Wiping! TMI warning 💩

[TherapySquirrel]

I have a 4 year old DS who cannot seem to get the hang of wiping his bottom. He tries, but he just moves the poo around and makes it worse basically!

We've tried showing him how to do it on a doll, we've tried getting him to practice when he's not actually on the toilet, we've tried talking him through the process over and over again, I've even resorted to getting him to come into the toilet after I've been so he can see how I wipe myself but nothing has made a difference.

He starts school in September and I'm mortified at the thought of some poor TA having to wipe him, or DS trying to do it himself but ending up smeared with shit and smelling for hours until home time.

Anyone else had this problem with their DC? Any tips??

I worked as a TA in reception and if they needed a hand to make sure they were clean, that was part of the remit. It's not hard to pop a glove on and give them a wipe over! DS's school also wipe their bums if they need a hand - he's reception age, I wouldn't expect it from y1 unless it was a poonami type experience. You'll have to check with your school whether they wipe them or not though I've never known a school to not help out...

Might be worth trying toilet wipes. DS can spread poo around with tissue too but manages pretty well with toilet wipes. Is your DS standing up when he wipes? Because that makes life infinitely harder

I don't know the answer to this 2 x DS, 6 and 7, both still useless at it.

It's common at 4. He will get the hang of it, you just have to wait.

That’s nuts, do none of the parents, you know.. work?

How many parents do you think this applies to, exactly?!

Have you tried this?

My daughter is just 4 and starts reception in September. I've hesitated about letting her wipe her bum herself as she's prone to UTIs that usually mean a course of antibiotics. She's at preschool and they do still help them but last time she got a UTI was after coming home with skid marks as she didn't feel about to ask so did it herself. I will start trying to teach her but really nervous about more UTIs.