Daytime potty training and nighttime dryness are two different things. Plenty of kids are fully trained during the day long before they stay dry all night, and that's normal. Night dryness depends a lot on your child's body, not just practice.

Here's the simple plan that worked for our kids.

We focused on daytime only at first. During training, our kids wore training pants for naps and nights. That took the pressure off and let everyone sleep.

Once the days were solid, we took the training pants off right away. For us, that worked. Some families wait longer, and that's fine too. Watch for dry mornings as a sign your child's ready.

Give plenty of water earlier in the day, then taper off in the evening. This one change cut down a lot of night accidents for us.

We built potty trips right into the bedtime routine: one before bath, one after pajamas, and one right before lights out. It sounds like a lot, but it becomes part of the routine fast.

Bath, potty, pajamas, potty, book, potty, bed. When the routine is the same, kids know what's coming and fight it less.

A few night accidents after you stop using training pants are normal. Here's how to make them easier:

• Double-make the bed. Mattress protector, sheet, another protector, another sheet. At 2 a.m., you just peel off the top layer.
• Keep spare pajamas nearby.
• Stay quiet and calm. No lecture. Change, cuddle, back to bed.

If your child is waking up wet most nights for weeks, it's okay to go back to training pants for nights and try again in a month or two. Their body may just need more time.

Ask your child's doctor if your child was dry at night and suddenly isn't, has pain when peeing, is very thirsty or peeing a lot more than usual, or if you're simply worried. Bedwetting is common in young kids, and your pediatrician can tell you what's typical for your child's age.

A printed bedtime routine card helps everyone, including babysitters and grandparents, follow the same steps. The Prep-First Potty Plan includes one, along with a full chapter on nights and naps.

Not ready for the full plan? Start with our free Bedtime Potty Kit.