Having to use a public restroom for yourself when you are out with the kids is quite a chore. When they are infants, you at least know they are restrained in the carrier and can’t touch anything yucky or stick their heads under the stall wall to peak next door. And by the time they’ve reached preschool age, they are potty trained themselves and know all about the “rules” of public restrooms; a simple reminder to not touch anything and not bother anyone else who may be in there is all that’s needed.
But then there’s that middle ground – the toddler years. Constantly on the move and too young to be expected to follow directions, you dread having to take them in with you. Thursday I found myself in that situation when at Hobby Lobby. I have a 3:1 ratio when it comes to the number of times I have to pee vs. the number of cups of coffee I’ve consumed. I emptied out twice before preschool drop-off, and hoped to make it through a quick trip to Hobby Lobby before getting back home. Madelyn and I got inside the store and began to shop, but soon I knew I wouldn’t last. I mentally prepared myself for the task I was about to undertake as I pushed the cart up to the restroom door.
There is a whole other set of skills I’ve gained since becoming a mom, and using a public restroom while holding a wriggling toddler with one arm is one of them. Who knew I’d ever need the ability to do things like button my jeans one-handed?
I threw my diaper bag over my shoulder, grabbed Maddie and headed in. I was happy to see the blue water in the toilet bowls and seats raised – a sure sign they were all cleaned and had yet to be used for the day. That also meant I could feel OK about sitting on the seat; tackling public restrooms when you need to squat, hovering over a toilet while holding a wriggling toddler, requires some serious balance and killer quads.
I unbuttoned and unzipped, then shimmied down my jeans. Aah, sweet relief! We had a near-miss with Grabby Maddie and the toilet paper dispenser, but otherwise a pretty positive public potty experience. I got myself put back together, flushed and headed for the door.
I got Maddie back in the cart, administered a few squirts of Purell to each of us and we got back to shopping.
I had conquered another public restroom, and lived to tell about it.
I remember the first time I had to hold Abby when I went to the bathroom. I was so clumsy and she was so wiggly that I was actually sweating by the time I was done! Proud to say that I have now perfected the technique!
[...] Other useful advice: How to use a public restroom with toddlers in tow [...]
there’s nothing worse than a toddler in a bathroom…especially when you go in and the floor is suspiciously wet. Blech.