Need Help "Reminding" 6-Year-old to Flush...

My daughter started doing this recently, and only her bathroom. Issue for me is SHE IS 12!!

I started making her clean the toilet every time she forgets. She has to flush the pee, use the cleaner (I use a very dilluted dish soap) and the brush and clean the toilet. If I catch the bathroom that way, she has to stop what she's doing and clean.

So far after 2 weeks she no longer forgets to flush!

For a younger child I might have done the reward system for remembering, but my daughter is 12 and she doesn't need a reward for flushing the toilet!

I know what you mean, except my son shares our bathroom. I make him stop what he's doing and come back to flush every.single.time. "I don't like to see a pee toilet... that's not my pee. So go right now and take care of it please."

You could either use a carrot, a stick, or a radical action.

Carrot: Make it sort of fun. "We have a problem with you forgetting to flush your pee, and our bathroom gets stinky. Each day, I'm going to go into your bathroom two or three times, and I won't tell you when. If the toilet is flushed, then you have earned a (dot, star, whatever mark) on this paper here. When you have fifty (that's about 2 weeks-- you want it to be long enough to change the habit so flushing becomes automatic) then you can choose (an outing/family activity...not a toy or possession). " We use a chart like this with our son for behavior/attitude and it works well. This will help him WANT to flush because it's in his best interest.

Stick: Cleaning up the bathroom each and every time you find pee, but only check once a day.

Radical action: take away his 'own' bathroom privileges. I'd try this as a last effort "wow, you really are having a hard time with this and we don't want a stinky house, so we need to close your bathroom until you can remember to take care of it."

Creative option: "Honey, you are needing help to remember to flush. What sort of thing can you make to help yourself remember? A sign?" He might have some ideas.

I'd be grossed out, too.

Add me to the make-him-clean-the-bathroom-every-time-you-find-the-toilet-unflushed bandwagon. Even if that means he cleans it several times a day.

Here's what you do. Make him clean the toilet everyday. He doesn't leave the bathroom until he does it, in front of you. After a week of this, he will never leave the bathroom without flushing.

You need to get tough. The fact that he refuses to do what you have told him to do is the biggest problem here. You need to nip this in the bud.

Well every timr you go in n its not flushed make him clean the bathroom. Wipe it down clean toilet sweep/swiffer floors n maybe he will get the idea

Why not put a sign on the back of the door with a picture of a toilet flushing with big letters reminding him to flush? If he's truly just forgetting, that should help. If he is flat refusing to do it, then I agree with making him clean the toilet himself.

Make him clean the bathroom, every single time. Or, designate his bathroom off limits since he can't remember a basic part of potty training, flushing, he loses the privilege of having his own bathroom facilities. Either one should get his attention fast. Be prepared to be consistent, you slack off, guess what? Once he's remembering go back to the consequence the first time he "forgets."

Well, my son is 12!!! and he has his 'own' bathroom and used to not flush. I did a combination of the suggestions below. 1) he cleans the toilet and 2) since nobody but him uses it, I hung a sign that says FLUSH!!. I also keep some spray cleaner & a roll of paper towels next to the toilet for when his sprinkles.

Some could argue that it's better not to flush for pee every time, because you use less water. We have our daughter in the habit of flushing every time, but hubby and I actually do not flush every time for pee either. But neither is it sitting for 3 days. Maybe make sure he at least flushes the toilet before he goes to bed as part of his bedtime routine? As in, brush teeth, use potty, then flush potty.

put a note on the tank of the toilet or on the bathroom door

My youngest is now 11 and will forget some. We only have one bathroom so it will not sit that long. I agree with Cheerful M make him clean it.

I don't see the problem. For environmental/financial reasons we practice "selective flushing" here, so I would be glad if my guys didn't flush. I just go around an make sure toilets are flushed if they are smelly, and I clean them.

All my kids flush.Sucks for you.

We have two bathrooms and most of the kids use the smaller rest room my son is 5 and his urine has a strong smell from time to time. So my oldest made a sign with his name on it with bright color markers and put FLUSH ME in all caps. We also made a token system and every time the kids did something on their list they got tokens and in return we praised them for doing a good job and not having to remind them eventually. The kids would get to turn in their tokens for different prizes such as having a friend stay the night, picking dinner, going out somewhere for dinner, things like that.

Add to his daily routine to check it each morning and night. My 7 year old forgets too, but at least it doesn't sit all day. I also have added checking it to my routine as well...just in case he misses it. ;)