Repost - from Potty Training....Re: Wiping own butt??

ling79

Nursery school starts in 3 weeks and they said DS had to be potty trained and they are "hands off" so now pulling pants up and down and I assume no wiping...I am hoping he doesn't poop there, but eventually I am sure he will.  We have just got PT down pat, for about 3 weeks or so.  I never have tried having DS wipe himself but can't imagine at such an early age this is even do-able....At what age do you think they can learn this??

SymphonyGirl

DS's school said, "fully potty trained and able to use the toilet independently" so I worried about this too.  On DS's first day of preschool, I asked the teachers if they could help with wiping, because we didn't think DS would do a good job with it yet. The teacher looked a little less than thrilled but said that they could certainly help if he asked.  He was a brand new 3 at the time and had only been potty trained for about 2 or 3 months and I didn't think he could do it thoroughly by himself yet.  At a little over 3 1/2, we finally started working on him consistently wiping himself. 

lite-bright

I'd say that DD1 does a fine job of it, maybe 85-90% of the time. She's 3.5. I give her a swipe after poops just to double-check, but I rarely get anything. Sometimes when she has a troublesome poop that is especially mushy or ... incomplete, I guess? (Ew!) Then she needs some extra help from me to be clean. But the majority of the time, she handles poop-wiping just fine on her own. 

Six months ago, she would've had real problems with it, though.  

mabma80

DS school is "fully potty trained with no help" kind of thing. Except if he needs help with a zipper or whatever, which he doesn't.  I've started making him wipe himself when he poops, cause I wont be there for him.  He doesn't have a certain time of day that he poops, so I'm sure it will happen at school at some point. ESPECIALLY next year when he starts kindergarden!  He'll be 5 in 3 weeks.

addison_clark

I think expecting a 3 year old to wipe him/herself is not reasonable.  Really, I expect to help wipe behinds until they are 5 or 6!  DS's preschool requires potty training but they wipe and help zipper if they need help with that.

smitt2619

DS1 is almost 4.5 and about to start 4yo preschool.  He went to 3's last year.  We originally had him signed up in a program whose policy was no pull-ups, bathroom was down the hall, and they were expected to do everything them self.  He wasn't ready for that, so we switched him to a school that allowed pull ups and had a bathroom connected to the room.  However, it was the same policy as others mentioned about hand-off with wiping.  In the child pooped in their underwear or pull-ups, the parents were called.  And I was called once last year.  I don't know if he ever successfully pooped in the potty there.  But even now, I help or at least check with wiping.  And I'm worried about it for school coming up.  He usually poops in the morning, and last year he was in an afternoon program, but this year it's morning.  I plan to really work on him wiping himself in the next month, and then plan to check him after I pick him up everyday.  It still surprises me how much they expect a young child to do, but I know it has to do with licensing.   

ShannonMarieH

There is no way DD who is 3.5 could have wiped her own butt at 3 years old, we still haven't accomplished that yet. Her preschool actually potty trained her and got her off pull ups. I don't see how they can be hands off with a 3 year old. That just seems mean to let a kid poop their pants and call their parents. We picked up a grocery bag of pooped on clothes a few times.

ArcticFox

This probably doesn't hlep with preschool, but we have DD use wet wipes.  It helps make sure things are clean.. otherwise I've had to throw out a couple pair of underwear :P

Also another thing is I have told DD to use 3-4 wet wipes.  Because there were a few times she used like a dozen wipes and the toilet got clogged, it was horrible.    I would just make sure you cover that too (not using a ton of TP for #2 - but using enough..)

wwnbw

You mean I have been wiping but THIS long and I didn't have to be? LOL I had no idea kids were expected to do this so soon. I just started teaching my daugheter this week because she starts pre school in two weeks. She is 4.5.

KristinKD

We are still working on it with DD1 who is 3.5. Last year she was in a 2s class that still allowed diapers and potty help, but this year it'll be hands off. She knows how to do it but I usually follow up with a swipe too. Sometimes my wipe is clean, sometimes it needs a couple more swipes. I figure as long as she can give it a try herself the skid marks won't be too bad. lol.

harlansmommy

I am really surprised about this.  My son was 3 in May and while he prefers to wipe himself, and does an ok job, i would have never thought to teach him them if he wasnt into it himself.  Our daycare/preschool starts at age 2 and are really involved in the PT process.  Not to mention I would be pretty upset to be called bc my son pooped in his underwear.  Maybe it is bc our facility is also a daycare, but I kinda assume that is part of the job to clean up a kid when necessary and not leave them in their poop until the parent gets there.  I know they are there to teach, but I am an ER nurse and my job is to save your life, but if you poop, pretty sure if you cant clean it up, then i am.  Seems silly to have a hands off policy to me!

cvillecouple

addison_clark:

I think expecting a 3 year old to wipe him/herself is not reasonable.  Really, I expect to help wipe behinds until they are 5 or 6!  DS's preschool requires potty training but they wipe and help zipper if they need help with that.

We're far off from here with my DS, but from the experience I've had with siblings, and other kids, I agree completely!  I find it odd that  a school would even suggest that the kids wipe themselves at just turned 3.  Sounds like a good way to come home with a sore tushy, and soiled underwear!