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Potty training

Is your child ready for potty training at nursery? Here's the place for all your toilet training questions.

How I was treated by Tesco for putting my son on the potty!

289 replies

bubble30 · 10/07/2012 20:34

My son turned 2 in May and we are mid potty training. Been in to places like Boots and M&S and got fold away potty out in store for my son to have a wee. I've also used it in Tesco with no complaints from them. This morning I went in and my son was crying 'wee wee'. Got him out of the buggy and put him on the potty - I wasn't in the middle of an aisle and went t clothes section where we'd be more hidden away as that section was close by to us. My son did a wee but come to get him back in the buggy and he had the most hideous tantrum. Once I got himm back in the buggy, I stood up to find 2 members of managerial staff stood over me. They told me that there was a toilet in the store where I should have taken my son to. I explained that he's just started potty training and when he needs a wee it has to be then and there and I don't have time to get him to a toilet. They told me they undestood that but that there was a toilet I should really have used. So again I explained that I don't have time to get him to the toilet. The woman then said 'it's not nice for our customers to see, it's not nice for your son and now you've just caused a big scene in the store'. I said 'well now you've made me feel absolutely rubbish' and they both walked off. I walked out of the store but thought 'no I'm not having that' and I went back and gave it to them both barrels that I was disgusted with the way I'd been treated, I'd been talked to very rudely and spoken to like I was a child myself. The senior manager came down and was very apologetic and I asked her of Tescos policy was that if there's a mother with a tantrumming child, do you train your staff to go over and tell the mother she's created a big scene in the store. She was very apologetic about the way I'd been treated. I'm still fuming. I've used the portable potty in other shops without complaints and I've seen other mums do the same in shops too - that's the whole purpose of the portable potty being invented. I just wanted people to know how badly Tesco have acted in this instance towards a mother potty training her 2 year old. Can anyone else recommend best places to post to make sure Tesco know I'm letting people know about this? Thanks.

OP posts:
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mumblecrumble · 10/07/2012 21:04

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer.

ming.

Its a food shop - the staff were probably having kittens

nearlythereyet · 10/07/2012 21:04

And Y, Y to staying home until you are sure they can hold it for a while/give advance notice. And if that doesn't happen if the first week or two, the child is perhaps not ready.

Gunznroses · 10/07/2012 21:04

OP, ds said he wanted to wee, wee! so you, "took him to the clothes section where you would be more hidden away" Shock

what if he had stood up and wee'd on the clothes ? what if he had decided to do a poo ? would you have taken him to the clothes section to be hidden too Shock gobsmacked!

seriously you should have asked him if he wanted to do a wee as soon as you entered the store, so you could visit the toilet first, then you keep asking him every so often as you know he might need a wee, NEVER EVER put a potty down in the middle of a store.

maddiemostmerry · 10/07/2012 21:04

First post bubble 30?

Loshad · 10/07/2012 21:04

How vile, have potty trained four children, from 2y and 3 months and never felt the need to do this. Hate tesco's with a passion and it sticks in my craw to say it but they were in the right.
Also if you had time to go to the clothing section then why not time to make it to the loo?

nickschick · 10/07/2012 21:04

Potty training is just that .....training,training to recognise the need to wee the anticippation that you can wee and being in the right place to wee .....instantly providing the potty when the child wants to wee isnt training it is facilitating weeing outside of a nappy -tbh it would be fairer to his development to keep him in nappies rather than train him in this 'stepped' way.

I think your approach is very wrong.

Jux · 10/07/2012 21:05

Oh no! A whole thread and only two people speaking out against Tesco - op and one other.

What if everyone taught their children to piss (and poo) amongst the aisles? It really is a ridiculous idea that this is in any way acceptable.

Bubble, I'm not sure I'll ever get over being on Tesco's side!

LynetteScavo · 10/07/2012 21:06

You need to stay at home for a week, sort out the potty training, then take him out. If he needs a wee in a shop find a toilet. I once did a dash from one end of Tescos to the other with DS1, leaving checkout with a weeks shop needing to be bagged up. Everyone was very understanding.

I never took a potty out with me, apart from on a long car journey.

PrettyCherryTrees · 10/07/2012 21:06

I should start by saying that I am a BIG fan of the Potette and it's saved my bacon a number of times but in parks/by the roadside/down alley ways never, never in a shop. Shock

I toilet trained both my 2 yo twins at the same time and I never ever needed to do this. Thankfully I've never seen anyone else do this either.

The Tescos managers were right. YABU.

Blu · 10/07/2012 21:06

Is this some kind of reverse psychology viral marketing campaign by Tesco? Subtley getting us all on their side or something?

Viviennemary · 10/07/2012 21:08

For once Tesco's were absolutely right. A potty in the middle of a shop. I don't think that's what toilet training means.

ChasedByBees · 10/07/2012 21:08

Yuk, that's disgusting. How unhygenic.

tryingtonotfeckup · 10/07/2012 21:09

Add another in for Tesco, I'm a bit cross in typing that but, I am starting to feel sorry for the OP now. I think she has the message, if she is still reading.

Groovee · 10/07/2012 21:09

I knew a nursery nurse turned childminder who thought this was acceptable. I still think she was barking and she got directed to the toilets in tesco too. They have cleaners who can be called to clear up a child wetting themselves.

My dd was dry the day she asked for her potty and could hold it until we got to a toilet. Ds was dry in 3 days and could also wait.

OhBuggerandArse · 10/07/2012 21:09

While we're on the topic (sort of), I was in town today and saw a fifty something woman sitting on the shop window sill of Millets with her pants down, peeing all over the pavement. Broad daylight, and she didn't look drunk or anything - quite respectable, in fact, apart from the no pants/pee aspect. That was definitely unreasonable.

Woofsaidtheladybird · 10/07/2012 21:09

I wonder if the DM will run a story next week on 'woman lets child wee behind the cucumbers in Sainsburys'......

Northernlurker · 10/07/2012 21:10

Eek - I think outside in the fresh air is one thing but 20 seconds away from a loo is just lazy on your part. You do need to teach him to hang on and if he can't then he's too young tbh. Jut turned 2 is very young I think.

tryingtonotfeckup · 10/07/2012 21:10

Prettycherry, I have twins and this is probably the next thing. How do you manage the two at the same time, I'm dreading one saying I need the loo and legging it with one under each arm to the toilets?

Noqontrol · 10/07/2012 21:11

I couldnt imagine getting a potty out in tescos. I understand your dc cant wait but getting a potty out on the shop floor? Thats Just Wrong! Sorry. I used a pull up when i was out with dd for the first week, and after that i rushed her over to the toilets. They generally can wait a little longer than you think they can, although you do just have to grab your bag and run. If you cant bear to use a pull up or run to the toilet, then online shopping is a useful resource.

WandaDoff · 10/07/2012 21:12

I'm with Tesco on this one.

^There's something I never thought I'd write.

Frontpaw · 10/07/2012 21:12

She's having a laugh. I hope.

cakeismysaviour · 10/07/2012 21:13

You sound like hard work, OP.

Never thought I would side with Tesco on anything. I think they treated you very fairly and you were a complete nightmare.

debs39 · 10/07/2012 21:13

Potty training is about training us as carers to train them how to use the toilet too...ie whenever in vicinity of toilet use it as an opportunity to take them to it..sorry if u feel this is an unreasonable suggestion...

VivaLeBeaver · 10/07/2012 21:14

If you could have walked to the clothes section, you could have walked to the loo. If he didn't make it and had an accident he'd have learnt a lesson that next time he needs to ask sooner.

Can you imagine the smell if everyone thought this was acceptable. It would stink of piss, with the odd shit chucked in the mix.

SaraBellumHertz · 10/07/2012 21:14

Grim.

Although not quite as grim as the woman who every week at gym club allowed her child to shit in a potty in the viewing area and then carry the potty downstairs through THE CAFE to empty it in the toilet.

Entitled doesn't begin to cover it