A weird conversation I had....what do you all think?

[waiting2bemommy]

In the "mother of the year" thread i mentioned a fairly hilarious bus-peeing incident with my ds. Well, recently I was on the bus again and the driver and I were talking and for some reason this incident came up and we were laughing baout the crazy things we do as parents especially related to potty training and she sais, "yeah, I still carry a pull up wherever I go, in case we're somewhere where there's no bathroom or its a really nasty bathroom." And so of course the farily obvious question that I asked her was "how old is your daughter?" expecting commiserating answers about the mishaps of a potty training 2 or 3 year old. OK. Her dd is SEVEN.

Assuming no delays or special needs or anything (which given the rest of our oconversation, I'm inclined to think that the dd is NOT special needs) does this sound odd to anyone else? what would you think of this?

I have a three year old (or will, as of 3:18 AM! :D) and I can't imagine telling him to put on a pull up to go pee. But then again hes a boy and can pee on anything. Maybe it's different with a girl? i'm just curious what other people think of this.

[ElliesMomma]

i'm not horrified. while i think my daughter would/might have a hard time actually using the pull up... i don't know... i've been in some pretty n.a.s.t.y. bathrooms before in my life, and while it is fairly easy for us as adults to know how to squat instead of sitting, that can be very very tough for a young child to pull off. like, a bathroom with poop on the walls or toilet seat -- i've been in those... what the heck are you supposed to do, let your child sit on top of it?

and i'll tell ya what else, there have been times (especially when i was pregnant), when i would have loved loved loved to have a pull up to pee into... like, when my then three year old was sleeping in the car seat, and i was alone and had to go so bad... what's the choice? pull over at mcdonalds and leave a sleeping child alone in the car, or wake her up and carry a heavy, groggy child with me into the bathroom, and then have to figure out how to set her on the floor so i can sit on the toilet and pee??

when it comes to these sorts of situations, you've gotta do what you've gotta do...

[EviesMom]

I wouldn't carry one around *for* my 6 year old, but I did once give her one of her baby brother's diapers to pee in under dire circumstances. (Waiting on a train platform, train station was closed--plus I had 2 kids, stroller, and suitcases which I would have had to lug along if it was open. She should have gone on the train we'd just gotten off of, or waited the 15 min for the connecting train. And it was freezing and raining of course.) I gave her one of her brother's dipes. Otherwise she'd have had to just wait for the next train and an accident would mean needing to change. She put it inside her underwear and then took it back off when done. Not classy, but it did the job.

I did see a kid on a flight who wanted to use the restroom as the plane was literally taxing up the runway for takeoff. The flight attendants, who were already strapped in, said No! Go back to your seat! and the kid did, but then the mom got up livid that they told him no. The plane literally had to get out of line on the runway, the attendant was shouting to the pilot on the walkie talkie "We have a parent standing in the aisle now! Don't take off!" I can't remember if the kid had an accident or the mom was just sure he would, but I vowed that I'd take a diaper or something along on a plane for any kid of potential accident age to avoid such a crazy scene. He was probably 7 or 8.

[Veronika01]

My (almost) 5 year old has no special needs or delays.  When we go to the movies, I put her in a pull up because she doesn't conciously disrupt whatever she is doing to go to the bathroom about 25% of the time.  She has accidents about once to 3 times a week, depending on how vigilant I am about making sure she goes to the bathroom regularly.  I can totally see her being willing to go in a pull up at age 7.  Pee wise, not poop.  Kids are different.  That doesn't mean there's something wrong with them. 

[cyclamen]

Yeah I agree that I can see why a parent would rather have their kid pee in a pull up than in a nasty bathroom.  My mom used to  have us pee in a soda cup if we were driving.  (boys and girls)  I've done it as an adult.  She would also pull over on the side of the road and open the door and pee behind that if we really had to go.

And yeah, I won't lie I will also open my car door and hide while I pee.  In a parking lot, even, if the only option is waking the babe.  Before kids, if I was at a bar where the ladies bathroom line was too long, I'd go out back and pee in the stinky alley (where the bums and drunks peed) rather than wait 20 minutes.

Ah mom, you gave me life skills. 
 

[Owen'nZoe]

I wish I had had a pull-up to put on my 6 year old on a recent flight. The bathrooms were all tied up except one - which had pee all over the seat and a huge puddle of urine on the floor. Blech. I've done quite a bit of low budget traveling in my day and have seen some really nasty bathrooms, but having to take a small child in one is a different deal altogether. We walked right out of that one, and luckily another one opened up before my son had an accident. The pull up idea might have sounded strange to me before, but after that bathroom - not so much.

[goinggreengirl]

It does seem a little weird. Though I'd rather have my kid use a pull up than some of the bathrooms I've seen at rest stops. And they wouldn't really have to put it on, they could just sit on it like they would a toilet.

[elus0814]

I've done it, i still do it. My older daughter is six and my older son is almost five. No shame here. I will let them put on a pee in pull ups in the van in parking lots. It 1000x easier than taking all four kids into a public bathroom by myself. Heck, I even wore a super heavy bladder control pad when I was very pregnant because after you've had several pregnancies (meaning your bladder muscles aren't what they used to be) and you're eight months along it's awful to have to drag three little kids and a giant stroller into a bathroom so you can pee half an ounce then do it again 10 minutes later. In the week or so before she was born I literally was peeing a little bit almost constantly, I couldn't control it. I'm not exactly proud of that one but after one incident where the only bathroom was filthy, had a door that opened to the outside, and wasn't large enough for all four of us to stand it I did what I had to do. It worked out really well, my water broke as I was walking into the grocery store and I was able to do my shopping with all the kids alone for things we really needed without looking like I peed myself. I simply drove home like that, called DH to let him know, and waited for labor to start - it took 24 hours to have a real contraction. 

On road trips, especially when I'm doing 1200 miles over 4 days with 4 kids under 7, I make a makeshift potty and keep it in the back of our minivan. It's a 5-gallon bucket lined with a garbage bag. In the garbage bag has a super duty chux pad leftover from the homebirth in it. The top of the bucket has a child size cushioned potty seat on it. When it's used I simply knot up the bag and toss it when we find a place to. I put a bucket lid on it for travel and tuck the potty seat under the second row captain's chair. It's great and has saved me lots of headaches. There is no way I can be with a four year old who still needs help in the stall while keeping track of the other three. Our double stroller doesn't even fit in many public restrooms!

[cyclamen]

My mom used to hand us a soda cup.  Or let us pee behind a towel/the car door.  But no, I don't think it's that bizarre.

[Spring Lily]

It doesn't seem weird to me, and more hygienic than trying to help a little kid use a disgusting public restroom. 

And honestly, I know more than one mom who has  been stuck in the car somewhere with sleeping kids and used one of the kids' diapers herself.  Not by putting it on of course.    Hey, when you're desperate and have no options, you get resourceful!  I certainly wouldn't judge.

[elisheva]

Originally Posted by elus0814 

I've done it, i still do it. My older daughter is six and my older son is almost five. No shame here. I will let them put on a pee in pull ups in the van in parking lots. It 1000x easier than taking all four kids into a public bathroom by myself. Heck, I even wore a super heavy bladder control pad when I was very pregnant because after you've had several pregnancies (meaning your bladder muscles aren't what they used to be) and you're eight months along it's awful to have to drag three little kids and a giant stroller into a bathroom so you can pee half an ounce then do it again 10 minutes later. In the week or so before she was born I literally was peeing a little bit almost constantly, I couldn't control it. I'm not exactly proud of that one but after one incident where the only bathroom was filthy, had a door that opened to the outside, and wasn't large enough for all four of us to stand it I did what I had to do. It worked out really well, my water broke as I was walking into the grocery store and I was able to do my shopping with all the kids alone for things we really needed without looking like I peed myself. I simply drove home like that, called DH to let him know, and waited for labor to start - it took 24 hours to have a real contraction. 

On road trips, especially when I'm doing 1200 miles over 4 days with 4 kids under 7, I make a makeshift potty and keep it in the back of our minivan. It's a 5-gallon bucket lined with a garbage bag. In the garbage bag has a super duty chux pad leftover from the homebirth in it. The top of the bucket has a child size cushioned potty seat on it. When it's used I simply knot up the bag and toss it when we find a place to. I put a bucket lid on it for travel and tuck the potty seat under the second row captain's chair. It's great and has saved me lots of headaches. There is no way I can be with a four year old who still needs help in the stall while keeping track of the other three. Our double stroller doesn't even fit in many public restrooms!

Best. advice. ever. Taking notes. Thanks!!!

[Drummer's Wife]

I still put a diaper on my almost 6 yr old when we go on long car trips, and always overnight, so it doesn't sound weird to me that someone brings a pull-up just in case for their 7 yr old.  Now, my 7 and 9 yr old - it's been a long time since they've needed diapers and I can't imagine doing this for them - but that just goes to show, it really depends on the kid, because I wouldn't chance not having one on my 3rd kid; much less not at least bringing one along. 

[babygirlie]

I was trying to find the disposable paper cup that allows you to pee standing up but here's a plastic one

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Female-Urinal-Discreet-and-Convenient-Easy-Clean-/190481012925?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c598d98bd

http://urparamount.com/products/iPee1/pee-female-urinating-device.html

http://cgi.ebay.com/Female-SPIL-PRUF-Urinal-incontinence-Bathroom-Help-/250683912081?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a5decef91

Ok I'm not  quite sure how this one works..

http://www.icnsales.com/travel-john-3_pack.html

Might be some ideas in there to help some people out.

[ameliabedelia]

It seems a little weird to me, since if I were going to let my kids undress in public (to put a diaper on) then I would just as soon find an out of the way bush or tree or something for them to pee in.   However, we have no problems about peeing in nature.  And, if we were someplace where it would be inappropriate to pee (like indoors, or a crowded area or parking lot) then I  would not let them undress in public anyway to put the pull-up on and would just find a bathroom.

I am just finding it hard to imagine a situation where it would be useful.  Any nature or outdoor place, we would just pee on a tree.  Any crowded, indoor place....well I wouldn't let my 7-yo change in front of strangers, so the pull-up woudln't do any good unless they were already wearing it. I would just make my kids wait until we could get to a bathroom.   Seriously, I can't imagine being on a crowded plane and changing my 7-year old into a pull-up so they could pee. 

And, I can't imagine peeing in a diaper myself.  First of all, I know I would miss and make a huge mess.  Second of all, if I was someplace deserted enough that I would feel comfortable taking off pants and peeing in a diaper then it would be deserted enough for me to just pee on the ground/tree/whatever.

I don't think I've ever been in a bathroom where I felt it was disgusting enough that I woudln't want to pee on it.  however, if I were, I would probably just use those toilet liners, or put paper towels down on the toilet or squat or something.

[velochic]

I think it's a brilliant idea.  If your child is miserable and you have a way to alleviate it, then go for it.  I know how miserable *I* get when my bladder is full. 

[EviesMom]

A pull up that goes on like underwear, it wouldn't work, but the diaper into the underwear thing didn't require undressing fully. It was easier than I would have anticipated. But then again, I've seen parents have toddlers pee on trees at the playground and I would never tell my kids to do that. To each her own!

That said, DD has an accident or the one time diaper incident about twice a year, which is way less frequent than her same-age friends. I don't have a system or plan for if I'd let her undress, etc., it's too exceedingly rare, so we just wing it when it happens.
 

Originally Posted by ameliabedelia 

It seems a little weird to me, since if I were going to let my kids undress in public (to put a diaper on) then I would just as soon find an out of the way bush or tree or something for them to pee in.   However, we have no problems about peeing in nature.  And, if we were someplace where it would be inappropriate to pee (like indoors, or a crowded area or parking lot) then I  would not let them undress in public anyway to put the pull-up on and would just find a bathroom.

Edited by EviesMom - 12/17/10 at 5:39am

[~PurityLake~]

Well, I think peeing on a tree sounds incredibly rude to the tree. Can you imagine what that tree feels like when it's being peed on? It's probably thinking, aim for that grass over there or that rock, yeah, that rock, it'll wash off easier in the next rain.

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by ameliabedelia 

It seems a little weird to me, since if I were going to let my kids undress in public (to put a diaper on) then I would just as soon find an out of the way bush or tree or something for them to pee in.  

DD1 (also 7) wouldn't want to undress in public...but she has no problem undressing or changing clothes in the van. I could see Pull-up working for her in some situations. I would have never thought of it, and my initial reactin was "WTF?"...but the more I think about it, the better sense it makes. I can remember using a sposie in a menstruation emergency in a tent on a camping trip, myself. Because kids learn to use the potty as they grow up, diapers and pull-ups have a connotation of being "babyish", but they make good sense in certain situations. I kind of wish we'd had one in the car last night, when dd1 had to pee so badly that she was actually crying and screaming for the last 10 minutes of the ride home.

[broodymama]

I took one of the extra chux pads from my homebirths and keep it in the van, just in case.  My 4 year old has a microbladder and we got stuck in traffic with no safe place to pull off.  DH was sitting in the middle row and was able to pass it back and slide it underneath her for her to sit on in her car seat in case she had an accident.  We were able to find a place to pull off, but it was a lot less stressful knowing that at least her car seat wouldn't be soaked if there was an accident (we already keep a change of clothes in the van). 

[nextcommercial]

I'm not horrified either.  But, I would never, ever carry a pullup for my daughter at that age.  Once when she was seven, I did make her pee in a plastic cup when we were driving through Los Angeles traffic at rush hour.  I was not about to pull over and find a public restroom.