6 Year Old Has No Interest in Wiping His Own Butt

Yeah…school was partially my concern, among other things. I think at 6 he needs to do it. My son had no interest in doing it himself either but I did force the issue. He's 5, almost 6, and if I would he would totally still want me to do it. He would also complain about how yucky it is, etc. but I explained that it's also yucky for me to do it, and that everyone has to do their own bottom, it's not like we're all getting out of it and it's only him.

There was a time when my son just decided he'd skip it (and show me!) but then his underwear would get messy and so he'd have to wash it out in the toilet. I didn't get mad or anything, just stand there and make him do it til it was mostly clean. He didn't love that either, so he started wiping, or at least trying a lot harder!

This is a bit of a stereotype, but I do think boys are more prone to standing back and letting mommy handle everything. My son doesn't really like doing anything for himself and would prefer me to do it all…so would my husband if we're being honest.

Bottom line (haha, pun intended!) is that it's time. He needs to learn. He can do it. It might be messy but it's part of life!

A six there should be times when you are not around. Like Kindergarten among other activities.

This was one stage I pushed to move on from. You don't wait until he wants to learn, you teach him and tell him this is something he MUST learn.

Your question gave me the first smile I have had today. Its early here only a little after 5am but I just sent my grandkids home after a 2 month visit this summer. Feeling lonely. But the reason for the smile. When my sons were 5,6 and 12 I was having an awful day and things just kept piling on. I finally flipped lol. Told the kids "You need to start doing some of your own stuff. I am not wiping any more butts, tying any more shoes or making any more lunchs" the lunches part was the 12 year old. And told my husband to fold his own damn clothes. Haven't thought about that in years lol. but the look on the kids faces was priceless.

well, it's not a very interesting activity, is it? who can blame him?
:)
but he's old enough to understand that not getting his behind clean enough will cause itch and rash at best, and an odor that will get him shunned at worst. don't be shy about outlining the social issues he's letting himself in for if he doesn't step it up (and i'd probably not be averse to using a little baby-behavior-shaming about it. judiciously. you don't want to be heavy-handed with it, but 'a surprised 'at 6 you don't have this skill down yet?' can go a long way.)
his arms reach, unless he's actually physically handicapped. he's just not stretching.
i'd absolutely have him use wet wipes, which make everyone's lives easier. but it's very important that he NOT flush them, even if they say 'flushable.' they must be wrapped in a little tp and put in the trash. but they sure do make cleanup a much easier chore all round.
he's old enough to take this over, mama. spend some time now getting this one firmly implanted and have him own it. it's time for you to move past having to handle this one.
khairete
S.

What does he do at school?

Ummm...what if he needs to go at school?

Really? Keep wiping him til he wants to learn? He is six, a first grader, and should be wiping himself. It doesn't matter whether he wants to, he's three years behind schedule. It never occurred to me to wipe my kids when they were toilet trained. A six year old should be completely independent and have privacy in the bathroom, unless he has a disability. In school or at a friend's house, someone is not going to come and wipe him, thank goodness.

He needs to do it on his own. And if he doesn't, a natural consequence of that is yucky underwear and an itchy butt. That alone will likely make him do a better job. lol Good luck!

His arms reach - he just isn't in the right position. Everybody else's arms reach, so his will too. Get bathroom wipes so he has something to use besides toilet paper. Teach him to wipe, fold and drop the wipe. He then takes a fresh wipe and checks it to be sure it's clean. Until the wipes are clean, he's not clean.

You can check him when he's done but not until he does it all. And he goes to school and other people's houses without you - so he learns between now and the start of school.

If you use flushable wipes, PLEASE do not flush them! They are flushable in name only.

http://nymag.com/news/intelligencer/flushable-wipes-2013-10/

I would continue to encourage him to try, even if he doesn't do the best job himself. Eventually he'll figure it out.

Um, yeah, of course this is on your "to do" list, who else do you think is going to teach him? Motherhood is gross, and messy, I would think you would have learned this lesson by now.

Keep some moist flush-able wipes by the toilet. Have him do it himself with those after the toilet paper.

Remember that you will not always be with him in the bathroom and he needs to learn to do it.

It took until my kids were about 4 to wipe themselves better.I taught them to use paper first and then a babywipe to get the last of it and make sure it all clean. And we threw it in the garbage.

Still trying to get my almost 4 yr old to finish potty training.

He goes to school, right? So he needs to learn to do it. A lot of them don't poop during the day though so if he does he surely needs to know what to do.

I agree with getting some wipes but do NOT flush them even if the label says they are flushable. According to my plumber, they take forever to break down, unlike toilet paper, and they will get wadded up in the pipes and cause blockages. Put them in the trash can. If you're squicked out by the idea of them being there, keep a box of snack size ziplocs by the commode and seal them up before throwing in the trash.

Good luck :) Mine had a hard time with that too. I would find poop in his underwear all the time. I just kept on him - he knew HOW to do it, it was just not convenient, so half the time (or more) he just didn't bother.

Luckily (?) he often forgot to flush too, so I would bust him. He finally started getting it. He forgot to flush the other day and I actually smiled because there was TP in the bowl lol.

#momsofboys!