General Guidelines for Toilet Learning for Girls

Use simple terms when talking to your daughter about urinating and bowel movements. Explain that there are things we do to keep us clean and healthy every time we use the bathroom. Teach your daughter:

• Everyone uses the bathroom to urinate and to have bowel movements.
• Urine and stool have bacteria that you cannot see but sometimes smell bad and can make us sick if we don't practice good hygiene.
• After urinating, use toilet paper (3-4) squares and wipe from front to back.
• After a bowel movement count out squares of toilet paper around (6-8), fold the paper, and wipe away the remaining stool. Tell your daughter that she may need to wipe with more toilet paper 3 or 4 times to be clean. (Flushable wipes are available to make this more efficient. Limit 2 wipes per flush.)
• Your daughter should have a bowel movement regularly, generally between once a day and every few days. If she hasn't had a bowel movement in a few days, she should let a parent know. One way to do this is to keep a tally sheet in the bathroom.
• Always wash your hands with soap and water (15 seconds) after using/touching the toilet.

A Social Story™ about bathroom hygiene may be very effective. It can be titled: "Things we do to keep us clean and healthy every time we use the bathroom."