I have a dilemma. My first dilemma is that it took me like 3 tries to figure out how to spell dilemma. Now I know. Kassidy's teacher will be proud, I'm sure. Anyway, here's my dilemma and I'm hoping someone out there can help me since I've never had this problem before... though with 4 kids, you'd think I would have.
In the last week I've gone through five rolls of toilet paper. FIVE. MAYBE one of those rolls has been used appropriately. One, you can see here thanks to Keeghan. Another one was lost this way thanks to Kennedy. The last two have been flushed, a roll at a time, by a certain five year old we all know and love.
Here are my issues not to be confused with tissues:
1. I can't close the door. Kennedy needs to be able to get in there to go potty and she has problems with door knobs.
2. Kennedy doesn't always announce when she's going potty so I can't always follow her in there to make sure she's not throwing the whole roll into the toilet.
3. While Kennedy knows that throwing the toilet paper on the floor is wrong, she IS actually wiping when she throws it in the toilet and therefore to HER, it's NOT wrong. When I went to wipe her last night she told me NO that she already did and proudly showed me the WHOLE roll of toilet paper in the toilet as proof. *sigh* So I can't really get upset with her for that.
I've tried to show her how to break off just a few squares, but she can't seem to get the hang of it, and if Keeghan happens to wander in there while she is in there, peer pressure hits and disaster strikes! SO I know there's an easy solution to this because I can't be the first mom to encounter this problem, so what is it? If it's a solution that could transition to school, I'm sure her teacher would thank you too! If all else fails, I guess I could always try this:
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32 comments:
We had the same problem (I can't spell either so I will use this word!)
We used those flushable wipes and they solved the problem. They are pricey, but don't get wasted like TP does.
Hope that helps and good luck!
Dena :~)
Too Funny!
The whole roll thing and breaking off the 'right' amount seems to be an artform to children....one that needs to be practiced often! What about separating pieces (I know this will take time!) and help her count a few pieces out. What about using actual tissues for a while (can you still find tissue without lotions, perfumes etc?) so she can pull a few out as she needs? Never a dull moment in your house!
Renee - I am the teacher who emailed you last week (thought I should explain who this random commenter was)...Just thinking of how I have taught/toilet trained 2 students in my class (They also coincidentally did similar actions - One use the whole roll the other only used 1 square - could be a little messy!). I think one thing we did was unroll (yes it is time consuming but sometimes necessary) the whole roll and then every 5th square or so place the letter of choice (we used name letters as this was a goal for the student). Then they know where to tear the paper. I have also pre-cut/seperated into a basket the appropriate size pieces so when they pull the end, they only get a certain amt. At my house, I have also used the flushables...for those messy bathroom issues (my kids thought using the whole roll meant that they were clean then!). The moisture felt like a washcloth and I guess helped them feel better about the cleaning job.
P.S. I only have boys so the wiping after going #1 isn't as much of an issue.
I don't know if any of these will work for Kennedy/Keeghan but I wish you luck!
Katie
Renee... Have you seen the toilet paper with the doggie footprints? Basically you show them to tear off the footprints until they get to the next dog. Only use one dog to wipe your butt. We didn't need them but we got a pack by mistake. It's pretty cool, actually.
Crystal Vernon
www.caringbridge.org/visit/jacksonvernon
Thats what I need. I never thought with all boys I would have a toilet paper problem. Wrong.
No matter what you do, it will take time. I've found NO method works here--LOL. Yes, we've tried the count the squares, used the doggie tp from charmin, & anything else you can think of. Nothing works. Get this...drumroll here...we use 48 rolls of tp per week!!! Did you hear that?! We only have 7 kids but they'll go through a couple rolls a day. 2 have a habit of smooshing it to tiny pieces and then wiping. Like magicians shoving it in their hands. URGHH. I tried NOT buying tp one day and that nightmare was worse. We have a septic system here. Papertowels did not do well w/ septic systems. So, if you figure this one out, please enlighten us all as I'm sure we're not the only ones--LOL. My teens have finally reached a point of knowing the right amount. Good luck.
Stephanie--mom to 7 special kiddos!!!
I just keep being reminded of those pesky tp dispensers that you find in public places. You know, the ones that break off the freakin' tp every 1/2 a square or so and you sit there forever trying to get enough out to wipe with?!? I wonder if there is anything out there for regular households. I never really had this problem with my kids, so I'm sorry I'm not much help! lol
I have no idea. I was just going to say when I was babysitting these identical Twin girls (same age as Kennedy), and we were in the bathroom getting ready for bed (not me, just them) they would go potty, and they would count the TP sheets, they were like 1, 2, 3, 4. It was so cute. And when one would cry the other would comfort her!
Ooooh...I just got an idea (oddly enough when I just ran to the potty! lol). What if you put something on the door frame that "dings" (motion detected) or something when someone goes in there. That way you'll be aware when someone is in the bathroom and you can check on it. I now it's a pain, but at least you might be more apt to catch someone before they put the whole roll in the toilet! Just a suggestion...
I'm also going to suggest the flushable wipes. Either that, or actual tissues if she doesn't like the feel of wet wipes? Tell her she gets no more than 3 each time she goes potty, and make it a game to count them each time.
They make (or did at one point) kid's toilet paper with some sort of animal, a dog I think. Anyway it has a picture of paw prints and the kids unroll until they reach the dog, then tear off there. I wonder if you can still find it...
Found it!
http://www.amazon.com/Cottonelle-Kids-Toilet-Paper-Double/dp/B002CN03QY/ref=pd_sbs_hpc_4
I love the rolls of TP, that is what I need at my house....we go through over a roll and ahalf on any given day...not being wasted like your sweet little Ks. Anyway,could you tear off a few strips and leave them on the counter for when she has to go. Iv'e done that before when my girls were smaller but they still went on their own. Other than that I really don't have a solution
So glad you said something about this....thought maybe it was just my kiddos who wasted tp! I have absolutely no idea how to fix this problem. Let me know if you find something that works!
How about putting a small basket/plastic pencil box on the back of the toilet where Kennedy can reach it (and have her decorate her own TP box) and every night make sure there are at least 5 (10? however many times a little one of that size goes in a day) sets of 3 or 4 square pieces of toilet paper already torn and placed in the box. If you check it each night, I bet you'd only have to tear a few more to replace the ones she used. Then keep the toilet paper roll up high. =) Go through the concept of how many she needs to use each night while tearing the new pieces and afer awhile maybe it would imprint on her.
I say hold the TP hostage and make them call to you for it whenever they go to the bathroom and you can hand them the proper amount!!
I don't really have a solution for you - but I can relate to the toilet woes...Read here
http://annabananapants.blogspot.com/2009/03/will-it-flush.html
,and here
http://annabananapants.blogspot.com/2009/05/will-she-flush.html
Fortunately, I think Paige is outgrowing her potty fascination - but every now and then I lose a roll of tp.
Good luck!
Finally I'm back on a computer where I can comment!
We use the cottonelle (yeah so didn't spell that right) wipes. They come up out of the container one at a time and usually one is all you need. Just a thought.
toilet paper runs our lives. who knows where it all goes, ooh i do, the kids use it for everything but what it should be used for. i do love the picture of with that many rolls of toilet paper. i may be willing to try that if we ever move out of military housing
lol!!! We use the disposable wipes because we have the issue of how may squares to tear off too. They work great!
We don't have this issue at the moment. But, I reall like Katie's idea about tearing off a certain amount of pieces and putting a letter or something in between how much a child should need at one time! That is a GREAT idea!
I have no ideas of my own to share. This is one issue that we're not having...yet(I probably just jinxed myself!). Make sure you share whatever ideas you try...and if anything works.
Otherwise, my best advice is to buy the cheap toilet paper from the PX for the kids to use and keep the "good stuff" up high!!!!
Clotrh wipes, if you can get them to drop them into a bucket and not flush them, lol. It's easier for my 5 and 3yo boys to handle and wipe withva cloth wipe than a wad of TP....most of ours ended up in the trash, unused. Cloth it is! DH keeps the TP for himself, hidden under the sink.
Have you tried the flushable wipes?
I just have to say I love your post! I don't remember how I found it but I'm hooked! I have a five year old little boy with mosciac Downs Syndrome! But back to your question. I think it is charmin that makes a toilet paper that actually has like puppy paw prints on it that allows a child to tell when they have enough tore off. They also make kid friendly flushable wipes. Sometimes you can even find them in a pack together!
I have been thinking this will soon be a problem for us too. I googled it..
http://www.kidsafeinc.com/product/48413/Toilet_Paper_Guard.html
Worth a try?
Now that's bad. I am the only person that changes toilet rolls around here [ empty for new] ......there again......that would gain me a little fall out time.
Cheers
Too cute! Have you tried counting how many squares she should use? It would take some repetition, but I used this with one little guy I was teaching to use the potty and wipe. We just used the same amount of squares for both #1 and #2, so there wouldn't be any added confusion. Then, we used the same number of repetitions, until he got the hang of it (ie, the number of times the squares were to be torn off and the number of wipes). Or, you could just hide the rolls. ;0)
Could you have Kass and Kam model for the little ones how much TP to use at a time?
Actually, for the size of your family, I don't think five rolls in one week is bad. We probably go through that and we only have 2 adults and 2 kids in our family.
I still have this problem with my 7 yr old! But the opposite she wants to use ONE square to wipe.. YUCK! So we recently taught her that when the TP unrolls and touchs the floor you rip it off and wipe.
Maybe you could keep the roll up high where the little ones can't get it, and put a box of kleenex down low for Ken. It may be easier to teach her the idea of just plucking one kleenex out of the box. Of course there are no guarantees what Keeghan might do with it, and kleenex is more expensive, but...
You need to get a hand held bathroom bidet sprayer and then you won't ever have to worry about running out of toilet paper again. With these you can use a towel to just dry off (yes your own personal towel for those with no imagination) and it's much more sanitary. I think Dr. Oz on Oprah said it best: "if you had pee or poop on your hand, you wouldn't wipe it off with paper, would you? You'd wash it off" It makes cleaning the toilet itself a breeze also. For those of us who really like to be clean it is the best invention since the toilet. It is so much better than a stand alone bidet and this is why: 1. It's less expensive (potentially allot less) 2. You can install in yourself = no plumber expense 3. It works better by providing more control of where the water spray goes and a greater volume of water flow. 4. It requires no electricity and there are few things that can go wrong with it. 5. It doesn't take up any more space, many bathrooms don't have room for a stand alone bidet. 6. You don’t have to get up and move from the toilet to the bidet which can be rather awkward at times to say the least. Available at http://www.bathroomsprayers.com
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