Hawk sticks it to "The Man."

[zoebird]

So, we are at the security point at the Phila air port.

We get flagged because we are carrying too many liquids (apple sauce for hawk, which we were told, and the paper work says is allowable and we were well under quantity), and so we are pulled to the side to have them go through all the carry on baggage.

No problem, except that then Hawk signals--his poop signal. With the stress, i knew it was going to be a BIG one and a wet one.

I ask the TSA officer if i can take the diaper bag and wet bag, and take him to the toilet just past security. No, because we hadn't been cleared. Can i go to the one that they use that's in the security space? no, that's only for them. Can i take my passport and boarding pass and go to the bathroom before security? No.

so, i say "if he were a 6 yr old, or 36 yr old about to crap himself, would you let him go?" and they said "yes, of course." Agism!


anyway, hawk starts to make the urgent noises and signals--he hates to go in his pants because he loves his new trainers and he likes to pull them up and down.

he's trying so hard, and i say that i am so sorry and that it's ok if he can't hold on.

then he gets creative. grabs one of those tubs and slides it under the table. the guy goes "don't let him muss here!" and i said to him that i would be happy to take him to the toilet.

hawk manages with pants half down--two in the trainer, two big blows in the box. heh.

all over his little legs, shoes, pants. crying. TSA guy freaking out that i "let him muss where they work."

i asked him--how do you stop the poop when you need to go? you don't have a diaper either.

anyway, they took care of the clean up, but i had to carry the dirty baby out of security, down to the bathroom, wash him up, change his socks, wipe down his shoes, get him a new trainer. i rinsed and washed the trainer for the wet bag, and then hand-washed and used the hand dryer to wash his pants (because i packed an extra outfit, btu somehow managed to forget the pants to that outfit in that bag!).

all is well that ends well. but i think the TSA needs to come up with a policy for potty learning kiddos. perhaps they'll think of it now, since hawk pooped in their work space. LOL

and yes, big and wet and all in that bin. LOL

[sgmom]

hahahahaha! Good for Hawk!! I guess the security guys don't have kids.

[mamatobe08]

That's hilarious! I bet that guy never says no to anyone ever again!

[tessie]

I applaud your valiant efforts but wouldn't it be a good idea to use a diaper as backup in situations (like airports) when you might not be able to get to a bathroom quickly?

I can also understand why they wouldn't let someone use the bathroom while undergoing a security check. Not saying it's right or fair, but I can understand why they don't allow it.

[zoebird]

his trainers are basically diapers that he can also pull up and down (due to the elastic). and, when he was in diapers before, he could also get those off with no problem (which is why we decided to move to the trainers).

and personally, i think that infants, elders, people with special needs (medical, disability, etc) should have some special consideration, even in security situations. for example, allowing their "private" bathroom to be access for special needs.

with this, as i stated in the story--he would have let ME go, and he would have let a 6 yr old go, but not a baby because the baby was obviously in a thick training diaper and he figured the baby could just go in that anyway.

so, in security--he would have let other people go, but not DS!

[zoebird]

also, it wasn't my desire at all that he pull down his pants (as i've taught him) to go to the bathroom in the nearest tub he could find. he was trying to be clean and neat and do everything right--even held it as best he could.

how much more could i have asked of a 17 month old child? and seeing as he was in the "antsy pants" trainer (again, like a cloth diaper), i did have him in back up--so what more could *i* have done? i even tried to tell him not to get his pants down, which is why poop ended up all over his own clothing (though luckily, none of mine or DH's or security guards).

and, the one guy was really nice. he felt bad. he called the clean up crew as it was happening, gave DS a sticker (looks like a TSA badge) and just tried to keep everyone calm (he was a good guy, IMO).

[tessie]

Originally Posted by zoebird

he was in a diaper for back up--his trainers are basically diapers that he can also pull up and down (due to the elastic). and, when he was in diapers before, he could also get those off with no problem (which is why we decided to move to the trainers).

so, yes, i was using diaper back up and i even saved three disposables for the 13 hr flight to NZ in case there is another issue. They tend to be more absorbent and less likely to leak.

and personally, i think that infants, elders, people with special needs (medical, disability, etc) should have some special consideration, even in security situations. for example, allowing their "private" bathroom to be access for special needs. a friend of mine has ulcerative colitis and carries a medical card that gives her access to any private (in a public space such as "employees only" or "customers only" bathrooms). She wears adult diapers on long trips just in case, too, but still should be accorded a certain amount of access, imo.

Ah, right, I read trainers as meaning sneakers and thought he pooed in his shoes. But now I know it means a pull up I don't get why it wasn't easier to let him poo in the pull up and clean him up afterwards?

I agree that it would be nice if people with medical conditions could have access to bathrooms if required but I can also understand that it would compromise security.

[zoebird]

that's the point though. people with medical conditions DO. elders DO. children (age above training) DO. even *I* do.

and, as i wrote, i tried to get him to keep the pants up! LOL i even pulled them back up as he was going (causing the fit).

[Kim B Lynn]

LOL this is funny! Maybe not at the time with the mess, but I think it'll make a good story when he's older!

[Pepper44]

He's 17 months old right?

I can't believe the security people didn't let you run to their bathroom right there!

At 17 months old my DD was fully in panties and there's no way she would have pooped in her pants, though I also don't think she would have used a security bin. I don't know what would have happened...I might have just marched in their bathroom anyway, but hard to say since we've never been in that situation.

[Pepper44]

I just read this to my DH and he thought it was hilarious. He said it serves the security people right and hopefully they've learned their lesson and next time they'll respect a potty learning kid!

[Maela]

Great story ZB! Glad to hear you guys are having fun.

[orangecanoe]

I don't really see the humor in this. There is only so much flexibility in the TSA procedures and IME they do try to work as quickly as they can.

[zoebird]

yeah, i know that the TSA works as efficiently as possible and i agree that they were doing the right thing checking our bags and they were doing that efficiently.

what i fail to understand is why they would allow anyone else but a diapered child to go to the bathroom.

also, in the situation, i can only take it with humor. here i was, in a not-very-busy security (it was, afterall, 5:30 am), unable to get my child to the toilet while he is trying to get his pants down to desparately go to the bathroom.

finally, he succeeds (in part), and after the fact, there is a huge mess for everyone to clean up.

if i don't take it with humor, then life would be pretty miserable, no?

and also, other than letting me take him to the bathroom, what else could any of us do? it happened as it happened.

and, i think it is funny. it was just one of those "kids do the darndest things" sort of moments for me.

[zoebird]

also, the TSA in san fran was much easier. they were even less busy when we went through, and they stopped us to check our electronics (computers, ipods). hawk signalled there, and i asked if we could use the bathroom, and they said that i had to use the one pre-security. they walked us out, and then when we were finished, we walked back through.

so honestly, i don't think this is a "general TSA" issue, btu rather a "this TSA guy" issue. the other TSA guy at philly was on top of it--got the clean up crew there quickly, was supportive and friendly, and even helped by carrying the bag that i couldn't manage to the area near the bathroom where i cleaned DS up. this helped to keep me and DH from being covered in poop as well.

so, it's just a funny story. but i suppose not everyone has a sense of humor about poop. LOL

[BlackSheepPDX]

That is an AWESOME story. Serves them right...the TSA "rules" are a bunch of arbitrarily enforced BS. There's no reason they shouldn't have been able to escort you to SOME bathroom and hold your stuff for further security check.

[theboysmama]

Originally Posted by tessie

I applaud your valiant efforts but wouldn't it be a good idea to use a diaper as backup in situations (like airports) when you might not be able to get to a bathroom quickly?

I don't understand this particular attitude. I don't wear a diaper going through security even when I am pg and might not be able to hold it if there is a huge delay (I have had 4 kids after all). I don't put a diaper on my 7 yr old, I don't put a diaper on my 5 yr old, I don't put a diaper on my 3 yr old and I don't put a diaper on my 13 month old but if I tell people I need to take my 13 m old to the potty they wonder why I don't have a diaper on her or why she can't just go in her pants. YOU don't wear a diaper why would you expect that a child should have to wear a diaper. Sorry but that just doesn't make since to me.

I think this is a funny story in the kids do the darnest things kind of way.

[sgmom]

I agree. It seems to be expected that under a certain age, children should just go in their pants. And I think THAT is crap. No pun intended.

[tessie]

Originally Posted by theboysmama

I don't understand this particular attitude. I don't wear a diaper going through security even when I am pg and might not be able to hold it if there is a huge delay (I have had 4 kids after all). I don't put a diaper on my 7 yr old, I don't put a diaper on my 5 yr old, I don't put a diaper on my 3 yr old and I don't put a diaper on my 13 month old but if I tell people I need to take my 13 m old to the potty they wonder why I don't have a diaper on her or why she can't just go in her pants. YOU don't wear a diaper why would you expect that a child should have to wear a diaper. Sorry but that just doesn't make since to me.

People who have control over their bladders and bowels don't need to wear diapers. Even if you really needed to go it would be unlikely that you wouldn't be able to make it to the bathroom in time.

Very young children who aren't fully potty trained/learned don't have that same control. Yes he can sign that he needs the potty but he can't hold it for long enough to make it to that bathroom. And sometimes you're in a situation where you can't immediately find a bathroom or a suitable place to potty a child. What if you're boarding the plane, halfway down the aisle and blocked in on all sides? Or on the bus on the way to the plane.

Why is it better to let a child poo all over the floor and his clothing than in a diaper? If you can practice EC successfully then that's great but I really don't see how a diaper as back up in certain situations is a bad thing.

[TCMoulton]

Originally Posted by tessie

People who have control over their bladders and bowels don't need to wear diapers. Even if you really needed to go it would be unlikely that you wouldn't be able to make it to the bathroom in time.

Very young children who aren't fully potty trained/learned don't have that same control. Yes he can sign that he needs the potty but he can't hold it for long enough to make it to that bathroom. And sometimes you're in a situation where you can't immediately find a bathroom or a suitable place to potty a child. What if you're boarding the plane, halfway down the aisle and blocked in on all sides? Or on the bus on the way to the plane.

Why is it better to let a child poo all over the floor and his clothing than in a diaper? If you can practice EC successfully then that's great but I really don't see how a diaper as back up in certain situations is a bad thing.

I have to agree. What would have happened if he had to go while on the plane and the seatbelt sign was on because of turbulence?