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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think that if a 13yo wets the bed he should strip the sheets?

138 replies

Saddlesore · 01/11/2015 19:07

DS had a friend here for a sleepover last night and after he'd gone I went into his room to fold away the put-me-up bed. First of all I was hit by the smell of pee, and the friend's bed was totally sodden with it. I get that anyone can have an accident. I also get that maybe he was really embarrassed. But if that were the case, why leave the bed in that state? Like I'd never know?

DS strips his own sheets and loads them in the w/machine weekly - it's just one job on a very short list of his "chores", and I would like to think that if he were on a sleepover and had an accident he would strip the bed. And for any doubters out there, it was definitely his friend who spent the night in the spare bed, not DS - they were still asleep in their respective beds when I had to retrieve my toddler DD from their room this morning before she climbed on top of them! In fact, I remember thinking at the time that DD must have wet her nappy because I could smell pee, but was surprised to find it dry.

OP posts:
IHaveBrilloHair · 01/11/2015 19:39

He knows you will probably know, but didn't strip the sheets himself as that is pointing it out to you and he is dying of embarrassment.
If that had happened here, I'd clean up and say nothing, not even to dd and I'd welcome the friend back too.

Alisvolatpropiis · 01/11/2015 19:39

Flower

I wet my bed aged 18 after being dry, day and night, for about 16 years. Never happened since, no idea why it happened then.

It was hardly deliberate, not like he had a shit and smeared it up the bathroom walls. An accident is just that.

Senpai · 01/11/2015 19:40

Barring any disabilities/bladder issues, I don't get how a 13 year old can still piss the bed

They don't unless they do have bladder issues, I thought that much would be obvious.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 01/11/2015 19:40

Barring any disabilities/bladder issues, I don't get how a 13 year old can still piss the bed

And that thinking is why he will have been so mortified. According to the NHS about 1 in 100 people continue to wet the bed into adulthood.

scribblegirl · 01/11/2015 19:40

YAB totally U. I left a period stain at a friend's when I was a young teen. Mortifying. The nicest thing is to pretend it hasn't happened - teens don't do what us adults would because it's far more embarrassing for them.

SurlyCue · 01/11/2015 19:41

Barring any disabilities/bladder issues, I don't get how a 13 year old can still piss the bed

Yeah well ignorance will do that to you. You have my sympathies.

Sandsnake · 01/11/2015 19:42

Agree with others replying to this thread by saying that the poor kid would have been utterly mortified. 13 year olds (especially those who are panicking) aren't the most likely to make the best decisions - hence leaving the wet sheets.

It's good that you haven't told your DS. I certainly wouldn't. Bedwetting at that age is totally horrible for the bed wetter and the thought of friends finding out is a constant worry (I was a late bed wetter, in case you couldn't tell...!).

Furiosa · 01/11/2015 19:42

YABU and mean about a child.

StopTittingAbout · 01/11/2015 19:43

If he stripped the bed, your ds might see or suspect something - probably this boy's worst nightmare. He probably just didn't know what to do. Please don't mention it t your ds, I feel sorry for the boy too (and for you - I'd be pissed off having to deal with that too, but that's part of the shit that you can cope with as a grown up I suppose). x

CatMilkMan · 01/11/2015 19:44

I admit to having harsh thoughts about this - so IABU, but I haven't said anything to DS as I suspected his friend was embarrassed. I'm just gobsmacked that he thought I wouldn't notice. Can you imagine the flipside, if he had stripped the bed - "Mrs Saddlesore, I have put my sheets in the washing machine for you." "Thank you SO much. That's so kind. You can come and stay anytime. Do have another doughnut, in fact take three."

What sort of things could I do to get a doughnut? I have never thought about being rewarded with food before, what sorts of things will get me doughnuts?

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 01/11/2015 19:45

Yabvu, he must have been so embarrassed with no idea how to handle the situation,.

You are the adult. He is only 13.

EdithWeston · 01/11/2015 19:45

Information on teen bed wetting www.eric.org.uk/Hub/hub_bedwetting

It's much more common than people think.

But as your teen would be mortified if you ever mentioned it, people don't talk about it much. ERIC puts it at about 1 in 75.

SauvignonBlanche · 01/11/2015 19:45

Barring any disabilities/bladder issues, I don't get how a 13 year old can still piss the bed
I don't get how anyone could say something so stupid. Hmm

Humphriescushion · 01/11/2015 19:48

Its not going to be the sheets though is it. If he wet the bed the mattress is going to be stained and if you strip the bed that will be obvious. He could have stripped the bed and put the sheets on top of the stain but that would have drawn attention to it. Just ignoring and hoping it will go away is what would have been going through his head. Believe me he is mortified!

Sandsnake · 01/11/2015 19:50

Flower - Both me and my brother wet the bed into our teens. Our dad had the same problem in his youth. All non-disabled, no emotional issues and with fine bladder control in the day. Doctors / clinics could never work out why and I can assure you I tried everything to control it. It's not common but it does happen.

NanaNina · 01/11/2015 19:51

Well said SauvignonBlanche and thanks EdithWeston for the link. One of my sons wet the bed till he was around 15 years. We never made a thing of it and he was very embarrassed. When we went on holiday we took a big waterproof sheet to put under our own sheets (even if they were supplied) He just eventually grew out of it.

I agree that the 13 year old in question would be horrendously embarrassed and I hope the OP doesn't make a fuss about it to her DS.

AuditAngel · 01/11/2015 19:51

I was going to say yanbu, on the basis that the enuresis clinic said DS should strip the bed if he had an accident, but having read the thread, I understand why he didn't say anything.

VestalVirgin · 01/11/2015 19:51

It's totally understandable you are annoyed. Still I think at age 13 you can't expect that level of moral backbone that would cause a kid to tell you he had an accident and ask where the washing machine is.

Furiosa · 01/11/2015 19:52

How old is your DS OP?

SarahSavesTheDay · 01/11/2015 19:53

Poor kid.

RabbitSaysWoof · 01/11/2015 19:53

Poor boy. Sad He may not even have a bladder issue, he may have just not wanted to go walking around someone elses house in the dark to find the toilet, maybe over optimistic that he could hold it, possibly worried about stumbling into someone elses bedroom by mistake.
I think you are being harsh, I doubt he will be going on any sleepovers in the near future I bet he is gutted.

Tram10 · 01/11/2015 19:56

Poor kid, I would have felt so bad for him if it happened in my house, you are being very harsh.

NerrSnerr · 01/11/2015 19:56

I bet the poor boy is really nervous tonight before school tomorrow just in case your son found out. Wetting the bed is a big deal for a 13 year old boy.

Saddlesore · 01/11/2015 19:59

Thankfully there was a mattress protector on the spare bed - it's one of those foldaway beds and I had put the protector on because it's nicely padded and I thought it would make the bed a little bit more comfortable - phew! Maybe next time my son has a friend for a sleepover, I should draw the line at their fifth beer? ONLY JOKING! I do feel embarrassed for him and hope it won't make him feel awkward around me. But as I said in an earlier msg, if only those teens could think through their actions, people would have such a different take on them!

OP posts:
VimFuego101 · 01/11/2015 20:00

Poor kid. It won't be very pleasant for you to clean up, but please don't tell your son. If the other kids at school found out, the boy would get teased mercilessly. He's probably been worrying about it all day.

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