Bathroom habits

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Does anyone else have trouble with their child being able to clean up
Themselves in the bathroom. My 10 yr old seems to have trouble lately. We tell him to wipe but he doesn't always do a good job.

I was a late learner it took my peers belittling my stench to get me to "clean up my act" so to speak. your son may benefit from a practical demonstration on a practical object meant to illustrate proper perianal hygiene, AKA an object lesson.

There are flushable wet wipes made for adults. This may help him get the done job a little more easily.

Yep, wet wipes.

I don't think they are truly flushable. I would be wary of them in new toilets, at the very least.

We told DS not to flush more than one of them, and to throw any others in the bathroom wastebasket. I think one is generally enough, though.

Wet wipes, a hand mirror, and very detailed instruction about how to wipe. Not sure how it would go over with a 10 year old, but when my son was 5 or 6 I was correcting him in detail as I watched him wipe. "Reach behind and wipe. Front to back. Good. Now check the paper to see if it's clean. Now check the mirror -- see that spot? Wipe deeper this time..." It took a few months for him to get good enough to go solo. We used to get clogged toilets regularly until we added a rule that after 4 wet wipes you need to flush. (Also installed new toilets that have wide pipes and very powerful flushes -- the previous ones got clogged just flushing poop and minimal normal paper.)

Nothing to add on topic (my boys are only 3), but a lot of the wet wipes aren't biodegradable, so from an environmental perspective, they're not the best. Also, a problem if you have a septic system ($$$$ to clean). They do make biodegradable ones, though, so it might be good to choose one of those brands if either of the above is a concern for you. Good luck!

There is a difference between the "wet wipes" you use with babies in diapers and the flushable wipes for toddlers and adults. They should say "flushable" on the package. I think the water dept still doesn't like them, so I guess it depends how conscientious you are...

You're right, zette. A lot of the flushable ones still degrade really slowly, a problem for people with septic tanks (like me). If you're linked to the city/town sewage system, then it's their problem and you can decide how much you care. But, I've heard horror stories from fellow home owners whose waste is disposed of by tank. It's a situation best avoided.