Potty Training: Wiping and Washing

For obvious reasons, knowing how to wipe and wash (well!) are good bathroom habits that should be enforced (and reinforced!) from day one. Wiping and washing are not only sanitary, but they save your sanity, too! Even though your potty trainee probably won't be able to wipe himself for a loooong time (nor would you WANT him to), you can teach your toddler the bare necessities of wiping and washing early on.

Here's how to teach your child good wiping and washing habits while potty training:

• Keep flushable wipes handy. The good news: toddlers love wipes. They just love playing with them rather than using them (which equals waste). Let your kid pull her own wipe out, but don't let them go to waste!
  
  
• Go through the motions. Always wipe from front to back. After taking the wipe, gently guide your child's hand through the motions. It might take her a few (OK, a few thousand!) tries, but repetition is the key to learning! (And be sure to make wiping a part of your potty modeling!)
  
  
• Stock the sink. Make sure all of your kid's hand-washing supplies (soap, towel, footstool) are within easy reach. Hint: He might be more inclined to use soap if he gets to pick it out himself!
  
  
• Get hands on. The trick here is, again, modeling. Let your toddler watch while you wash your hands. Then, take her hands in yours and gently wash them. Sing a song or have her count to 10 to make the time go by.

Remember: Your toddler probably isn't going to learn to wipe and wash in one day. More likely, you'll be getting booty calls from the bathroom for a while. But the more your kid gets into good wiping and washing habits now, the less wiping YOU will have to do in the future.

Bottoms up!

Sharing time: How'd the wiping and washing go? Any tricks or tips to share? Share your answers in the comments below!

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