Potty Privacy

Once you become a parent, you realize all bets are off in terms of bathroom privacy. I think this is true for both moms and dads, but moms in particular can forget it! This can become quite tricky at times! However, somehow we manage it.

Now, I have 2 wonderful boys who are very inquisitive (as many are) and are on a quest for knowledge. These boys have been sharing a bathroom stall with me since they were born. I've managed using restrooms with a baby sling on (with baby in it) as well as actually holding a child with one hand while I do the rest with the other hand AND while telling the older one not to touch a thing. I don't feel special, because I know most moms have done the same. However, I always felt a sense of accomplishment after doing it. When I enter public restrooms, no one ever looks at me funny because its accepted that my children would be with me if I had to go.

Now MadMonk on the otherhand, he never had this particular joy until Big E started potty training. It seemed natural to me that if MadMonk was there and Big E had to go, Big E should go with him. After a few times of my requesting this, I started to sense an undercurrent of resistance from my dear MadMonk. When I asked, he informs me that he's embarrassed to have Big E in there because he asks too many questions and it is quite accepted that no one talks in a men's bathroom. Apparently Big E is asking questions about the urinal (it doesn't look like a potty) and the blue cakes in the urinal and why there is only one potty and why this and what's that. My question to MadMonk was whether MadMonk thought Big E asked any questions in the ladie's room. OF COURSE he does! "What's the little can stuck to the wall, why is it stuck to the wall, what's in it" . . . "NO, don't touch that Big E!"

As the years go by, MadMonk resists less, probably as the kids ask less, but they still ask and look. On one of our recent outings, the stall that I was in (yeah, I do get my own stall sometimes) had a fancy add display that was a video. Yes, there was a TV in my stall. Of course I mention it, which was not too smart on my part and then leave the stall. I keep having to tell Big E that he needs to finish his business in his stall before I'll show him. Next thing I know, I hear a yelp from the stall I was in and now someone else is in and realize he's crawling under the divider between the two stalls. Big E is a bit embarrassed and the other woman was very kind and reassures me that it's not the first time and she also had boys. I'm slightly mortified, but realize that it happens with kids. Women get it. Now if this same scenario would have happened to MadMonk . . . I'd be taking the boys to the bathroom for the next year!

Now we're in Special K's inquisitive stage. And he asks questions of a more personal nature. "Mommy, are you pooping or peeing?" and of course my answer doesn't stop the questions . . . sometimes he asks it 3 - 4 more times. "both? are you peeing right now? are you pooping right now? "Mommy, are you wiping your bottom now?" I'm so glad all the women in the restroom get to hear a full play by play of my toileting.

Today was a Special K day. I get 2 of those a week where we get to spend the whole day together. On these days, Special K wants to be everywhere I am, even in the bathroom. He usually walks right in, sits on the stool they use to reach the sink right in front of me and talks. He finds these times to be a good time to chat apparently. Today I wanted/needed privacy as we sometimes do. I went in, closed the door and locked it hoping he wouldn't notice I was even in there. Seconds later, the doorknob is jiggling. "Special K, mommy needs her privacy right now." "Why, mommy?" oh the dreaded question Why? "Just because sometimes people need privacy in the bathroom." "But, I want to BE with you." "Well, you can wait until I'm finished in here." NO, I want to talk with you, IN THERE, RIGHT NOW" Well this argument goes on (even after I've stopped even responding) because now he wants the play by play . . . "are you wiping your bottom now?"

As a final note . . . while boarding the plane to come home from a girls weekend a week ago, I told the woman beside me I had to go potty. Nice! Now even I'm sharing my toileting in kid speak!