Helping My Daughter

This was the situation with my daughter when she was 4 also. Whenever I told her to try to wipe her bottom, she told me that her arms weren't long enough to reach around and it made her feel unstable on the potty. A lot of her friends were the same way. My daughter didn't go to preschool so I never had to worry about who's wiping her bottom (that was me) and she was able to manage this duty by the time she turned 5 and started attending kindergarten. Hopefully you will get some useful advise from some of the other moms here.

Keep working with her. She will learn. When she get's home from school every day. Check her butt to see if you need to clean her. As she get's older. It wil get better.

The way to get her to do it is to stop doing it for her. Just stop. Let her know that you will not be doing it, and that at 4 years old this is simply something she'll be doing for herself. At school, kids are expected to do their own wiping. She is past the age of not understanding, she is refusing which is a disciplinary issue. You need to insist and it may take her some time before she does it perfectly but she does need to do it on her own even if there are some poo stains in the panties at first.

I would get some soft moist wipes like Cottonelle and have her use these 1st for a week or so, but tell her she should only use 1-3 then flush. They are flushable, but not a big wad of them. Help her with it the 1st time or so that wayshe knows what to do (be sure to tell her she needs to wipe front to back until her wipes are clean). I work with young children and this is pretty common problem at this age, so her new teachers should not be alarmed. Tell your daughter she may want to get off the potty and stand up if it helps her accomplish this. Many young children fear losing their balance sitting on the toliet let alone wiping; they think they will fall in or be sucked it. As soon as she does well with the moist wipes then have her switch to tp and tell her to do it the same way. I would try this suggestion and stay with it until there is success. Be sure you stress the importance of handwashing w/soap too each time she goes. Don't worry to much, she will get it soon enough. Tell her she needs to practice in the potty so she can go to preschool like a big girl. Not sure when your preschool is starting, but if really soon let her teachers know early on when she starts this is something you are working on with her, they should be understanding. You may even ask if they have any suggestions to help her too. Good luck to her in preschool Mom

My son also would not wipe his bottom. Throughout preschool and kindergarten. Nothing we said to him would convince him! It drove me absolutely crazy. I just gave him a bath daily at the end of the day. He is now in 1st grade and wipes himself for the first time. (I am very happy about that!) He lived.

You said you have shown her and she still will not try? Even with the wet wipes? They will not have wet wipes at school, but maybe you can at least let her try it. She can stand on the floor and wipe herself so she will not feel unbalanced.

If she will not wipe, remind her in school (elementary) neither will the teacher. Maybe your daughter needs to go a day with out wiping and see how she likes it.. Do not allow her to sit on any of the furniture or in the car.. Let he know she is old enough and just needs to be a big girl and do it.. Then show her how to wash her hands. ..

Mindy T. was so on target. Why should she even try as long as you are going to do it for her. Please stop so she can learn to do it for herself. She may feel a little unbalanced while trying to do it while on the seat, so she could always get off the pot bend over while standing and clean up.

Hang in there she will get the hand of it. Be prepared to clean some soiled underpants along the way and make certain it is cleaned better when she is in the bath at night.

Hope this helps.