How can I teach my DD (almost 5) to wipe her bum?

[Gingerbear]

I am fed up of skiddies in pants. I have shown her how to wipe properly, and tried to get her into a routine of 'wipe, flush, wash hands' But she won't do it. Then I get cross and start shouting, which I know is not helping matters.

She can do it, but she just won't!

Please help oh wise mumsnetters.

[giraffeski]

Message withdrawn

[stressteddy]

how about having a doll/teddy/toy in the bathroom. tell her to wipe herself properly and then she must wipe the doly clean as well#
Or the other way around - doll first - whilst still sitting on loo

It might help

My son has a toilet buddy and it can help
Hope it gets better
XX

[Gingerbear]

thanks giraffeski.
Perhaps they are Just To Busy with other important matters to stop and think.

[fennel]

my oldest is like this, she's just 7 now and finally getting better.

In the end I treated it as naughty behaviour and told her off rather soundly, or withheld a treat. I give her lectures on hygiene and why it's so important, and she has gradually got better. I think at 5 you can get them to understand that it's a health issue, they learn about healthy habits at school oo which helps reinforce the idea.

[Gingerbear]

We tried that stressteddy - Winnie the Pooh almost lived up to his name!

[Gingerbear]

fennel - might try that approach again. We talk about germs and why sometimes her noonie (pet name for fanjo) gets sore. She does understand.

[nailpolish]

ginge,
teach her to put her foot on the toilet seat and wipe front to back (from the back iyswim)
thats wha t my 4yr old does as she finds it easier
and using kandoos (or the cheaper supermarket ones) helps too, rather than dry loo roll

hth

[giraffeski]

Message withdrawn

[Gingerbear]

Thanks naily, will give that a go.
We can't use kandoo wipes though - cess pit. Are there any biodegradeable wipes I wonder??

[Londonmamma]

The moist wipes definitely help. Tell her she'll have an itchy bottom if she doesn't do it properly. What about threatening that she has to have a bathe EVERY day unless she does it?

Having said all that, my DS2 REFUSED to even try until he was well past five and he won any battles we had about it!!!!

[nailpolish]

there could be ginge ill look for you too

you could even just use them or wipes and put them in the bin? i find with dry loo roll my dd1 gets lots of paper left in her bum, or it rips and she gets annoyed, or uses tons and tons and still cant get her bum clean!

[DimpledThighs]

get her to have a 'practice' every night before bath.

[foxcub]

My DD aged 3 wipes her own bum after poos, but have only just got DS aged nearly 7 to wipe his own bum!!

Explained that he is a big bouy now and he is really old enough to do it himself!

We used loo roll then a couple of unscented/sensitive wipes, which they then chuck in bin before handwashing.

[Gingerbear]

Thanks all. I can find flushable wipes and biodegradable wipes - but they are £3ish for 72!

Old flannels in a basket next to the loo I think.

[sandyballs]

God I wish I knew the answer to this one. DD is 6 and still calls me or DH to the bathroom to wipe her bum. We've tried refusing and just leaving her there but she cries and cries and gets in a terrible state. Don't know how she copes at school - well the skiddy pants are a bit of clue .

[ekra]

I made an illustrated chart (copied the diea from someone on here - can't remember who) using tasteful clipart pictures. I think my DD1 (now 4) used to get confused and couldn't remember to do everything. Wipe, flush, pull up oants, wash hands, turn off tap, dry hands.

I covered the little chart in plastic and stuck it on the wall next to the toilet. It seems to be working for us. I haven't seen skiddy pants for awhile.

I can email it to you if you like

[MamaMaiasaura]

ds was the same till year 1. Normal ime. Bottom wipes helped.

[hana]

I think it just clicks after a while - my 5.6 year old rarely asks for help anymore , I can't remember when was last time, so she will get there
I , of course, have many more years of 'Mummmmmmmy! Come and wipe my bum noooooooowwwwwwwww!' with 2 younger ones

lol

[saintmaybe]

We did 'bottom inspections' for a while.. so they'd go to the loo, wipe, then bend over and yell down the stairs for me to come and check!

Then wipe, wipe again till I said they were clean.

[fennel]

dd2 made a chart for our bathroom. "Wipe your bum. Flush the loo. Wash your hands". With pictures. It was a nice piece of artwork and good writing practice for her too. As they get older you could elaborate with pictures of germs and noxious diseases.

in fact I might do that soon. the dds would enjoy it.

[carocaro]

ds1 knows what to do, but he's too busy, he does not get right in his cheeks IYKWIM, I always double check and there is always some left, if I left it we would have what DS1 calls 'itchy, scrunchy sore bottom' a d few hours later, so he has a go himself and I help. He tends to poo in the evening after dinner so pooping and wiping at school is not an issue. we also have a little song 'wash and flush, wash and flush' said in like a Chinese accent, why?, I have know idea but it works?! x

[Gingerbear]

We have wet wipes and a bin installed in the loo now.
Will report on progress.