Fucking hand dryers.

[SwanShaped]

My kid won’t go in any toilet with one in it. Which is almost all of them! Argh!!!!!!

Same here, it's so annoying!
I did read somewhere about some who carried around a laminated 'out of order' sign to attach to dryers to ensure their DC could use the loos, I've never tried it though!

There was a scientific study done which proved that the sound dryers make are much louder for children. I'll see if I can find it.

My dc have all gone through this stage. Lots of repeating it just the sound of the air, it’s just the sound of the air.

Here it is www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2019/07/01/us/hand-dryers-children.amp.html
The study was done by a 13 year old girl - brilliant!
Doesn't actually solve your problem though 😕

My kids hated them too as toddlers. They've grown out of it now/ gone deaf. We just didn't use them when out and about and wiped on our clothes (probably cleaner). You could carry a small cloth/towel/muslin about with you for hand drying.
Not much help if the loos are very busy though.

Child-size ear defenders are what you need.

I used to go in first and switch them off, the plug is normally on the wall next to them. I would turn them back on after dd had gone through the door on the way out

Tbh I hate them as well but use them as I worry that people will think I haven’t washed my hands otherwise 😂

There's nearly always a switch. If not, then asking others not to use them if it's not too busy usually works.

My son hates them and of course is too young to understand. It's a lot of - it's ok, don't worry- if there are others using them. And a standard wipe my hands on my trousers if it's just us haha

They blow all sorts of filth and germs over your hands due to sucking the air from the toilet room and the mould growing from the damp. I never use them.

Dd hates them too. I either tell her to cover her ears or wipe on my clothes!

@OhWifey

There's nearly always a switch. If not, then asking others not to use them if it's not too busy usually works.

You’d get short shrift from me if you asked me not to dry my hands so it doesn’t scare your kids

@doingnothing why? If a child is genuinely upset by it?

My son is the same. He's and terrified of public toilets. He won't go in most of them and refuses to use the actual toilet. I'm still carrying around a potty for him to use. He's tall and looks about 6. I'm sure people must think there's something wrong with him.

Odd thing is, he can do an impression of a hand dryer and pretends to use them all the time!

@Bloatstoat

Same here, it's so annoying! I did read somewhere about some who carried around a laminated 'out of order' sign to attach to dryers to ensure their DC could use the loos, I've never tried it though!

How entitled closing a dryer as as kid doesn’t like it 😂.

Mine didn’t like them either, I think most kids are nervous of loud noises. I just told them to get over it, you can’t avoid toilets so that’s one issue I was not prepared to indulge.

My weird DS never worried about the driers. His massive fear was that the toilets would be 'aeroplane toilets'. I used to have to flush it once whilst he stood back from the door and only then would he go in and use it.

It’s quite a common fear. I think the problem is the room goes from silent to mega noisy in a split second so it gives them a fright too. Ear defenders are a good idea though

Is it just me that thought, what kind of pervert wants to fuck a hand dryer?

And then I read the thread. My DD was exactly the same until she was about 7.

Yep, been there!

It was annoying but it's more piercing for young children and overhead.

Him using one was never an option, but didn't turn them off, just tried to be quick if others were using the bloody things.

I hated having to take him in the toilets when I needed to go but he didn't. I think we both spent a lot of time 'holding on' 🤣

Then one day it's a thing if the past. You'll get there 💐

My DC are the same. My DD had outgrown it a bit, but since restrictions have lifted we are going out more now and using public toilets and she has started screaming again if she hears it go off.
My DC also get upset when they see the larger toilet paper dispensers because they think they look like handryers and are worried they will be 'set off' when we are in the cubicle. No amount of explaining convinces them that they aren't secretly handryers too! They usually just end up drying their hands on my clothes.
I have no solution for you, but feel your pain.

I love them! My dear brother used to own the company that distributed them in the UK.
He turned it into a public company and made millions. Sadly he died, but was incredibly generous to me, our other brother and our children.
Our kids used to get very exited when they encountered one of his dryers.
His look quite old-fashioned now, compared to those Johnny-come-lately Dyson ones, which I don’t like at all.

Then one day it's a thing if the past. You'll get there

I haven't grown out hating them yet… it's not looking good TBH, my mum is in her sixties, going deaf, and still hates them.

@Holidaytan

They blow all sorts of filth and germs over your hands due to sucking the air from the toilet room and the mould growing from the damp. I never use them.

Apparently :o this is a myth spread by the paper towel industry!

@CeeceeBloomingdale oh so that's where I've been going wrong.

I should tell my hysterically crying 4 year old to 'just get over it' I never knew it was that simple to sort out 🙄

DS (now 9) was the same and point blank refused to use public toilets for years. Thankfully he has a bladder like a camel and can hold on for hours. He’s now completely not fussed and goes in them quite happily.

To those posters being very unsympathetic, there’s really no need to be so scathing. One thing that parenting a slightly nervy/anxious child and teaching for years, particularly through covid has taught me is that there is a difference between a child acting up because they are being naughty and a child reacting to their environment because they find an aspect of it too stressful or it causes some sort of sensory overload. A child kicking off because they want some sweets/a toy in the shop is one thing, a small child screaming hysterically because they’re scared of a really really loud unpredictable noise? That’s not being naughty.