How do you manage the public restroom?

[Parker1970]

Maybe a personal question and if it is I do apologize. But how do y’all manage the public restroom with little ones? DS Bless his heart, is way too small for everything. Most places do not have any stepstool for kiddos to use, so how do you help them go? And then there are the sinks, even if he could reach up and over into the sink, he still wouldn’t be able to reach the water, much less the controls. Then there are the soap dispensers that are possibly high for him to reach, with the towel/hair dryer with the same exact issue. On top of this public restrooms are well… Dirty to say the least, So I want to be sure that we both get our hands washed, but even the whole process of using the restroom. How do y’all do it? He is too small for the urinal unless I hold him up in the air, and in the stall it is the same problem, and I don’t want him actually touching anything in there necessarily.

You just hold him. He sits on the toilet and you hold him there if he isn't comfortable on the bigger seat. To wash hands you hold him with one hand between you and the sink and work the tap with your other hand. I don't believe someone genuinely can't figure that out

I used to plonk DS on the toilet and hold him straight and then hold him up to wash his hands in the sink.

How did y’all handle urinals? I’m just trying to put myself in his shoes, it cannot be comfortable for him when he’s being held in the air like that. Do you have any other suggestions? And I’m sorry if this sounds like a dumb question, but how did you hold him up to the sink? Usually when I pick him up with one handI have him up by my side, and it is much easier for me to hold him by my chest. How do you get him propped up at the sink given how low it is?

Urinals are for older boys who can stand up at the right height by themselves. Just sit him on the toilet

I do apologize. But how do you hold your little one up to the sink? As I said before normally when I hold him, or any of my kids in one arm, usually they are resting on my arm, sort of cuddling them To a degree. The sink is high enough to do that. So how would you hold them while also helping with the sink/soap Efficiently?

I struggle holding my daughter up to the sink. She says she’s uncomfortable. So I quickly hold her up and wet her hands and get soap. Then put her down whilst she rubs them, then pick her up again to rinse the soap off.

I used to have a little folding toilet seat insert I’d carry in my bag but don’t bother now. I just hold her on the loo.

I put soap on my DDs hands and turn the tap on first, then hold her up at the sink.

One arm round them and slightly squishing them against the sink. One leg raised up to sort of balance them on a knee.

I've never thought about it that much. It's just a momentary thing you kind of do! It doesn't have to be a practised technique. It's an awkward few seconds.

This is just it right here. He has told me before that he is uncomfortable. And it makes perfect sense because the toilet is a little big for him. Both in terms of height and the actual opening. Plus I don’t exactly want him sitting directly on the seat because well… It is public. Then as I said before there is the sink. And he loves to be independent, so of course I try to do what I can to let him be independent. I just wish more places had stepstools, and now that I think about it most stepstools only get Kids a couple of inches higher. I would love to see places have some that actually get themup high enough to reach what they need

You mean an insert for when you are out? I could see that really being beneficial for him. As I said in my other comment it is Too big for him both in terms of the height and also the opening. Then of course not to mention the rest of what I said, sink, trashcan etc. He tells me all the time that he wants to be independent

It's uncomfortable for a few seconds. That's ok. Some things are a mild discomfort for a very short time and coping with it is a useful skill. You don't have to mitigate every tiny issue you come across.

And sitting on the seat is fine. Don't start giving your children a neurosis about sitting on toilets. Keep it simple.