Daddy and Daughter: The Potty Dilemma

June 10, 2011, By 29 comments

Daddy and Daughter: The Potty Dilemma

There’s nothing quite like a little daddy-and-daughter alone time. Thing is, when a dad and daughter are playing at the park, shopping at the mall or watching the latest animated flick on the big screen, it’s inevitable that she’ll need to go potty. And when she’s too old to wear a diaper but too young to confidently and without any doubt be sent off on her own, dads are faced with a choice: We either take our little girl into the men’s room where she might inadvertently be exposed to some, uh, interesting sights, or we send her into the women’s room alone. What’s a dad to do? Here are a couple of guidelines that I, a father of four daughters, have come to rely on.

When my girls are under five, I take them into the men’s room. It’s just too risky to go the other route. It’s not so much that I’m worried she’ll run into an evil person in the ladies’ room, but rather that she won’t be able to get her pants and underwear down, or get up on the seat. The result is often tears and wet⎯or worse⎯underwear, as well as some strangers looking at you for being such an idiot.

Now, when I do take one of my girls into the men’s room, I quickly maneuver her into a stall where she (and I) can enjoy privacy⎯and I don’t have to worry about her asking anatomy questions aloud. This has happened to me. Worse, on one occasion one of my daughters ran right to a urinal, placed her hand on the pee-splattered rimand announced, with a broad smile, “I want to sit on this!” (As something of an aside, I’ve also learned that it’s easier and faster to quickly wet and soap up some paper towels and wash her hands outside the men’s room, in part because you won’t feel so rushed to get the hell out of there.)

 

Page 1 of 2

Comments (29):

Wayne R. During the 60's, ladies entering the womens room were always willing to assist the father of a toddler. - 10/01/2011
Richard E. I like this article. I remember meeting my daughter at about that age. And learning to cope with being alone with a little women. Its a beautiful thing the love between fathers and daughters. great article - 09/30/2011
Denise D. When it comes to parent/child gender mismatch, the child should go into the proper bathroom for the parent. I don't even want other women in the restroom with me much less a grown man. YOU are the person they are trying to keep out. When my son was at the point he came with me, because me going into the mens room is silly. As silly as you entering the women's room. Those stalls have huge gaps in the doors and don't provide as much privacy as I would like. - 09/25/2011
Evan M. Make a beeline for a stall and constantly remind her not to touch anything. Works like a charm. Our only problem is that the 4 year old is scared of the power flush toilets you often find in public restrooms. At any rate, I think the odds of her "seeing anything" are pretty slim. I mean, it's a public restroom not a locker room. Guys pretty much do their business, don't make eye contact and zip up before they ever turn around. - 09/21/2011

© 2012 Man of the House, Barefoot Proximity, P&G Productions