Around age 7. After age 5 or so, we'd have him wipe and then just check to make sure it was done well. I'd say by age 7, he was consistently doing it well enough that he could do it on his own.

My 3 year old has wanted me to do it for him, and I just recently started trying to get him to do it more. When first potty trained, he actually happily did it himself, but we started doing it because he needed help really getting it clean. I'm so done with sitting in the bathroom forever while he plays with a toy and poops and then doesn't want to get up right away, so I've started encouraging him to do it himself.

The main thing is that any kid CAN do it themselves, but they may or may not actually get themselves clean. If this becomes a problem, you might want to do it for them. If not, go for it! That's what I'm trying for, at least as long as he doesn't get a bad rash or something. I'm okay with skid marks sometimes in the undies.

Anonymous wrote:By the time she turned three.

How is this possible? My kid's arms wouldn't even reach back there at that age.

Like a PP, my 6 yo is usually fine but very occasionally needs help.

DS1--4ish.

DS2--I'm sorry to say: 8ish. And no, no developmental issues whatsoever. He just couldn't get the job done properly. Turns out he also had encopresis issues which compounded the problem.

DS1 was 3. DS2 is still not doing at 4.

By the time she turned three.

7

Anonymous wrote:Are you all using regular TP or flushable wipes?

TP. Those flushable wipes are terrible for your plumbing.

Are you all using regular TP or flushable wipes?

4

4.

My oldest just turned 6, and he takes care of it himself 9 out of 10 times, but occasionally needs help and asks for it, when things are a bit looser and he, uh, slips... (sorry!). I rarely find any stains on his undies. My almost 4yo has started to try himself but it's more for independence - nothing actually gets wiped away, so we have a ways to go - which doesn't surprise or concern me.

My oldest saw an OT for awhile (not for ass-wiping and I had just asked her incidentally and she said 5 / Kindergarten was the general timeframe when you would want to help them get some basic proficiency with it.

My kid is 6...and no she still cannot properly wipe herself. We do a combo wipe up act which is getting old. I hope by the 7 she has it completely down.

Around 4.5 we completely stopped wiping my DS. It took a couple of months to get to the point where I wasn't having to use the stain spray frequently.

At what age did your kid wipe their own butt every time?

This is not what I wanted to spend my life doing, but I realize it could be years.