Prelude to Dry Nights

Step 10: Lay it out, test it out

So now we want a real world test.
You're going to need all the normal bedding, plus 1 extra sheet.  Here's how your'e going to do it from the bottom up:

1. Mattress pad
2. Screen 1
3. Fitted (or bottom) sheet
4. Screen 2 (the order doesn't matter on the screens)
5. A 2nd fitted (or bottom) sheet
6. Child
7. Top sheet

For our testing, we'll skip the child and top sheet.  Now, you can either pee on this yourself (that's pretty gross - why would you even think that?!?) or mix some salt into some water, and pour a small bit onto the sheet and lightly press on the wet spot.
The water should soak through, adding the weight of the child, causing the bell to ring waking up the child (and hopefully you) to get up to turn the switch off and go to the bathroom.

*I want to point out again that this is a joint effort between you and your child.  For the first couple of nights, plan on hanging out on the couch next to your child's room or having him/her sleep with his/her door open so you can hear the bell, come help take the kid to the bathroom, and encouraging at the same time (i.e.: Great job!  You got up!  Now let's go to the bathroom, change the sheets together, and you can go back to sleep).  The association is going to quickly come that having that "I've gotta pee" feeling goes hand-in-hand with getting up to go to the bathroom.