Potty Training & Teaching Kids to Wipe Themselves
Our son is 4 and he still asks us to wipe his bottom after he poops. At what age is it appropriate for a child to start wiping himself? —HapaMommy
Your son does not have the fine motor skills to completely master the fine art wiping properly. You should expect to 'inspect' up until he is 5 or 6 years old. Most toddlers adore toilet paper! They love watching it roll off the dispenser onto the floor. They enjoy making long paper trails that originate in the bathroom and wind through the rest of the house. And they've been known to derive great pleasure in seeing how much toilet paper can be stuffed into the toilet. However, very few toddlers are good at wiping themselves with toilet paper. To help your son do a better job of wiping while avoiding toilet paper waste, stock up on flushable wet wipes and keep the toilet paper where he can't reach it.
For more suggestions, please check out my tips for teaching your kid about wiping and washing.
For more potty training advice, check out:
Potty Training Tips from the Potty Pro, Teri Crane
Become a Potty Supermodel
The TP Saver
Talk to other potty training parents who are also in the pee-pee & poo-poo trenches on our Toddlers & Preschoolers Message Board!
Answered by
Teri Crane, the Potty Pro
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