Recently a mother reported that her 8 year-old son could not concentrate on his homework when he is holding his pee.
The boy routinely held his pee during a variety of activities. Mom could see the typical posturing that signals that a boy is holding his pee. He fidgeted, squirmed in his seat, or tapped his toes on the ground. Whenever Mom saw posturing she reminded her son to pee. She learned to insist that her son pee before he sat down to do his homework so that his concentration skills would be optimal. Smart Mom!
Many parents see these holding postures and most will remind their child to pee. What was different with this Mom is that she could tell that his ability to focus on his homework was impaired when he held his pee.
I hear similar stories every few weeks. I'm sure this is a common problem and that this situation plays out regularly in many homes. Unless a parent recognizes this potential problem and asks the child to pee before they sit down to their homework, the work might not be done as well as hoped.
This situation also plays out in classrooms. Teachers who restrict access to the bathroom clearly do not understand this possible consequence. Picture a busy boy or girl who would like to pay attention to the teacher but whose bladder is full. If the child must wait for a break, their attentiveness suffers, and the teaching lesson might be poorly understood.
To help parents relate to this, I ask them if they have ever attended an early morning meeting after enjoying several cups of coffee. I inquire if they remember ever trying to hold their pee while they wait for the meeting to wrap up so they can politely escape to the bathroom. If the parent replies "Yes," I go on to inquire whether the full bladder interfered with their ability to concentrate on the topics discussed. Most nod a confirming "Yes."
The boy routinely held his pee during a variety of activities. Mom could see the typical posturing that signals that a boy is holding his pee. He fidgeted, squirmed in his seat, or tapped his toes on the ground. Whenever Mom saw posturing she reminded her son to pee. She learned to insist that her son pee before he sat down to do his homework so that his concentration skills would be optimal. Smart Mom!
Many parents see these holding postures and most will remind their child to pee. What was different with this Mom is that she could tell that his ability to focus on his homework was impaired when he held his pee.
I hear similar stories every few weeks. I'm sure this is a common problem and that this situation plays out regularly in many homes. Unless a parent recognizes this potential problem and asks the child to pee before they sit down to their homework, the work might not be done as well as hoped.
This situation also plays out in classrooms. Teachers who restrict access to the bathroom clearly do not understand this possible consequence. Picture a busy boy or girl who would like to pay attention to the teacher but whose bladder is full. If the child must wait for a break, their attentiveness suffers, and the teaching lesson might be poorly understood.
To help parents relate to this, I ask them if they have ever attended an early morning meeting after enjoying several cups of coffee. I inquire if they remember ever trying to hold their pee while they wait for the meeting to wrap up so they can politely escape to the bathroom. If the parent replies "Yes," I go on to inquire whether the full bladder interfered with their ability to concentrate on the topics discussed. Most nod a confirming "Yes."
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