How old for learning to wipe their own bums?

[PourquoiTuGachesTaVie]

Just that really...

And how do you go about teaching them to do it?

I anticipate poo everywhere.

Weeel, DD3 wipes her own now and has done since she was 4. Her standards are a bit hit and miss and we get skid marks in pants but that's only to be expected tbh and I just buy cheap primark pants and feel no grief if they are too badly stained to rescue.

Actually, how old is a stupid question. Ds is 3, nearly 4 and I know he needs to start learning now so I should have just led with the question of how best to teach him.

Any helpful tips or tricks?

Sorry, forgot to say she is 4 3/4 now and has wiped her own bottom since she was just 4. Sometimes I do a bit of "quality control".

Thanks Duchesse, sorry x-posted with you there.

Cheap pants noted, thank you.

We use kangoo style wipes - they seem more flexible without ripping so that they can get properly clean.

Ds1 was pretty good at it by 4, ds2 needed lots more assistance until he was just past his 5th birthday.

I would just try to encourage it before school. Show her how to scrunch up some paper, wipe front to back and straight in the loo (lots of children like to inspect and scrunch more!) until the paper is clean. Just stay in the loo and be prepared to help her to wash her hands afterwards. Don't get cross if it's a bit messy the first few times :)

I talked mine through the process each and every time I helped him.

Then made him do it himself and I'd help at the end. He refuses help now. I wish he's ask now and again. I'm sick of skid marked pants.

I always showed him how to fill the sink, run warm water and use soap properly too. Mine take ages - but at least i know hands are clean!

My DS is four and I've just started training him to wipe his bum.

My dd3 has just turned 4 and seems to mostly do it on her own. Dd4 is 3 and still asks me sometimes.
I agree, before they start school you at least need to try and teach them.

I'm still showing my ds. He makes a lot of mess as has soft stools poor kid.

Yes, that's partly my concern for ds too boringlivingroom, he is not a very good eater so he has good days and bad days with his veg consumption which means his stools can vary quite a lot from day to day.