Potty Training Myself

re: Potty Training Myself

Susan — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:04:49 GMT

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

Susan

http://toddlergirls.net

re: Potty Training Myself

Ellie — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 20:23:02 GMT

I never asked a blind person about wiping and please excuse the gross factor but wouldn't the sense of smell compensate? We are not as grossed out by our own poop (and our babies!)as we can imagine and wouldn't a fairly clean tp smell less strongly then a not-so-clean one? sorry again!

re: Potty Training Myself

milosmom — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 22:48:00 GMT

My son is blind and although we're a long way from potty training (he just turned 1 year) I have wondered about that same question!! I hope you can figure it out and let me know the answer. :)

Love your blog as always. Gigi is the cutest thing ever.

re: Potty Training Myself

Megg Lasswell — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 22:33:10 GMT

Okay... so I like the idea of over wiping as well. Maybe I will just buy TP and aveeno diaper cream at the same time every time;)

The song thing is PERFECT actually. No matter what song it is, as long as its a radio tune and not a nursery rhyme te of son, will always be a long enough tune.

I suppose I should also suck it up and ask someone in a forum as well.

You guys rock!

re: Potty Training Myself

Zain's Ammie — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:16:04 GMT

I was thinking counting how many times she should wipe like others have mentioned, using baby wipes and disposing in the trash, or even a song like happy birthday to whipe to...

re: Potty Training Myself

EG — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:18:30 GMT

Sounds like we're about in the same part of the potty training process as you.

I'm also definately not teaching Little Man to wipe himself yet. Give that a couple of years! But I'd guess you will need a wiping routine that will get the job done the vast majority of times. Like, "Wipe and fold 3 times with the dry toilet paper, and two times with the wet wipey."

And don't be shy, just ask the question on your visual-impairment parenting forums. It's a completely valid question, and one that blind adults have to deal with every day, awkward though it may be.

re: Potty Training Myself

BR — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 05:15:43 GMT

Megg- I was just enlightened the other day, sitting on a toilet isn't exactly the most natural or intuitive way for us to potty. In my work with kids I've seen time and again the squat in the corner with the diaper and the bending over the knees on the potty to align the body in a more natural way. Perhaps the peeing while standing is a product of the angle at which the toilet places her body? I may try bending over and trying to touch toes, maybe returning to a separate potty where a position like squatting could be created with the feet on the floor... or my current personal attempts include putting my feet up on a stool to get my knees above my hips.

en.wikipedia.org/.../Defecation_posture

Also, I'd probably opt to over-wipe than to under, so perhaps a number/folding ritual in the distant future?

She's blessed to have a mommy like you who wonders, worries and cares so much. Good luck!

re: Potty Training Myself

Rae — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 04:21:07 GMT

Oh Em Gee. I never would have thought about what to do when she starts her period. I feel your pain. At least that's probably something posted somewhere on some forums? Hopefully? Yes?

re: Potty Training Myself

Tricia — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:43:59 GMT

Holy cow!! Gigi is the cutest little one ever!! I'm sure you two will figure everything out just fine...

re: Potty Training Myself

renee — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:43:30 GMT

Hate to be the party pooper (ha ha), but the flushable wipes really aren't flushable. Our local water district issued a warning a couple of years ago that if we didn't stop flushing those things they were going to have to replace all their filters, to the tune of $3 million, or something like that. What they actually said was to flush nothing but waste and toilet paper, prompting an anxious discussion on my moms-group forum: do they really mean NO TAMPONS? I think the advisory was just written by a man.

All that said, I agree that your question is a perfectly reasonable one, but that you will probably be doing a bonus wipe or two for several years...

re: Potty Training Myself

Naomi — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:19:04 GMT

Wow, wiping is something I didn't even think about when I heard you were potty training GiGi! I would say the same as Joanie, don't worry about the wiping just yet, at this age you just want them to be able to poop on the toilet, then when they're done, you get them to bend over the bath or whatever, then wipe it yourself, at least for a year after they're done - and then they still don't wipe properly... Gabe still doesn't at times (but no, I'm not still wiping his butt at 8, that would be gross!)... I'd say the same as Rae too, get the flushable wipes and go from there... Then you won't have to worry too much until she starts her period, oy vey!

re: Potty Training Myself

Rae — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 03:31:42 GMT

I'm not really sure how to actually teach someone visually impaired how to tell when everything is..er..clean. But I believe that there are pre-moistened FLUSHABLE (yay!) wipes that are out there, somewhere. Maybe find something like that and start a ritual of wipe, fold, wipe again? Rinse and repeat. Not literally.

re: Potty Training Myself

Joanie — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:05:03 GMT

That is a really good question. I haven't actually taught my daughter how to wipe after she poops. I just tell her to bend over and I do it myself. It hadn't even occurred to me to teach her that yet -- but, like you, I'm kind of stymied by the potty training stuff.

re: Potty Training Myself

amanda — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:08:19 GMT

I have to tell you, I don't think that's something you should innately know as a parent of a visually-impared child - it's a REALLY good question! Maybe it's a question for a doctor? Wherever you find the answer, you are in no way an idiot for not automatically knowing the answer! Sounds like GiGi is doing great at potty training too!