child is used as a changing room
Don't let the diaper be seen by relatives or guests who come to the house, and make sure only he or she knows where you put the object. Usually, parents put diapers in the child's room who wears them. Place the diaper in a place that is easy for the child to reach, but not visible to others.
- If your child fits on a special table for changing diapers, you can put the item on the bottom shelf so it's easy to reach when your child needs it. A special table for changing diapers can make it easier for you to change your child's diaper. However, if you don't have the right size table at the baby store, you can make your own from a foam mat and an office desk covered with a waterproof cloth.
- Make sure there is a trash can or dirty laundry basket to hold dirty diapers, as well as a container to hold clean diapers.
Step 5. Set up a dedicated, distraction-free room that can be used for changing and using a child's diaper
Children's rooms and other enclosed spaces are the best locations to maintain a child's privacy, security, and prestige when changing his diaper.
Tips
- There are medical conditions that require children to wear diapers in the long term / for life. If this happens, help him deal with feeling "abnormal" in public by praising his ability to self-regulate and going to school. He wasn't the same as the other kids in normal underwear, but he was much better because he could mature enough to go to school and be able to take care of himself.
- Getting your child to put diapers back on can be both financial and physical because they don't come cheap and require extra effort to replace them. Plus, if you have a babysitter, she'll charge more and may not be able to come home every day.
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Constant encouragement should be given while the child is wearing a diaper. Talk to your child every now and then to make sure he doesn't take the diaper off. Make sure your child understands that you are only helping him put on the diaper and that he still has complete control over his own body.
Provide a reward table if necessary, but make sure it includes the time of the child's diaper change. If needed, you can use several applications to monitor diaper usage time (and other purposes) and see the progress of the child
- When the weather is hot, children will usually feel more comfortable taking off their pants and wearing a diaper along with a t-shirt. Children may be reluctant to do so because the diaper used will be seen. However, in the end, children will feel more comfortable and used to it. Over time, diapers will become part of her dressing routine.
- Diapers – usually thicker than underwear – take up more space. So, the child should use looser pants. Bib pants are suitable for children who wear diapers, regardless of age. These pants are able to provide space and ventilation around the diaper, and provide easy access when the child needs to change his diaper.
Warning
- Telling an older child to put on a diaper again can lead to depression and insecurity, depending on the child's condition. Using diapers can be done when your child wants to play alone, travel long distances, and sleep, but telling him to wear diapers when he doesn't need to can actually cause problems.
- Don't make your child wear a diaper as a form of punishment for wetting the bed – no child wants to wet the bed on purpose, whether during the day or at night.
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Be prepared for a child pooping in a diaper. Changing a soiled diaper should be done in the same way as changing a toddler's diaper.
Most general practitioners and pediatricians can treat severe childhood illnesses. Take your little one to a pediatrician first to get checked out and find out if diapers are the best solution for his condition
