26 August 2010

i have a potty training question

I haven't dared post about our potty training lately because it is going AWESOME!!!!!! and I am terrified of jinxing that, but today we went on a big outing that actually required being out for a while, which means a

public toilet (shudder, shudder)

had to be quickly located and even worse,

used. (I'm rubbing handsanitizer over my hands for even typing that out....)

Ok, obviously I'm being overly dramatic. But you have to admit that a public restroom toilet is a force to be reckoned with when your newly housebroken three-year-old insists on holding onto the toilet for dear life while doing his business.

What do you moms do about this unsanitary necessity?

I just let him do all the gymnastic maneuvers he had to in order to get the job done- all the while trying not to burst out laughing or barfing- and then I scrubbed those little hands all the way up to his armpits (practically) until kingdom come (or something like that).

What do you do in these scenarios?

Poor oldest children. Their mothers are clueless and makin' it up as they go along.

Please help.

18 comments:

Matt said...

Is your son wearing an Operation Ivy shirt? That's probably the raddest thing I've ever seen.

Unknown said...

Just wash him up and don't worry about it. Generally, public restrooms get cleaned more than anything else (unless you're at the beach or something). There's usually less germs and disease on a toilet seat in a public restroom than on your typical doorknob or handrail on stairs or escalators. Maybe I'm just too nonchalant about it all, though. After two years of toilets in the Phillipines, I haven't once found a public restoom here that truly grossed me out.

Stephanie said...

Yes indeed sir you see that right. :) Our cool friend Marina gave it to him.

snbjork said...

Stephanie, I HATE public restrooms, too. However, I've gotten a little more used to having my son use them as it's been almost two years. I still cringe every time he touches anything in the bathroom. Just do what you did. Wash his hands really well and remind him every time you go in one of those nasty places to not touch anything he doesn't have to. Then just pray that you will learn to get a little less grossed out by it. Or something. Haha! Isn't motherhood grand?

Christina said...

When going for road trips we take one of those little potty's from Ikea with us and take it into the bathroom. If we just happen to be out then Joshua uses the public toilet and we scrub the hands!

Look for family washrooms or even the handicap ones they're usually cleaner.

Audra said...

Yeah that bothered me in the beginning too. You will get over it. I decided not to waste all my energy worrying about the things that are on the toilet. I just wash hands after and continue our day. We seem to be fine and we have used LOTS of public toilets.

sheila said...

oh. that is something that I really hadn't thought about.. yet. I'm interested to see more on what people have to say.

If it is a terrible condition I think I'd rather just go into a bush and do business there.

Rachel said...

Stephanie, next time you stay home from church/have a rainy day, I think you should watch 'Lost in Austen" instantly on Netflix. I've been meaning to tell you. I watched it a month ago. It's a four-part British series. It's just one of those silly, but good movies you watch alone or with two adorable boys....and maybe a husband if he likes romantic fantasy comedies....and don't stop there, try watching 'Merlin' instantly. Just do it.

Rachel said...

p.s and i'm not sure what to do about the public toilet. go behind a hidden bush/tree instead?

Smiths said...

Sanitizer is a mom's best friend, then wash and wash and wash with soap as soon as your home. I totally identify with this and try not to freak my kids out while in my head I'm thinking, "NASTY"!

And the blog about parental worries is kind of my life right now. I'm a hormonal/emotional mess and just keep telling sweet Olivia that we're just doing our best and we love her. That's about all I know.

echo said...

i do what you did. just wash up good. thats the best ya can do really.

Mariko said...

Maybe you can bring your own toilet.

My daughter puts her hands in her mouth when she is sitting on the toilet. I have to be faster than a speeding bullet to stop her. I shudder and then scrape the first layer of skin off her hands and then wash her mouth out with soap (which she does not mind. ARGH.).

ashley said...

just let him hold on for dear life and wash em! i usually try to stand in front of my girls and have them hold on to my leg or shirt, but sometimes they just gotta get gross to get it done. nasty/sick but you don't want to make a big deal of it and scare him from using the public bathrooms, that really makes a problem, nothing worse than a kid who won't go when they have to.


AND- he's a boy, if your anywhere close to a plant, have him point and shoot there. my girls usually prefer to go "water the plants" than use the toilet anyways ;)

good luck sista, glad the training is going good!

liko said...

i'm gagging as i read this, only because my kids do the same thing and i think i may make them OCD about it, but until then, everytime i see them touching the toilet seat (as in gripping for dear life) i freak out! i sometimes slather hand-sanitizer on the seat and wipe it down with toilet paper. or if they have those paper seat covers, those are great. but, when i don't get the chance i make sure they wash their hands and when there's no soap (which is usually the case) then that's when my handy-dandy sanitizer comes into play.

and yay ambrose!!!

liko said...

and yeah, boys can pee in the bush and that's awesome. oh, and if we're at the beach, the ocean works.

Matti said...

You could try the way the lady in the stall next to me tried the other day when I was at hauula beach park. Just shout obscenities at you kid and tell them how stupid and discusting they are. But then someone like me will probably give you stink eye when you walk out of your stall And tell your kid that they really aren't stupid. Personally, having Eden hold my legs works well. Or you can keep a mini spray can of Lysol in your purse.

Hema and Becky said...

I try and carry the little packs of Lysol or Clorox or other wipes like that in my diaper bag and do a quick wipe down of the seat before they hop on. I'm sure it doesn't get it all, but it sure makes me feel better. Then teach him to pee standing up as soon as you can. That helps a ton!

Carrie said...

First I hoist them on the toilet, and then I stand in front and they hold my legs. I try to have them touch as little as possible, and then we saaaaaaaaanitize. And we always flush with the foot, not the hand, but your probably already do that. Good luck! Just watch em so they don't eat anything off the bathroom floor. That really makes your stomach turn.