I probably did the wrong thing. HELP!

amother ↓

Wed, Dec 30 2009, 1:59 am

My son is 3 yrs old, has been potty training very casually since his b-day, 3 months ago, but in the last few weeks has been really catching on. He's still in diapers, but 2/3 times at home he will tell me he needs to go to the potty which is so great. (He's had major language delay, so the fact that he is really communicating this to us now is huge). And he's been doing well at his preschool too.

Okay, so today I took him to a museum. In the middle of the museum he tells me he needs to go #2. I was really proud of him and grabbed his hand and took off running for the restroom. Rushed in with the intentions of getting him on that toilet as fast as I could. But I just could not manage it. I was holding my wallet, phone and museum map. There was no hook to hang things, no clean surface to place anything. I tried to get him out of his pants and diaper and on the seat while holding all this. Couldn't do it. Got some paper towels, laid them on the floor, put all my stuff on top of that. Got the pants and diaper off and then realized that clean diapers were in the car so I would have to keep this one clean or let him go without. Moved diaper to my pile on the floor. Then I see the seat is filthy. I start cleaning it with paper towels, then try to layer more paper towels on top so he doesn't have to sit on a gross diseased seat. When I lift him onto the seat, his tzitzis nearly fall into the toilet and all the towel paper shifts and falls. I stand him back up, start re-doing the paper on the seat - he runs away. I realize this isn't going to work, put his diaper back on, pull up his pants, tell him I am really proud that he told me he needs to use the toilet but that this bathroom was too yucky and he should just go in his diaper. embarrassed

I feel that I definitely must have handled this all wrong, though frankly I am not sure what I should have done differently. I want to be prepared for our next outing. Please, experience mommies - I need your help!!!

Marion

Wed, Dec 30 2009, 3:45 am

1. Diaper bag. Holds clean diapers, wipes (faster, if you insist on cleaning the seat first), your wallet, phone, and probably has a spot you can dump the map into. If you have a small backpack that works, and then you also don't have to find where to put it; it just stays on and out of the way.

2. If he's really reliable 2/3 of the time I'd move him into underwear. If you insist on diapers, use Pull-Ups. (I don't use Pull-Ups, as I think they're a waste of money...I'd rather do the laundry.) They go up and down faster than unfastening/fastening a diaper.

3. We recently moved from sitting to standing...takes much less time to get him into position to pee standing...obviously won't work if he needs #2, but works well for #1.

sarahd

Wed, Dec 30 2009, 6:16 am

amother wrote:

When I lift him onto the seat, his tzitzis nearly fall into the toilet

It's my understanding that children shouldn't be given tzitzis to wear until they're completely toilet trained (by day).

I can certainly see your scenario happening to me, btw. My son did manage to get trained with all my goofups, though. I am girding my loins for the next round of training.

↑ amother

Wed, Dec 30 2009, 11:24 am

OP here. Thank you for the replies.

First, yes there are different opinions regarding tzitzis before being fully toilet trained and the opinion we follow is that you get them at 3rd b-day, period.

Second, a diaper bag would have been somewhat helpful but I have been avoiding schlepping around a diaper bag because my back hurts. When I go out with all the kids, or with the babies, I have the stroller and hang it on the stroller, but alone with my 3 yr old I try not to take it. I have full supplies (diapers, wipes, change of clothes, etc.) in my car for emergencies.

I love the portable toilet seat idea. I assume it's quite light weight. I will check it out, and maybe also find a light-weight tote that I can carry that with one diaper and a few wipes that wont hurt my back. Maybe some Clorox wipes would be good too to wipe down the portable seat when we are done? I can;t imagine putting it back in my bag all filthy.

I still feel very bad about the crazy experience in the bathroom. He doesn't seem mixed up about it, he's still using his little potty at home. But I just feel badly.

abismommy

Wed, Dec 30 2009, 2:00 pm

You're not terrible - BTDT, & they all still learned where to do what needs to be done. Just make sure to do what natmichal says - remind them that they're supposed to use the toilet and that what happened in the museum was an exception.

But as an aside, I just saw these Potty Toppers in Babies R Us, & it sounds like a great idea.
I also have a foldable hard seat that I bought a long time ago - like 10 years or so - and I use that sometimes too.