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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that a potty in a trolley is a step too far?

241 replies

homeiswheretheginis · 08/05/2016 22:55

Saw a woman with her two small girls going into the supermarket. She casually told the smallest to pop her potty in the trolley.

I felt sick. I try not to package vegetables etc, but rather put them unwrapped straight into the trolley in a bit to do my tiny bit for the planet. But never again. The idea of residual faeces in the trolley (having landed there when a potty was left there...) ending up on my food repulsed me.

AIBU or is that utterly revolting and unacceptable? Food goes in supermarket trollies, not receptacles for human waste...?

OP posts:
Gileswithachainsaw · 09/05/2016 18:11

I don't see why a toilet-trained toddler should have to mess themselves and go through the clean-up just to save someone from the sight of a potty

if they can't last half an hour in the supermarket (presumably having gone befire they came out) or hold it for a minute or two to get outside or to a toilet nearby. they are NOT toilet trained.

Gileswithachainsaw · 09/05/2016 18:12

besides it's not the site of the potty.

but the location. in a shop or cafe or supermarket etc is not the appropriate place for whipping out potties.

TaraCarter · 09/05/2016 18:14

if they can't last half an hour in the supermarket (presumably having gone befire they came out) or hold it for a minute or two to get outside or to a toilet nearby. they are NOT toilet trained.

As I have repeated repeatedly, they could and did hold it till we got to the toilet.

But they were too small to use the toilet itself without falling down, and they were perceptive enough to know it!

TaraCarter · 09/05/2016 18:16

besides it's not the site of the potty.

Apparently it is and was. If you can find another interpretation of the conversation I've been having, I'd be glad to hear it.

Gileswithachainsaw · 09/05/2016 18:18

I'd it's so inoffensive why not keep it in your bag rather than a trolly.

if the kids cab make or to the loo no one's going to see it are they

WeMustSurelyBeLearning · 09/05/2016 18:18

My DD has a toilet seat at home that is placed on top of the regular seat. When we are out she holds on to the seat so she doesn't fall in. Before she was able to do that I would hold her.

Sorry but carrying a potty or toilet seat around everywhere is disgusting. Even worse to use the potty outside of a toilet

Does it not defeat the point of toilet training? They have to learn to use one at some point

TaraCarter · 09/05/2016 18:22

Giles it's so inoffensive why not keep it in your bag rather than a trolly.

If you had read this thread, you would know that I had already said I kept mine in the pushchair or my bag. You would also know that I am replying to a poster who thinks it is disgusting to have it in the toilets.

WeMust

Well, they did learn to use a toilet. When they were bigger and had developed better balance, but far be it from me to point out the nasty implications here.

oldlaundbooth · 09/05/2016 18:25

Oh come on, anyone who doesn't find this vile is BVVVVU.

What is wrong with you people!?

Gileswithachainsaw · 09/05/2016 18:27

tbing is we get this alot on MN. where people seem to condone kids as old as 8 or 9 whi apparently shouldn't he expected to use the loos even if they are provided and that it's acceptable to be pissing in car parks and shop door ways.

we have had threads about someone who pulled one out in a coffee shop.

fact is there are times and places and shops aren't really them

it's not so much the fact t she put the potty in the trolly (witg regards to this thread) but that she probably would have actually used it then carried it about the shop as if tere were no loos there was no choice presumably?

Gileswithachainsaw · 09/05/2016 18:31

although in the trolly is pretty gross. there's no denying that

Original poster
homeiswheretheginis · 09/05/2016 18:32

Oldlaundbooth exactly! Ick.

I can't see why you'd have to bring a potty with you but if you really are that kind of person, at least keep it in a bag. Putting it in a trolley is grim.

OP posts:
TaraCarter · 09/05/2016 18:33

There's no reason to suppose that. I have NEVER used a potty outside a toilet, and I have never seen anyone do so. I just hear about it on MN.

Gileswithachainsaw · 09/05/2016 18:33

But there were no toilets...

TaraCarter · 09/05/2016 18:56

The possession of a potty isn't a compulsion to use it in front of the baked beans. It could be a new one, just picked up from the shelves, they could plan to go outside (I dislike that, but many think that's fine), or, they could plan to ask for use of the staff toilet, which I have done.

Original poster
homeiswheretheginis · 09/05/2016 19:34

For clarification, I saw them entering the supermarket. They were getting a trolley from the trolley park, like me. She had brought it with her. Ick!

OP posts:
slithytove · 09/05/2016 21:42

I don't get all this angst about taking potties out of the house. Ds is training and doing well, knows to ask and can hold it. We still need to take a potty out with us as he is scared of 'big toilets'. Hardly wrong.

Also, our potties are used with potty liners BEFORE being disinfected. So very clean.

OlliMummy · 10/05/2016 12:44

Bloody hell some people need to get a life. At least the mum had the fore thought to bring a portable potty in case of emergency rather than letting them piss on the floor. Seriously if you're worried this much about it you need to get your priorities straight. You have no idea of this mums situation, whether it's just habit to take it with them, if her child has a condition and rather than regress and put them in a nappy and make them feel shit she thought she'd do the humane thing and give them an option. You're making assumptions based on nothing and if you're worried about faeces near your food than I suggest you anti bac wipe your trollers in future.

OlliMummy · 10/05/2016 12:50

And no I haven't done it Ronjo as my daughter trained within a week and was able to hold on enough but it's actually not healthy to make them wait and I wouldn't object to others having to use a portable potty when necessary and done discretely. I've seen kids piss in bushes and street corners, is rather they were carrying a potty but I still wouldn't judge. Who are you to be so entitled. Every child is different and trains at different rates, we were lucky, I'm guessing everyone not complaining had children who could physically hold on whilst out and always told you when they needed to go. Well done you. Gold star.

KoalaDownUnder · 10/05/2016 12:50

Nobody needs to 'get a life' and we're not 'making assumptions'.

People for the last several generations have got by without carrying potties into the supermarket.

I don't care what special reason anybody thinks they have for doing it, it's inconsiderate and selfish.

Mrscog · 10/05/2016 12:53

Oh god I did this - but the potty was in a thick carrier bag and it was IKEA not a food shop. DS was potty training (about 1 week in) and I thought it would be better to have it with us than not - I disinfected it before, then put it in a bag for life, and as it happened DS was trained 'enough' by then that it wasn't needed.

I didn't really think it was so bad!

HisNameWasPrinceAndHeWasFunky · 10/05/2016 12:54

OP do your think the trolleys are cleaned and disinfected by supermarkets every day or even every week? Or perhaps NEVER?

There is as much a chance of supermarkets disinfecting their trolleys regularly as there is chance you can control anything anyone else puts in there. Bit deluded to think a potty is the worst thing that possibly has been in any trolley before you - you have no idea at all as to where any trolley has been and done..

Boobz · 10/05/2016 12:56

It's not so bad MrsCog. Some people have just lost it this week.

GirlOutNumbered · 10/05/2016 12:56

I have two young boys and neither of them have ever had to carry a potty around!? What is that about.

qwom · 10/05/2016 12:58

YANBU
Not only is it grim to think its ok to do that but it's wicked to put a child in that situation for the sake of avoiding inconvenience on the mother's part. If the child can't get to toilet in time then they shouldn't be out of pull ups, or their equivalent, yet. Or at least just use them as a precaution for if you don't know what facilities are available.
I'm also surprised by the amount of posters who think it's ok...

Cath40t · 10/05/2016 12:58

If the wee person had to "go potty" with no toilet in store......what was the mum meant to do? Let the kid have an "accident" in the trolley? Better it is contained within a potty than all over a trolley. Trolleys are disgusting. Wheeling a potty round in one doesn't lower the hygiene levels of a trolley by any great degree IMO.

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