potty-training and public restrooms

[crl]

DS (3 1/2) is recently potty-trained. But, he still seriously objects to public restrooms. We've managed to coax him once or twice when things were pretty desparate (far from little potty in car, really needed to pee). But it's far from a sure thing that we can talk him into it before he has an accident.

Well, we're flying home for the holidays. Sounds like it should be lots of fun, huh? I won't put him back in diapers--rather just deal with accidents honestly. Any suggestions, other than to take lots of changes of clothes?

Thanks!

[californiagirl]

Well, we did let DD choose to wear diapers for a while after she trained, and I think the last time she did was for an airplane trip (she really didn't like the bathrooms in the airport -- we got into it, she checked it out, and then wanted a diaper instead). We've traveled since then with no diapers and no accidents, though. Our two big tricks are the weird one and the embarrassing one. On the weird front, we read Patricia Coombs' book "Molly Mullett" and at one point she says "Good thing I'm not afraid to be scared!" and that really worked for DD. On the embarrassing front, she gets to pick who goes first, me or her. Sometimes it's reassuring to her to check out the whole situation (particularly the flush) before she does it herself. Other than that, it was just time.

[o_mom]

Have you tried taking a potty ring along? I seriously toted by BB Potty ring around in a Bummis wet bag for about a month. After that DS was willing to let me hold him with lots of reassurance that I wouldn't let him fall in. I think it is the size of the toilet and the U-shaped seat that throws them.

[kjezierski]

I think it depends on what in the public bathrooms scare them. My DS is recently PTd also. He's afraid of two things: the echo of the sounds and the louder flushes. To get him used to the echo, we took him in public bathrooms just to look around or wash hands - no potty. Then, he and I agreed that I would wait until he left the restroom and then I'd do the flushing. We did that a lot with just me using the restroom before we added him. That got us around most of his fears. He still doesn't like them, but he doesn't refuse most of them.

Kathleen
Mommy to Alex
04/29/04

[crl]

Hmm, adding in an element of choice may help . . . Thanks!

[crl]

You know, he's never used a potty ring. We have them around, but he's big kid (40 1/2 inches tall at 3 1/2) and he doesn't want it. . . . And our bathroom at home is actually a pretty big oval shape. . .
Thanks,

[crl]

I think you've got it when you say it's the noise. The public bathroom I've gotten him to use only has one toilet so no one else can flush and startle him. Airplane bathrooms may actually be kind of okay for him. I think it's the airport bathrooms that will be the bigger problem. I know St. Louis has family bathrooms with just one toilet, but I don't know about San Francisco.

Maybe I should try to take him into some public restrooms over the next week and see if I can get him more comfortable.

Thanks!