Who Wipes?!*

Why do I feel like it's a personal affront whenever Sweetie has a bathroom related accident?

(And why do I continue to ask the collective "you" of the vast, anonymous internet world your opinion on what's going on with me, whom the collective "you" wouldn't know from a hole in the wall even if you ran over me with your fancy-smancy luxury SUV? Okay, so maybe you'd spot me out if my only competitition was an actual hole in the wall - especially if I dared to bleed upon your beloved automobile - but who knows. Maybe not. ANYWAY.....)

It's not like Sweetie's standing tough, her arms akimbo, snorting, Hah! Mommy! I poop in my underwear at you! I wet the floor on which you stand! Fear me now!

Hardly. In fact, she's actually doing quite well. She's had very few accidents to speak of and those she's had have been pretty minor. I'm talking a little bit of "oops" pee before she realizes she should get herself to the potty for further relief. Or being a little too quick on the tinkling uptake before she got her pants all the way down.

But yet, whenever the accidents occur, I personally feel badly about it. Like it's my fault that I'm not more on top of asking her if she has to go potty or not. Or it's my fault I didn't insist that she take a break from whatever she's doing and give it a go on the toilet.

Like tonight. We were at our weekly chiro appointment and Sweetie was playing in the toy room. I heard her grunting and she was standing strangely, so I asked her if she had to go to the bathroom. She said no - that she would wait. But her odd sounds and posture continued until Hubby and I basically insisted she try to go (we also know that she hasn't pooped since Sunday, so things were bound to be on the move at this point). But she emphatically said no, that she was too scared. Who knows what's up with that. She's used the toilet at the doctor's office before. But she said she was scared and that it was too loud in the bathroom (there is a loud-ish fan that runs when you turn the light on). So, fine. Let's just get home.

Twenty minutes later we got home and Sweetie seemed fine again. She didn't go potty - just played with her magnetic letters on the fridge. But after a good 15 minutes or so, she was at it again. More grunts and posturing. But this time it was too late. The deed was done.

Why didn't she get herself to the potty?! I've seen her, many times, so involved with whatever game she's playing, yet still able to stop and take care of business in a timely fashion. I know she can do it. So what's going on?!

Oh, and she also had a small piddle accident earlier today at Nana's house.

And yesterday she came home from school in her "emergency" underwear and shorts (yet my mom wasn't told a thing about any such accidents taking place. Hmmmm. I'll be asking the teachers tomorrow morning about that one...).

So these recent accidents all grouped so closely together.... that gets me just a tad concerned, I guess. I know she's got a little bit of a cold and/or virus. So maybe she's just feeling badly enough healthwise to throw off her bathroom routine. I don't know. Hopefully she'll get on track again soon.

But what I really wanted to write about tonight (no, I haven't even gotten to the real topic yet) is that, now that Sweetie knows all about going in the potty, I feel like she's really got to get the whole wiping thing down. As it stands, more times than not I'll still lie her down and clean her up with baby wipes. But that's me. I think my mom is helping her more with the regular toilet paper. And that's what she's got at school too.

So I don't think she's getting clean enough. Last week she was a bit red, so I was asking Sweetie about what goes on at school. Does she go potty all by herself or does the teacher help her. Who wipes?

I think Sweetie said the teacher helped. And yesterday morning I did ask Miss Kathleen if Sweetie is getting the help she still needs in the bathroom. Well, I guess Miss Kathleen only works 1/2 the morning now, but she assured me that she does help Sweetie wipe when she's there and she's sure that the replacement teacher takes over accordingly after she's left for the day. Okay then.

I just really want to get Sweetie in the practice of helping herself. And, from what I've seen, she definitely needs my assisistance in understanding more. I've seen her "wipe" herself - by taking the teeniest, tinyest speck of toilet paper she can tear off and lightly placing it against her nether regions one time only.

The girl's got some serious learning to do. And I think I found the product to teach her.

Cottonelle seems to have answered my prayers. They've come up with both a bathroom kit for kids and some training toilet paper with paw prints on it so the child can know how much toilet paper to tear off.

Yes, it sounds kind of hokey and gimicky. But I'm gonna try it. I think Sweetie will actually get a kick out of having her own toilet paper and counting the squares she needs to use.

Here's hoping, anyway. Hey - you gotta make the learning fun, right?

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* Yet another reference to one of Sweetie's favorite movies, Madagascar - a quote from King Julian of the Lemurs.