As a parent, there are times when you try and remember what it was like to be a kid. When I look at my five-year old son, I try to go back in time and ponder what was going on inside of my head and what caused me to do certain things. What was really important to me at that time? Was I able to understand all the things that my parents were trying to teach me when I was only five?

Now more than ever, I’ve been thinking about these very things as my son and I continue to manage nighttime wetting together. I try to help him at any chance I get, but this isn’t as straight-forward as other things that he and I have experienced together before.

I know that eventually he’ll grow out of this and it’s not his fault, but there are times that I can’t help but get frustrated after yet another accident.

Thankfully, we’ve discovered GoodNites NightTime Underwear to help manage wetting at night in the meantime. GoodNites NightTime Underwear is the #1 Nighttime Protection Brand*, so I can rest easy and my son can feel comfortable and confident at night. It helps that they feel similar to the underwear he wears during the day, too. 

They’re not like the diapers that his baby sister wears, which makes him feel so much more like the big boy he is. As a parent (and purchaser of our mattresses) I feel secure in the fact that the L/XL size of GoodNites NightTime Underwear are 40% more absorbent** and have zoned protection for both boys and girls on areas where they need it the most.

After almost eight years of fatherhood (and three kids), I’ve realized that my kids do really well with a routine. So when little Tommy is getting ready for bed, I start checking things off in my head.

When bathtime is over, my wife and I make sure he uses the bathroom before he hops into bed. We talk about our day, I read him a story and when he finally starts to drift off to sleep, I give him a hug and a kiss and quietly sneak out of his room.

There have been nights where I feel like we’ve taken one step forward, and then two steps back, but I’m looking for the light at the end of the tunnel knowing that our son will eventually grow out of this in time.

There are still moments in which I feel like I’m letting him down and that I’m the only dad who is having to deal with the issue of my child wetting the bed – which is silly, because I know I’m not.

Here at Life of Dad, we pride ourselves in the community of fathers that we’ve pulled together. We’ve created a space to share all of our collective experiences with each other.

There are happy moments, tough times, celebrating fatherhood firsts and so on. We turn to one another and realize that we’re not alone.

One of those dads just happens to be GoodNites partner, Ian Ziering. Many of you may remember Ian as Steve Sanders from Beverly Hills 90210 or more recently, the cult classic ‘Sharknado’. Just a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to connect with Ian about what it’s like for a dad to have a child who wets the bed at night. Ian is a father of two young girls and recently dealt with the same concerns as myself.

It was such a relief to hear from another dad who is in the same boat. I honestly didn’t realize that 1-in-6 children between the ages of 4 and 12 experience nighttime wetting – it’s a topic that rarely comes up in conversation, but Ian was very open about his experiences.

He spoke about how his youngest daughter, Penna, had been wetting the bed at night, but recently has started to grow out of it and it was happening with much less frequency.

Ian and I also shared the feeling of fatherhood guilt when we see our children experiencing something that’s causing them embarrassment or pain. We always want to jump in and fix the issue right away, but life doesn’t always work that way. 

After my chat with Ian and speaking online with other fathers in our Life of Dad communities, I can’t help but feel a little more confident in my son and in myself.

I’m committed to stop putting so much pressure on my little boy and at the same time, try not to feel so guilty about things I can’t always control as a father. I have a few new things up my sleeve that I may try with my son, but I also know that like anything in life – things just take time.

I believe in my son and I know he’ll get through and grow out of this. Thanks to GoodNites, my son is comfortable and confident at night and happy in the morning!

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of GoodNites and the #RestEasyTonight campaign. The opinions and text are all mine.

To learn more, check them out HERE, on Facebook and Twitter!

*Youth pant category.

**vs. leading 4t-5t training pant.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of GoodNites. The opinions and text are all mine.