Helping 4 year old to wipe with tissue

[SantasRubiksCube]

DD (4) will be starting school in September and I'm abit worried about how she's going to manage to clean herself if she has a poo. At home she does it herself but we fell into the trap of letting her use the toddler wipes when she was first learning and now she struggles abit with using tissue. We show her how to fold the tissue and she knows how to wipe but it seems to just tear/rip/get stuck in between her bottom and she ends up in abit of a mess, so takes even more wiping with tissue to try and get it clean by which time she's saying it hurts and her bum looks sore. I work in the school she will be going to and I know in the toilets it's the little, thin sheets from a dispenser that they use and I worry about her struggling. I don't remember my others having such difficulties using tissue but she seems to be a bit stuck, even though we've been trying at home.

They can actually continue wiping your child into the reception year without an EHCP, but they don't really like to as policies aren't in place, But it is an early years setting just like nursery, so if it does come to it it can be done.

My eldest needed quite a bit of help when he first started school, ERICs helpline were really good. I think they got someone from the early nursery to wipe him, or had him escorted to the nursery section to poo.

Either way, it possible.

we are in the same boat OP. 4yo gets wiped with a cloth wipe which is really easy but obviously can't go down the toilet and whenever we have to use toilet paper (out and about etc) it always takes ages and is messy and he doesn't seem properly clean.

Reception teacher here. How about putting some better toilet paper and some wipes and plastic bags in her bag? I've had a parent do that before, and as long as you impress on her not to flush the wipes down the toilet but put them in the bag, it'll be fine. With regards to helping wipe - yes of course we can help, but the reality of a reception classroom is 30 kids and 2 adults. Often, one adult will be running an activity, and the other adult will be supervising the other 25 kids and dealing with all of the things that come up from that. So it may just not be possible, or they may not hear her from sitting on the loo. But, if she does get herself in a muddle, teach her to pull her pants back up despite the poo, find an adult and then take wipes and a baggy and clean pants from her bag to the loo, so that the adult can help her change and clean up and put the dirty pants in the baggy to put back in her bag. The important thjng is that she knows she can come and ask for help, and doesn't have to stay stuck on the loo getting upset. In reception, a lot of the tjme its about learning to come and ask for help, as it isn't always just there like in nursery. But all reception staff worth their salt will absolutely help out if shes in a pickle. You may also find that she doesn't poo often at school - lots of kids seem to get into pooing at home routines. I hope she has a great start to school.

Also if she is not perfectly clean after she wipes it won’t be a disaster. She will quickly learn and improve.