As frequent readers are aware (all three of you), that for the past couple of months we have been potty training Aubrey and as with all kids she has days of brilliance and moments of frustration but for the most part I would say she is potty trained. Our work is not completed but we are well on the way to her being able to function in society without having to constantly carry an extra set of clothes as an adult.
When Aubrey was in diapers and especially now that she is using the potty, I have a few rules that I try to follow when in public with the kids.
1. I Love LA and Our Kids
2. I Will NOT Take Aubrey to public restrooms
3. I Will NOT Take Wyatt to public restrooms to change a diaper or when old enough to do number 2
4. Refer to Number 1
I try to be a good father and help out with the kids as much as possible and haven't frowned about doing many of the tasks thus far. However, I have tried to draw a line on this topic. It's not that I am some obsessive compulsive, germ freek about public restrooms but I do have some issues especially the toilet seat and having to sit on it. There are a very few select locations throughout the Lowcountry that have passed my inspection and unless there is an emergency, I am sticking to taking care of my business at my house.
The reasons this applies to me taking our kids to public restrooms are the same. If your a girl, you wouldn't understand because you haven't been into a Men's restroom. Guys couldn't hit the toilet if it was the size of the Grand Canyon and don't think that because there are urinals (Guys can't hit them much better and then you have to contend with splatter) it is any better because the first rule for a guy is to see if the stall is open regardless if it is number 1 or 2. If it is for number 1 and the seat is down you don't touch it, you attempt to see if you can not hit the seat which is always a failure and then you multiply by the number of users and you have a place where DHEC could be called daily and that is enough reason for me not to want me or my kids to come in contact with the seat or anything within reach. (A couple of weeks ago while dining downtown at Hall's Chophouse (which is now on the top of my list of best steakhouses - expensive, yes but worth every penny - the money is in the Aged Prime beef (less than 3% of all beef is Prime)) I went into the bathroom and they had an old time urinal that went from the floor up to about 5 feet and in the bottom it was full of ice. I was unsure of what to make of the ice so I used the other toilet. I was so intrigued with the ice that I asked the bartender (which made my wife look at me like I was crazy). The ice is to help with the smell and was used a lot before air conditioning. A gentlemen at the bar said it was quite common up north and went on the tell me that your supposed to see how much you can melt of the ice and that in the old days there used to be a trough with ice at the bar so you didn't have to leave, you just stood up and did your business - I am all about friends hanging out at the bar but that is about 1 step further than I want to go with our friendship. I am glad we have bathrooms now days.) To summarize my thought on the majority Men's restrooms - dirty thus why I do not want to take Aubrey or Wyatt in there. I will take Wyatt in for number 1 when he is able because he won't be able to hurt anything or make it any worse.
As with all rules there are sometimes exceptions, on occasion do to the circumstances beyond my control, I have had to take Aubrey to the restroom. In an effort to avoid the Men's bathroom, I have been taking her to the Women's bathroom. She doesn't need to be in the Men's bathroom that's just creating a bad example that could come back to haunt us and it could emotionally scar her for life. It's my opinion, that it isn't worth taking the chance. You understand my point, right? I always new it was nicer, always wondered what was on the other side of the door but I never had the proof. What so great that they would actually line up to use it. Now, I have the proof and it is much nicer in the Women's. The Men's is all about quantity. How many and how quickly can we get them in and out. The Women's is about creating an experience and comfort. However, what I have learned is that are women territorial. Now that someone has cracked the code, you wouldn't believe the looks and the groans and the verbal abuse I am taking. I point to Aubrey and tell them to deal with it and ask them for a better solution (which the say "take her to the Men's" and I politely ask them to walk with me to the Men's and they can find out for themselves why I am in their space with my daughter). I am pretty sure Aubrey shouldn't be hearing the names they are calling me AND I am pretty sure the if a women entered the Men's restroom, we wouldn't treat her the way I have been treated. The restrooms with less traffic cause the fewest problems except for occasionally bumping into a woman on the way in or out and then you just get the look and sometimes just a friendly "opps" on my part solves any problems and avoids a confrontation. I am respectful, I wait my turn and don't ever go in without Aubrey that would just be weird, a man standing in the Women's bathroom. I am beginning to think this is frowned upon.
Okay, so I haven't taken Aubrey to the Women's restroom but it has crossed my mind a few times and even just handing her off to a stranger walking into the Women's to take her to the restroom doesn't seem like a terrible idea. We are working on the her using the bathroom in the pike position. LA learned this little parenting trick when she took our friends daughter to the bathroom and she new better than to let her sit on the seat and she even new better and showed Miss Leigh-Ann how her mommy and daddy would take her and she proceeded to get into the pike position with her legs parallel to the toilet - impressive. We actually got to try that the other day on the way to Lodge when Aubrey told us she had to go potty and we pulled off the side of the road. We have learned that if she tells you she got to go then you better listen and you better have a plan.
Come to think of it, maybe, the diapers weren't so bad after all.
When Aubrey was in diapers and especially now that she is using the potty, I have a few rules that I try to follow when in public with the kids.
1. I Love LA and Our Kids
2. I Will NOT Take Aubrey to public restrooms
3. I Will NOT Take Wyatt to public restrooms to change a diaper or when old enough to do number 2
4. Refer to Number 1
I try to be a good father and help out with the kids as much as possible and haven't frowned about doing many of the tasks thus far. However, I have tried to draw a line on this topic. It's not that I am some obsessive compulsive, germ freek about public restrooms but I do have some issues especially the toilet seat and having to sit on it. There are a very few select locations throughout the Lowcountry that have passed my inspection and unless there is an emergency, I am sticking to taking care of my business at my house.
The reasons this applies to me taking our kids to public restrooms are the same. If your a girl, you wouldn't understand because you haven't been into a Men's restroom. Guys couldn't hit the toilet if it was the size of the Grand Canyon and don't think that because there are urinals (Guys can't hit them much better and then you have to contend with splatter) it is any better because the first rule for a guy is to see if the stall is open regardless if it is number 1 or 2. If it is for number 1 and the seat is down you don't touch it, you attempt to see if you can not hit the seat which is always a failure and then you multiply by the number of users and you have a place where DHEC could be called daily and that is enough reason for me not to want me or my kids to come in contact with the seat or anything within reach. (A couple of weeks ago while dining downtown at Hall's Chophouse (which is now on the top of my list of best steakhouses - expensive, yes but worth every penny - the money is in the Aged Prime beef (less than 3% of all beef is Prime)) I went into the bathroom and they had an old time urinal that went from the floor up to about 5 feet and in the bottom it was full of ice. I was unsure of what to make of the ice so I used the other toilet. I was so intrigued with the ice that I asked the bartender (which made my wife look at me like I was crazy). The ice is to help with the smell and was used a lot before air conditioning. A gentlemen at the bar said it was quite common up north and went on the tell me that your supposed to see how much you can melt of the ice and that in the old days there used to be a trough with ice at the bar so you didn't have to leave, you just stood up and did your business - I am all about friends hanging out at the bar but that is about 1 step further than I want to go with our friendship. I am glad we have bathrooms now days.) To summarize my thought on the majority Men's restrooms - dirty thus why I do not want to take Aubrey or Wyatt in there. I will take Wyatt in for number 1 when he is able because he won't be able to hurt anything or make it any worse.
As with all rules there are sometimes exceptions, on occasion do to the circumstances beyond my control, I have had to take Aubrey to the restroom. In an effort to avoid the Men's bathroom, I have been taking her to the Women's bathroom. She doesn't need to be in the Men's bathroom that's just creating a bad example that could come back to haunt us and it could emotionally scar her for life. It's my opinion, that it isn't worth taking the chance. You understand my point, right? I always new it was nicer, always wondered what was on the other side of the door but I never had the proof. What so great that they would actually line up to use it. Now, I have the proof and it is much nicer in the Women's. The Men's is all about quantity. How many and how quickly can we get them in and out. The Women's is about creating an experience and comfort. However, what I have learned is that are women territorial. Now that someone has cracked the code, you wouldn't believe the looks and the groans and the verbal abuse I am taking. I point to Aubrey and tell them to deal with it and ask them for a better solution (which the say "take her to the Men's" and I politely ask them to walk with me to the Men's and they can find out for themselves why I am in their space with my daughter). I am pretty sure Aubrey shouldn't be hearing the names they are calling me AND I am pretty sure the if a women entered the Men's restroom, we wouldn't treat her the way I have been treated. The restrooms with less traffic cause the fewest problems except for occasionally bumping into a woman on the way in or out and then you just get the look and sometimes just a friendly "opps" on my part solves any problems and avoids a confrontation. I am respectful, I wait my turn and don't ever go in without Aubrey that would just be weird, a man standing in the Women's bathroom. I am beginning to think this is frowned upon.
Okay, so I haven't taken Aubrey to the Women's restroom but it has crossed my mind a few times and even just handing her off to a stranger walking into the Women's to take her to the restroom doesn't seem like a terrible idea. We are working on the her using the bathroom in the pike position. LA learned this little parenting trick when she took our friends daughter to the bathroom and she new better than to let her sit on the seat and she even new better and showed Miss Leigh-Ann how her mommy and daddy would take her and she proceeded to get into the pike position with her legs parallel to the toilet - impressive. We actually got to try that the other day on the way to Lodge when Aubrey told us she had to go potty and we pulled off the side of the road. We have learned that if she tells you she got to go then you better listen and you better have a plan.
Come to think of it, maybe, the diapers weren't so bad after all.
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