When Should Kids Wipe Own Bottom?

[EchoMom]

When should children be able to wipe their own bottom?

Completely independently?
On their own but you check?

How do you teach them how to do it without being inappropriate?

Do you say butt?

I have a 4 1/2 year old boy who wants me to wipe his butt completely for him. I used to do it when he was a younger 4 but then I saw someone on here say no way they don't wipe that old! So now I'm not sure. Today when I had him do it himself he seemed very unfamiliar with it and did not do a good job and I thought he was going to stick his fingers in his mess and he tried to hand me the poopy wipe, In my mind: "Ew, I don't want that! Ugh!"

He's got modesty because he doesn't ever want me to see him pee so I know he wants privacy but yet he wants me to wipe his butt. Also, does anyone say butt??? He was offended when I used the word butt but I don't see anything wrong with it, that's what it is!

Does EVERYONE say bottom???

[SquirrellyMama]

I used to think 4 or 5 but my own 7 year old dd has a hard time with it. I don't think her arms are long enough or something. She tried really hard.

Could he wipe first and then you check him until he is doing it well on his own?

K

[youretooloud]

I stop at age four. I stopped wiping my daughter's bottoms before that, but they took baths every night.

I don't expect other people to wipe my child's bottom after age three. My child can either learn to do it, learn to poop at home only, or deal with a messy bottom for the rest of the day. None of those are a big deal.

[youretooloud]

he word butt but I don't see anything wrong with it, that's what it is!

Does EVERYONE say bottom???

We don't say butt here. None of my kids have ever said it. I'm not sure why, but I am uncomfortable with it too.

I also dislike the words "panties" and "perspire"...soooo..

[nanglgrl]

Let them do it themselves.

Like so many things they are not going to learn how to do it correctly unless you let them do it themselves. They may not do the best job and that's fine as long as their parents bathe them and give them new undies everyday (if the child has regular UTI's they should be re-taught wiping in case that is the culprit). I say you stop wiping about a month after they are potty trained. If they are showing signs of needing privacy or of being embarrassed you should stop right away. All it takes is one child saying "Mrs. Teacher touched my butt" to close your daycare until an investigation is completed. As far as calling it a butt or a bottom I would say butt. I teach the kids all of the correct names for their parts, my 2 year old son knows he has a penis and my 4 year old daughter knows she has a vagina. You are supposed to teach them the correct words so if something were to happen there would not be any confusion. As for arms being to short, it sounds like the same excuse I told my mom when I didn't want to play violin anymore!:: The truth is I was just lazy and didn't want to practice...

[youretooloud]

As for arms being to short, it sounds like the same excuse I told my mom when I didn't want to play violin anymore!:: The truth is I was just lazy and didn't want to practice...

I agree... unless you have freakishly short arms, you can wipe. It's OK if you don't do a good job, but you can do it anyway.

[Blackcat31]

.

I also dislike the words "panties" and "perspire"...soooo..

:::::: Sorry, but that made me laugh! ::::::

I don't know why but in the two decades I have been in this business I can't say I have ever had a child who asked me to wipe their butt, bottom or tushie for them.

I help the new potty trainers but it seems that once they learn to use the bathroom unassisted, I am no longer needed and have never been asked.

I must have weird kids :confused: or else bunch of kids who are walking around with dirty tushies ::

[nanglgrl]

panties, perspire, butt oh my!

We don't say butt here. None of my kids have ever said it. I'm not sure why, but I am uncomfortable with it too.

I also dislike the words "panties" and "perspire"...soooo..

Today it was so hot outside that I couldn't help butt perspire. I asked one of the kids to get me a towel so I could wipe the perspiration off butt instead they brought me a pair of panties! I laughed so hard I fell on my butt and the panties flew out of my hand and landed on the dogs head. So the dog is running around the yard with panties on his head, I'm sitting on the ground laughing my butt off and trying not to perspire anymore! ::::::
Sorry, it's Friday, I'm tired and when I'm tired I'm a goofball.

[Neekie]

Today it was so hot outside that I couldn't help butt perspire. I asked one of the kids to get me a towel so I could wipe the perspiration off butt instead they brought me a pair of panties! I laughed so hard I fell on my butt and the panties flew out of my hand and landed on the dogs head. So the dog is running around the yard with panties on his head, I'm sitting on the ground laughing my butt off and trying not to perspire anymore! ::::::
Sorry, it's Friday, I'm tired and when I'm tired I'm a goofball.

LOL LOL LOL This is just too funny! ::

[countrymom]

butt perspire is called SWASS (sweaty a**)

once your potty trained I stop, everyone has to learn to wipe their bums. I had a 4 yr old ask me yesterday and there was no way I was going to do this because he's been trained for over a year, but being home with mom, well.....

[Nickel]

I allow my two yr old to wipe her butt with a wet wipe or cottonelle wipe or whatever. Then she pats her front with toilet paper and then I check. but my oldest had problem wiping at seven. I had to reteach her. It was very uncomfortable at that point for me and she was my own child. I just stood at the door directed her on what to do and used hand gestures in the air or away from my clothes

[Snowbunny]

I don't like saying butt, so we call it bottom or tushie. Personally, I prefer to wipe those little bottoms if they want help, no matter what the age. Of course, once they are about to enter preschool (age 4 here), I do encourage them to do it themselves. I just cannot imagine a 2 or 3 year old always wiping themselves. Not all BM's are formed and solid; I mean, some can leave a real mess, and I'm not comfortable with a child running around with a mess on their bottom all day. First of all, they are not going to smell very pretty. Second, some of my daycare kids have gotten a bad rash from not being wiped well. I keep wet wipes available for everyone. Heck, I prefer to use a wet wipe for myself sometimes. Enough said!

[Michael]

I don't like saying butt, so we call it bottom. Enough said!

Welcome to the Daycare.com Forum! I upgraded your status. You can post freely now.

[Kaddidle Care]

I've had to instruct 5 year olds to "take a bunch of toilet paper - I watch to make sure they have enough and wipe where your poopoo comes out. Get more until it comes out clean." and then I offer a wipie or two to them.

I have helped older ones when they have been really messy. I've never had a parent complain that I touched their child's tush. Sometimes you just have to help them.

But.. my son had a friend who's mother wiped him still at 9! I was like "you've got to be kidding me!" Sorry but that's just nuts.

[momma2girls]

I teach them at potty training time to do it. By age of 3 or 4 they should be able to do it themselves. I had one Mom bring baby wipes for a 4 1/2 yr. old to wipe his bottom, or else have myself do it. He was going to 4 yr. old preschool and going to Kindergarten next yr. I am pretty sure, no teacher is going to wipe his bottom!!