to think you don't need an audience every time you go to toilet?

[BigOCupOfTea]

Just that.

Why do so many people on here allow their children to follow them into the toilet every single time they go?

[sharonthewaspandthewineywall]

Well put them in a cot/play pen for the five/ten minutes you need the bathroom.
This having to take kids to the bathroom with you is yet again an only happens on MN phenomenon.

[Amummyatlast]

sharon my DD has neither a playpen nor a cot anymore. What would you suggest I do with her to stop her killing herself while I wee in peace? (I actually do leave her for a quick one, but no way would I leave her alone for 5-10 mins unsupervised.)

[Muskey]

Laughing at the I don't want to get an audience but seem to get one. That is exactly what happens in my house. What really makes me laugh as it's not like we don't have enough toilets I have four in my house(the previous owners had a bit of a loo fettish I think)

[mrstweefromtweesville]

Children don't count, especially up to about five years old. They can come with you to the bathroom, whatever you're doing. Older than that, if you're all comfortable with it, what's the problem?

Now, if your partner, friends, neighbours or other adults insist on being your audience as you poo, that I would consider a problem.

[spanisharmada]

Ah not the DC seeing you put in a tampon thing. Non issue IMO.
I don't like an audience personally, it interupts my flow, but I usually end up with one anyway.

[sproketmx]

I am immune to toddler tantrum. it's a waste of time tryingto.stopthem happening

I have 7 kids in my house. My body developed immunity to toddler and every other age tantrum a long time ago. In my house any room that isn't kiddy proof is baby gated and there's a massive playpen out the back (made with 3 normal size lindam ones) and the benifits of multiple kids... clyping. If one if thems up to something I'm damn sure there's another one "gonna tell mum on yoooo!"

[redexpat]

I like being told well done Mummy! and being given a round of applause.

[Artandco]

Sharon - not everyone has space for a playpen

[Fratelli]

I wouldn't leave my son crawling around unsupervised. Our house is tiny so the only safe place to put him is his cot. He cries there as he thinks he's going to bed. You sound very judgy tbh.

[NinkyNonky]

My husband has a habit of not shutting the door to the downstairs loo.
He's was having a wee, when two little hands appeared between his legs and our 19 month old shouted 'wow, rain!'
I think it might have put him off a bit.

[BathshebaDarkstone]

It was good for potty training, now they just don't follow me.

[Whoknewitcouldbeso]

Ninky that's so cute

My DP were having a text exchange yesterday about needing to show DS how to wee properly in the toilet and he was saying he always barges in on him, so he definitely knows how boys wee. I don't think fathers are getting a chance to wee in peace either.

[geekymommy]

Because one of the things you have to do as a parent is to pick your battles. You can't fight your kids on everything they do that you don't like.

Young kids being upset and unsupervised is a recipe for trouble. They're more likely to destroy stuff or even hurt pets or people when they're upset. Why would you deliberately create a situation where kids are upset and unsupervised?

[GoodnightDarthVader]

Why are so many parents on this thread describing their children as "heartbroken" because they're out of sight for 5 minutes? PFB?

[DinosaursRoar]

oh, playpens and cots didn't stop my mountain goat of a DD from 18 months onwards, she could climb out of cots and over stairgates (thank fuck DH was there to see her do that one and catch her!).

Some DCs are easier to contain than others, DC1 didn't manage to climb out of his cot until he was more like 2.5, twas rather a shock to have a little Houdini child after a normal one...

Honestly, some people are really weirdly relaxed about their bodily functions and will happily shit and piss infront of their partner and anyone else, most people don't feel this relaxed, so if they are having to have an audience, it might be worth thinking they've tried the alternatives, and this is the least bad option.

The "my child never sees me wee, you just arent being good enough parents" types do sound rather like the "don't be silly, your child will sleep through by 8 weeks if you are just disciplined enough to stick to a routine" types (Disclaimer - my DC1 slept through at 8 weeks, I thought it was down to my parenting, parented DC2 the same way, we're a couple of years on and we're still not consistantly getting a full night sleep, but since she's been getting herself out of bed since 18 months and just toddling into our bed without always waking me up, its not as bad as it sounds!).

[RiverTam]

I don't like it either so from as early as I safely could I made sure it didn't happen. But I just have the one and she wasn't one fir reigning destruction whenever she was out of my sight.

I am prone to constipation so there's no fucking way I'm having an audience or even someone waiting outside when I'm doing a poo.

[Zame]

I don't really care what other people do but I do feel a bit about parents moaning they never get to poo in peace. I managed it and I don't think my children are exceptional in any way. Maybe I'm neglectful

[ALassUnparalleled]

I agree Zame Presumably nannies and childminders manage. I never used a childminder but the nannies we had for our son didn't have this problem.

[SilverNightFairy]

Well, let's see..when my children were little, I think they believed I had a secret circus in the loo, so flung themselves against the door with rage and despair every time I tried to pee in peace. As they got older, notes appeared under the door..mummy Alexandra wants to be a cat so I gave her seven dreamies.. Now they just stand outside the door and say things like "So, Mum, exactly how old were you when you first had sex?".. Clearly, it's just easier to open the door and allow free flowing conversation..

[Artandco]

Alass - I think many nannies would just happily pee with door open/ child in there also. What do you think nannies do when they are out in public toilets with small children? They take them in same cubicle of course.

[AryaOfWinterfell]

Cos I really don't care if my kids see me on the loo. It's a perfectly normal bodily function. I close the door now they're older, but if they need to nip in to get something whilst I'm on the loo then that's fine by me.
As the door was open when my DDs were younger they used to see me use sanitary towels & tampons and queried it when they were very tiny. I used it as a way of explaining puberty/menstruation so that they wouldn't be freaked out like I was when I started my periods and had no clue what was happening.
It helped too when it came to potty training as they knew exactly where they needed to go when they felt the need for a wee/poo.
I've never really thought it as odd as my parents used to do the same and as a small kid I never shut the door.
My eldest is a teen she will close & lock the door just like I did when I was that age. It wasn't til I was older and living by myself that I started to leave the door open again.
I don't understand why people have a problem with other parents doing this? We've all got our own privacy settings, some parents like myself will walk around the house nude and wee with the door open. Some others like my ex would never dream of doing that (or weeing with the door unlocked!).

[Busybuzzybumblebee]

I go to the loo unaccompanied but always leave to door open so I can hear ds or here him shouting for me, he'll wonder in to see what I'm doing and sometimes if doing a poo will sit on my lap and play with the loo paper holder.

Do what you want and what you're comfortable with, tbh yabu giving others toilet time any thought whatsoever

[AnnaMarlowe]

I'd still like to know how old Big's children are.

[helenahandbag]

I don't even have kids but I have to pee with an audience when I visit my best friend because her 2yo DD has a screaming fit if I leave the room so it's easier to just take her in with me. I obviously won't allow it when she's a bit older but for now it's fine.

I would prefer that she didn't cackle 'Aunty HelenaHandbag has a big bum!' when I take her back through to her mum though

[Gileswithachainsaw]

No you really don't.

it's one thing allow it as a parent but you can't expect guests to have to allow it because the parent can't deal with the crying.

I realise you say you don't mind but I don't actually think that's on at all.