Seeking Advice on Teaching a Girl to Wipe After #2! - Boulder City,NV

Hi B., what i did with my daughter, was I would hold her hand in mine and go through the motions of whiping, she was going to preschool 4 hours 3 days a week when we lived in Japan, so she had to learn, she was only 3, but I didn't want anyone else doing that anyway, so I really worked with her, and she got it, every now and then she would miss a little, but she was trying to do her best, and so when she would take a bath, I just made sure we washed really well. J.

The flushable wipies are great for this and make it so much easier for kids to get clean. They make to go packs she can keep in her back pack. Monitor her use of them the first few times so youknow she has the hang of it. Remind her to wipe front to back. Practice on a doll.

Lots of children, even though potty trained, still like/need to have the Parent wipe after #2.

My daughter is 5 years old, almost 6... and she still wants us to wipe her, at home. If at school, she CAN wipe herself, and she DOES.

I too was nervous about this before she started preschool and then Kindergarten. But what I found, was that she CAN wipe....if she has to, at school.

My girl is persnickety...and at home she likes to have us do it. Lots of my friends kids are the same way. So don't feel she is the ONLY one.

Next, I taught my girl about "infections" that girls can get... so it's important to "wipe" properly. I told her that when she goes #2, she has to wipe TOWARD her back. ALWAYS wipe front to back or germs can get into her front privates. And don't "touch" her front area with the toilet paper she used for #2. DO NOT use the same piece of toilet paper. Use another piece of toilet paper for wiping the front area.

Also, their coordination is not perfect, so it's an awkward position to have to wipe after #2. But, have her do it at home... while you are there... and talk her through it. Let her know that she can try wiping #2 either sitting OR standing up. See which position is most comfortable and able for her to do it.

Sure, the disposable toilet wipes are great...but at Kindergarten....unlike preschool... a Teacher is not going to assist them, and perhaps the school does not allow these types of things. So you will have to check with the Teacher.

If you explain your daughter's bladder reflux "medical" issue...then perhaps, they will make allowances. But check first.

Also, at Kindergarten, a child may feel self-conscious or "baby" if they have the toilet wipes they have to get, BEFORE going to the bathroom... other kids may ask "why" they have that, or how come etc. So there is that too. Your girl may then be put into the awkward position of "having" to explain "why" she has those toilet wipes to the other kids.

Practice all you can at home....having HER do it. Then, give her moral support for it and encourage her for when she "needs" to go #2 at school.

Before you leave for school... ask her if she has to make #2, first. I do this with my girl. Often, after eating breakfast, she will want to go. But I don't force it.

In actuality, my daughter has only VERY rarely had to make #2 at school. But she will wipe and do it, if she has to. She does not hold it in all day. I explained to her that "holding it in" (the poop) is not good for her body.

If anything, speak to the Teacher about it. But yes, at this age.... toileting expectations are such that they are doing it themselves.

Talk with your girl, explain what's what. Let her express herself to you too...if SHE has any concerns. Sometimes, the child is less hung up on it than we are. Just talk about it... without her feeling "pressured." But at peace with it.

All the best,
Susan

Hi B...My daughter got potty trained really early so the wiping is the one thing we have struggled with, mainly due to her size. She was completly done with both going pee and poop all on her own by the time she turned 2..so she's kind of a small two year old and she just couldnt reach around to get it done right, or even from the front for that matter. So we always wiped her poo ourselves, normally signaled by the "WIPE!!!" being screamed from the bathroom.

Well, now that she will be turning 3 next month we've decided we are doen with the wiping. We have always kept baby wipes in the bathroom for wiping purposes so we started with that. Thought her how to take two wipes and wrap them around her hand. We helped her reach the way she needed to. Slowly by slowly she is getting it. But she came up with her own little way of doing it... She wraps her hand in wipes then sticks it in the potty behind her butt and leans back on the back of the toilet, till she can reach her hoohoo. Once she feels her hoohoo then pushes the pee pee to the back of her booty, at least thats what she tells me she is doing. I think by her leaning back it actually supports her back and keeps her arm where it needs to be. As soon as she's done she flushes and washes her hands so even if things moved or slipped it got cleaned up either way. She's been doing pretty well I'd say for an almost 3 year old...and the best test is the clean underwear at bath time. Good luck to you.