Updated: March 30, 2021
Originally Published: July 18, 2015
The moment you fear the most when out in public? “Mommy, I need to go potty!” You can’t let your little one have an accident, especially when you’re miles from home and the nearest restroom is in a parking garage two floors up. You have to take your tiny human, with a bladder the size of a juice box, to the public restroom.
What’s the fuss? Everyone else does it without a second thought. Sure, that’s true. But navigating this experience with a potty-training toddler is like running a marathon with no finish line in sight. When it comes to public restrooms, everything that could possibly go wrong will go wrong—thanks to the delightful unpredictability of toddlers. Here’s why:
Bag Management
Even if I could leave my bag with my partner, I can’t. Why? Because I’m burdened with all the essentials: reward candy, stickers (to cover those pesky sensors), hand sanitizer, disinfectant spray, and let’s not forget flushable wipes. But what if the restroom lacks a hook? I’m left with no choice but to strap my enormous bag over my shoulder or risk it touching the germ-ridden floor.
The Toilet Situation
No amount of toilet covers or carefully placed toilet paper can protect you or your wiggly child from the germs, dry pee stains, and perhaps even unsightly marks on the seat. It feels like you might as well be mopping up the mess with your child’s tiny backside and flimsy paper towels. Do Hazmat suits come with butt zippers?
Automatic Flushers
You know the phrase “scare the pants off them”? Well, it doesn’t apply here, especially when your little one gets splashed unexpectedly by an automatic flusher. The loud noises and sudden water surprises can scare even the bravest toddler, making them instantly decide they don’t need to go anymore.
Hand Dryers
Toddlers and loud hand dryers have a mutual fear that rivals that of dogs and vacuum cleaners. Thanks to the eco-friendly lack of paper towels, your child will probably refuse to dry their soapy hands under the noisy contraption that looks like it could bite. So, you’re left holding their slippery hands or watching them wipe their hands on your pants.
The Trash Can
If there’s a trash can in the restroom, your child will find a way to touch it, used tampons and all. It’s always conveniently within reach, perpetually ajar, and filled with things you’d never want them to touch. But to a toddler, it’s a treasure chest of wonders (and maybe a used balloon).
The Great Escape
When you finally decide to use the toilet yourself, your toddler suddenly becomes a master of escape routes. They’ll try to grab the shoes of the person in the stall next to you, peek into the neighboring stall to chat with the unsuspecting woman, and inevitably discover how to unlock those pesky stall doors. Ever chased your toddler out of a public restroom with your pants down? Yeah, me neither.
To Use the Handicap Stall or Not
Trying to fit myself, my child, a giant bag, and a trash can into a tiny stall is a recipe for chaos. Sometimes, what shouldn’t go in the toilet ends up in there. The handicap stall is like a luxury suite—ample space, a place to set the bag, and sometimes even a sink just for us. But the guilt lingers: did someone who truly needed it just walk in? Will I leave to find a line of people waiting for that one stall?
But if it means a quicker, less germ-infested trip to the restroom with a toddler, I’m willing to risk the bathroom etiquette backlash.
For more insights into parenting challenges, especially during pregnancy, check out this excellent resource on pregnancy and home insemination at Healthline. And if you’re looking for ways to boost fertility supplements, don’t miss our blog here. If you’re curious about at-home insemination kits, explore our top recommendations here.
In summary, taking a toddler to a public restroom is a true test of patience and endurance. From managing a large bag to navigating unexpected messes, it’s a chaotic adventure that every parent can relate to.
Keyphrase: Toddler public restroom experience
Tags: [“home insemination kit” “home insemination syringe” “self insemination”]