4 Yr Not Wiping!!!

My son is 5 and if need be I still help him wipe. It's such a tricky thing to learn to do well. But if you're son is simply NOT wiping at all, you could try some tough love, but it usually works real quick! Explain to him that if his bottom is not wiped and clean after using the potty, you will need to give him a quick clean in the tub. Tell him it wont be a fun bath and he probably wont like it. Most likely you'll have to follow through-- The next time he does it, stand him in the tub and rinse off only his bottom half from waist down with cool water. (unpleasant) after a couple times of that I bet he starts wiping to avoid it!!!! And it's not done in a mean way or anything, it just "has to be done quick if you have a dirty bottom" Can also try making him wash his own dirty underpants if that would bother him enough to quit.
Good Luck!!!

i've heard this is pretty normal at 4.
our son 'wipes' (not very good) and we do the 'checking each time.
so perhaps checking each time. pain in the A** (ha ha, literally) but he's 4.
i hear it gets better around 6

I agree with Sue X. My son is 6 and 6 is when he started to "get it"! Til that time, you've gotta bat cleanup! LOL

I see this often-try giving him the option of using the kind of wipes that are flushable and easy on the bottom. Also this is a good time to talk about being a big boy-and when he goes to school he will be ready to wipe on his own and not have his teachers have to help him-then all the kids will want to play with him cause he smells so nice not stinky. This will pass then something else will come up-they are kids so keep your sense of humor and watch how they grow.

My daughter also has had this problem. She goes to pre-k & so she was on her own for wiping. At home she cleans with wipes, but none at school & she didn't like the paper. So I take a wipe & put a little vaseline on it and swipe her bottom in the morning before she goes. At school she uses the paper & the poo doesn't stick & she is able to clean herself better. Hope this helps u. Oh & upside is if some poo is left behind, no pun intended, the vaseline keeps her hiny from getting irritated.

i really hope this gets some great answers. We have a 4 year old who is also obstinate about making us do the wiping. He goes to kindergarten in the fall and i would really like to have this mastered by then!

I like the toddler wipes that flush. My daughter won't flush them though, she just throws them away. I also have to bathe her almost everyday and do a good job washing her with soap. I liked the Vaseline idea.

Definitely time to calmly return to the potty with him each and every time he poops. Re-educate him on how to, why to, the importance of being clean, etc. You'll probably have to check for a long while, if he's just given up on wiping.

I don't know why it is, but some kids are just better at wiping. Maybe they have longer arms that easily reach where they need to wipe. My youngest is the worst, she wipes too quickly and leaves brown streaks up her backside. Nothing continual checking and a nightly bath won't resolve.