NikkiZ is essentially potty-trained. (Picture me now banging on every wooden surface within reach.) She sleeps in a pull-up, but for the most part she pees and poops in the potty. We have our minor accidents periodically, mainly due to her peeing just a little bit in her panties before she remembers, “Shit. That goes in the potty now.” Although, I’m not positive she curses. I suspect it - but she’s never actually done it out loud.
However, because of the several days she spent with diarrhea, she now expect me to wipe her butt ALL THE TIME. I did those few days because I wanted to make sure she got clean, but I’m really not a fan of adding that onto the List Of Things I’m Responsible For permanently. I mean, isn’t the perk of having a potty-trained child that you don’t have to wipe the butt anymore? When I try to encourage her to do it herself she says, “But I can’t get it clean enough!” So, periodically throughout the day I’ll here her scream, “Mom! Come wipe my butt!” And I realize then that there is nothing more glamorous than motherhood. Am I right?
I mean, the other day I had to wash clothes covered in poop from ALL THREE OF MY KIDS. Shouldn’t there be a law that says you only have to wash poop-covered clothing for one kid a day? There should be. For the record - LilZ would like me to clarify that he did not poop on his clothes, AndyZ did that for him. AndyZ also pooped on his own clothes that day and NikkiZ pooped enough in her sleep that it escaped the pull-up and made it all over her clothes and bedding. It was like a Hat Trick of poopy laundry. I WON!
So - we’re potty trained. But I’m still cleaning of poop constantly so the milestone is a little anticlimactic. Either way - I thought you’d like to know.
And yes - I’m aware this is one of the many entries I’ll have to delete one day when NikkiZ becomes a surly teenager. Or, if she’s really surly, I’ll publish it and read it aloud when her first date comes to the house. We’ll see.
Of course you’re the one that has to clean it up, but I can’t help thinking that a child NikkiZ’s age probably CAN’T “get it clean enough.” Then again, she might just not feel like doing it, like … um … a certain other child who shall remain nameless, and is just trying to sucker you in. You would know best.
I used to take care of a little guy who would yell from the bathroom, “Charlooootttteeee!! Will you please come wipe my hiney?” When I got to the bathroom he would be bent over, touching his toes with his little bottom in the air waiting. Too funny! Those flushable wet wipes saved us. He could FEEL where he was wiping so he knew if he was doing a good job. You should totally add “butt wiper” to your resume!
Ha! My baby brother used to wait until the middle of dinner to make this cry for help. It was almost as funny at the time he came out of the bathroom singing into a tampon.
Im not sure this of the practices where you are, but here in the northeast it is illegal for a teacher to wipe a student or to even help pull their pants up or down when going to the bathroom for that matter.
One more reason to make sure she learns to do this on her own before school starts. As if you needed another reason!
good to know that lilz has complete control over his bowels.
funny, i was thinking just yesterday about writing a blog post about how much easier it is to change 1 diaper after changing 2 kids for almost 2 years…. and i still wipe beanie’s little hiney.
I love you’re blog. You make me laugh AND cry. Sometimes cry from laughing, hehe.
Ahh, poop. It’s way too normal for us moms.
I have been cleaning up kitten poop for about a week now. I am so done with it!! Somehow I think human’s got to be better. I would think.
read it allowed. WITH PICTURES!
The other night one of the twin boys helped the other get cleaned up from his poop potty fiasco. It was heart-warming and endearing rather than utterly disgusting to me. Yep, motherhood is full-on glam;>
You might not want to trade wasting money for wiping poop but If you you do, I have the answer! Scott brand toilet tissue, and several others, have started making colored TP again. Buy some of the pink and say NikkZ can only use it if she wipes b/c it’s only for princesses and princesses don’t have their Mommies wipe them! FTR it’s no more expensive thatn any other TP, but it only comes in 6 and 12 packs so it’s a bit inconvenient.
My co-worker has a 4 year old daughter, and she’s still wiping her butt for her.
I was cringing while reading the third paragraph until you clarified.
I still wipe my 6 year olds butt! He has been know to sit on the toilet yelling for a looooong time!
I’ve decided that if Lil’bug has big poopy accidents in her underwear they’re going in the trash. I’ve also put panty liners in her underwear for small accidents. Also, I’d rather wipe her butt than have to deal with a rash!
I don’t know about your house, but in mine if it goes through a kid’s head it usually comes out the mouth, uncensored. So if they were thinking it you’d probably hear it.
I’m glad LilZ had you clarify, I kinda’ thought it might have been compliments of one of his siblings, but…
I’m all for reading it aloud when they’re older. We need something to look forward to while we’re cleaning up all that poop.
Could you maybe tell her that you want her to try, and then you will come and check when she’s done? Maybe she would want to show you she’s a big (princess) girl.
I’m so glad my kids are old enough to take care of that on their own. But I’m also glad that she is potty trained. That’s more than half the battle.
kids can’t reach well enough until they are 4 or 5 or sometimes six!