Recognising the urge to go, pulling his or her Pull-Ups® Underpants down and then actually going on the potty are the first fundamentals of toilet training a child must master, but it doesn’t stop there. A lesson that is sometimes overlooked by parents is teaching the child the proper way to wipe with toilet paper, which is front to back.

A fun way to teach the concepts of “front” and “back” is by playing games with the child. When they know what the terms actually mean, they will be better able to understand when you explain how to wipe themselves after they go to the toilet or potty.

• Food Fun: Place boxes of food and cans of food on the kitchen table. Time your child and see how long it takes them to turn all the boxes and cans where the front faces one way. Then, disorganize them again and see how long it takes him to turn all the backs of the cans and boxes facing the same way. Can he beat his time?
• And Here’s My Front: Have your child stand in front of you. When you say “front” he has to turn his front to you. Same with the back. If he’s already facing that way, he has to jump in place. How fast can you call these out without him doing the wrong move?
• The Wrong Way Hunt: Walk around the house and turn a few items around so the back is facing out. For example, a clock, picture frame, decorative item, etc. Have your child walk around the house and see how many he can find.

Now that your child has the concept down, show him how to properly wipe the next time he goes to the potty or toilet. Explain that this keeps him or her cleaner and reduces the risk of infections.