Keeping It Clean

You would think that once you have potty trained your kids, you are all done with wiping asses.  You would think.  As it turns out newly potty trained three year olds aren't so great at wiping themselves, so you still have to do it for them for a while.  It's usually about another year or so when the figure out how to do it themselves. Then there is just the matter of checking them after they do it to make sure they don't leave any witnesses behind that might streak their underwear, and EW I just grossed myself out!  Sorry!  Anyway-just part of the job.  Sonya has been wiping herself, no problem, for years.  I should hope so, since she is 7.  Georgia still needs a little help.  Then there is Lana.  Why do I feel like I write that line often?  


For whatever reason, Lana has had quite an aversion to wiping herself after she poops.  I don't know if she just wants me to do it because she likes the attention from me, as weird as that sounds, or if she just finds it icky.  I could never get an answer from her about it.  I realized in December that she would be five soon and starting kindergarten and it was something she really needed to do for herself.  The Kindergarten teachers certainly weren't going to do it. They make that perfectly clear when you go to Kindergarten round up.  "We do not wipe butts!"  So for months, when she yelled,"I'mmmm dooonnee!" from the toilet, I've encouraged her to wipe and I would come check.  This has resulted in her getting upset, frustrated, screaming and even tears sometimes from  me.  Every time I just gave in and did it for her.  No amount of me pleading and saying "Lana you have to do this for yourself if you want to go to kindergarten!" would sway her.


Then I found out that when I wasn't around to wipe her, like when my parents were here or when she was at school, she WOULD do it herself.  So it wasn't an icky factor, she was playing me.  She seems to be REAL good at that.  So a couple weeks ago, I turned it around in my favor.  Remember the good behavior chart I started a while back, when I was trying re-discipline the girls?  Well, I decided to use that. Every time she pooped and wiped herself-with me checking to make sure it was all good-she could color in a star.  She was on board and within a week she was wiping herself, by herself, clean.  I was a bit worried that once she wasn't getting to color in a star she would resist again, but on Mother's Day I realized that wasn't going to happen.


We had gone out to Lupper, or Linner, whichever you prefer to call it.  (It's just the day I don't cook, so we eat out all day.)  We were at the restaurant and Lana decided she had to go potty.  She is not one to usually poop in public restrooms, but when you gotta go...  Georgia had to pee so I took them both and Lana went to her own stall.  After she was done she asked for a wipee so she could make sure she was clean and I asked if she needed any help.


"Nope!" she said.  "I got it!"


Upon hearing this, Georgia looked up at me from her toilet seat and said,


"It looks like Lana is aw set to go to kindagaten!!"  


Yes, it does.  And my job-at least that part of it-is done here.