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

[bubble30]

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.

I dont think it matters that THE WEE IS IN A BAG, its still weeing a totally unappropriate place. There's a reason why most public places have toilets where they do, they are generally discreet and out of the way. Also there have been some very good points raised regarding its not really training if a potty is whipped out on demand and it is all about waiting the extra couple of minutes to get to a toilet.

Crumpet - I think we have to conclude that the OP - or her social compass at any rate - is NOT 'normal'.

I wish people would stop mentioning the bag thing. That's a red herring. The child was still be encouraged to think weeing in shop was fine AND where was he going to wash his hands afterwards? It's no wonder so many adult men think it's absolutely fine to wee where ever they happen to be if they can't be arsed to walk to a loo.

but northern dont you understand its in a bag so its all alright

Is this a joke?

the bag is relevant to those wondering how she disposed of the wee without spilling it

i didn't leave the house with ds until i was confident that he could hold it in long enough to find a toilet or appropriate place for the potty (not a shop floor!!). I don't think they are ready if there is so much panic when he shouts he needs a wee!

Actually, I am coming round to the OP's pov.

How many times have you been bursting while out shopping? Public toilets closed, miles away or have a huge queue?

I think we should all make sure we take one of these with us when we venture out You could even use one on the bus if very desperate.

I agree with the great majority of the posters on this thread. However, can I point out that it's not terribly fair on your child for him to grow up thinking it's acceptable to do something like this in public. You really are pretty messed up with your idea of toilet training. Pop the little lad back in pull ups for going out for a little while, and let him become dry at home before you try to get him dry outside.

just cant get worked up over this if Im honest, a bit of an odd way to approach toilet training, but seriously did it really take 2 jobs worth employees to ridicule in such a way. a quiet polite word from personce once you had conatined your ds and his wee would have been quite sufficiant as far as im concerned. At to the employee who said she would have asked you to leave, BONKERS..on what grounds should she leave.

I have seen someone put their dd on a portable potty in the middle of a charity shop in lynmington before I was a bit but no other feelings of disgust enetered me, it was a child having a wee, no biggy.

Graham, I think this is a very strange first post. I also cannot imagine M&S allowing someone to whip out the potty in the aisles.

Also, it is SO annoying when people come past you in the row in the cinema to go to the loo - and if you go when the film is showing you always miss a good bit. Why not use one of these in the cinema?

This seems like normal behaviour.

At least you were kind of considerate by using the porta potty.

I remember someone letting their little darling crap in a normal regular potty that was stored in the basket of the pushchair.

I was then expected to carry said potty and its contents up the staff stairs and empty it into our staff toilet.
They only got the polite version of "fuck off" because I valued my job.

personce should be One person in my post, for some reason my screen is not refreshing as I type, so cant see if I back space.

I have potty trained three children and I cannot ever remember an incident where I was forced to put them on a potty in the middle of a shop.

What the hell did you do with the wee?

What would you have done if he decided halfway through to do a poo?

I think you should have made more effort to get to the loos. If your son is not at the stage where he be relied upon to hang on for two minutes then you should have put some pull-ups on him for a shopping trip.

This is beyond yuck.

OP - if your DS is not able to pop around Tesco (or Boots or M&S) without either getting to the loo in time or being able to hold until you get home, you aren't actually potty training him, you are letting him wee in a potty rather than a nappy. If he isn't ready, wait a month or so then try again. No shame in it, 2 is quite young (DS was nearer three than two, just wasn't ready before then cracked it in a week).

And if I come across anyone using a portable potty in a shop aisle it will be me creating the scene about how gross this is...

Oh ok, I see a porta-potty holds the wee. I don't think such a thing existed when mine were little.

Enthusiastictroll from what the OP has written the staff where polite to her, informed her there was a toilet and she should have used that. It was the OP who seemed set on creating a scene even from her own explanation of what happened that sees obvious

I think if it were me if she's wise, the op has nc and is in amongst us practising her sock puppetry skills grin.

.

theenthusiastictroll no way did anyone do this in Lymington?

Must have been one of those dreadful tourist types (can't imagine the Lymington Set ever entertaining the idea)

Part of potty training is learning to hold on until you reach the toilet- for the first few days of training, you stay home and go mad then you venture out with a toilet in close sight and masses of changes of clothes. You are not helping your child by letting them think it is okay to wee wherever you need to !!

I think YABU. I can see a foldable potty being useful for a long car trip, other than that not so much. I'm potty training my 2 year 1 month old son and have never had to do anything like this. TBH if we were at that stage I'd be doing my tesco shop online, I can see why they are complaining it is a definite, definite health and safety hazard doing that in the middle of a store. Would you change his nappy on the floor there?

I think a change of pants and trousers would have been quite sufficient...

Thanks for your replies and I take your points on board and I certainly won't be getting the potty out again in a store. I've made a huge mistake thinking it was ok to do it. However, I am shocked at susiemumof being so vial to another mum.

YABU

It's not toilet training if you're training him to pee anywhere, anytime.

I trained ds on his second birthday, took a week and we stuck around at our caravan until it was done mostly. He had one accident a few months later, in M&S at the frozen food isle, it was the cold air I think I had no warning and was mortified as I couldn't do anything other than alert a manager and ask for paper towels etc. They were very good about it, it was an accident. Deliberate toileting is another matter.

Those porta potties are brilliant in many ways. We still keep ours in the back of the car for long journeys where there might be a layby but no facilities - for 5 yr old DD not for me though I have been sorely tempted on occasion

Unfortunately they do seem to lead to people thinking that the done thing with potty training is to let DC go there and then, wherever the "there" might be. As others say above, if they can't make it to a toilet, they really aren't potty trained yet.

Reminds me of the otherwise lovely couple who sat their son on a potty in the National Trust cafe then proceeded to eat their meal next to a parcelled up bag of wee. Put me right off my overpriced scone [boak]