Has anyone else come across parents like this?

[RedRed9]

I was in a hotel restaurant and a family (2 parents, young child & toddler) were seated quite close.

All was good until towards the end of their meal when it became clear to everyone that the toddler very, very obviously needed it’s nappy changing. The parents were going “pooo-ey you stink” in a joking way to the toddler and discussing amongst themselves who should take her back to the room to sort.

But they were agreeing with each other that “it’s so far though” and “dessert will be here soon” and instead of changing her decided to all stay and finish their meal!

So everyone in the restaurant had to put up with the (strong) nappy smell while they ate!

I don’t know for sure but it really didn’t seem like they were doing it rudely. They were more completely oblivious to the fact not everyone felt the same way. They kept looking adoringly at her!

No one else looked on adoringly. We mostly looked like this :

Some people don't have a sense of smell.

Perfectly reasonable to think the smell won't travel. Less reasonable to knowingly leave a toddler in a shitty nappy.

That’s gross. The poor toddler had to sit in it! I always laugh at my ds and call him smelly and he laughs but I wouldn’t leave him in it once I know he’s been. I do honestly think that your own dc’s doesn’t smell as bad as other people’s dc as you’re so used to it. I can change my dc’s nappies with no problem but gag at anyone else’s. Sorry you had to sit through that 😳

I can imagine I might do this. I'm disabled and find nappy changes, and other toddler lifting and handling manoeuvres, physically very challenging. I would defer a nappy change by a few minutes if it would be very physically difficult for me to do where I was. I think without knowing the parents' circumstances it's best not to judge too harshly.

Perfectly reasonable to think the smell won't travel.

Do you think that’s what they thinking?’ It was pretty strong though! Also, they somehow managed not to see all the disgusted and confused looks. Literally the entire restaurant was looking at each other like ‘wtf?’.

My friend did this once in a restaurant. Her son had crapped in his nappy and it absolutely reeked. Our food had just arrived and she just started eating, seemingly ignoring the stench.

So I said, he's pooed, can you change him? Which she did. Had I not been there I think she would have continued eating her meal!

twelveroses Its not about you, its about being considerate to those around you.

Being disabled I do sympathise but some things have to be done (ie when your child is rank!)

I get where you’re coming from @Twelveroses I have an invisible disability myself. But I still can’t imagine myself doing this: DP would do the nappy change. Or I’d do it and ask for DP to stay and pay (and get my dessert to go) if I couldn’t cope with the physical effort of changing a toddler and then coming back to the restaurant.

I also think this was extremely unlikely to be the case for them. Partly because there were two of them and partly because of the way they were talking about it like “nah, let’s not bother”.

That is disgusting!

I can't imagine leaving a toddler to sit in his own poop when i could easily pick him up and take him to the toilet.

But abusive is it not to leave your child sitting in its own poo? Especially if the child is a girl, it’s a recipe for thrush.

Urgh. I’d have spoken to either them or the restaurant staff and asked them to either move the family or ask them to change him.

If they had any sense they’d have brought their change bag and changed him in the toilets closest to the restaurant instead of going back to the room.

I’m more concerned that they think it’s ok to leave a child sat in their own poo than the smell
Poor kid.
My middle child had really sensitive skin round his whole nappy area, and would get nappy rash if a poo wasn’t changed ASAP!

That’s a bit grim tbh

I would defer a nappy change by a few minutes if it would be very physically difficult for me to do where I was.

A few minutes, fine. If you’re almost finished dessert. Their dessert hadn’t even arrived yet so it was going to be more than a few minutes. One of them could have nipped off and changed him and been back before the dessert!

I gag changing my own sons nappy. I make my DH change them all 🤣

Poor kid
My son would get awful nappy rash if he was left dirty
They really should have dealt with him immediately imo