Traveling with young children

Grandma Don't Let the Toilet Get Me

Between the ages of 2 and 5 we found bathroom stops tricky when traveling with our Grandchildren. There are many scary things and sounds in the bathroom that can panic a child:

The Outhouse 

The first concern that can send a Grandchild running in terror is when you can smell the outhouse before you open the door.

The second are the insects and Araneae (spiders) that eat the insects that live off of human refuse: the stuff at the bottom of the hole.

The third is the hole and fear of falling in.

 

Now if the Outhouse is well maintained and does not look like the typical outhouse on the inside you might be lucky and get your young Grandchildren to relax enough to go.   

My advice is that you will have better luck teaching them to go in the bushes.

I have yet to have one of our Grandchildren after their first experience with the dreaded outhouse not tell a story that involved either Grandpa or myself almost dropping them in to the hole – never happened!

The Public Bathroom

I believe children under the age of 5 to have super sensitive hearing that results in screams of terror the first time they hear the hot air hand dryer go off in a public bathroom.

James would have been 5 years old and we were taking the MS Chi-Cheemaun from Manitoulin Island back to Tobermory.  We returning from Saskatchewan and a visit with Aunt Carla and Uncle Lloyd.   

http://www.ontarioferries.com/ontarioferries/english/ 

Nature called and I took James into the bathroom.  We had no sooner entered the three cubical facility than a woman flushed the toilet and the noise sent James’ screaming in terror.  So terrified was his scream that the cubicals emptied with shouts of are we sinking.

The only way we could get James to enter the bathroom again was to prove to him we were alone and no one would flush– Paul had to stand guard outside.

James did what he needed to do, washed his hands  super fast and ran out of the bathroom hands over his ears yelling she's going to flush.

Here is my advice on preparing for bathrooms:

Create a Bathroom Ready Bag and keep it in your car.  In the BRB should be:

1. One child’s toilet seat ring – this will eliminate the need to hold your Grandchild suspended one inch above the hole. 
2. Sanitizing wipes – wipe the toilet seat and the toilet side far enough to cover where little hands will hold on to – before placing the ring on the toilet and your child on the ring. 
3. Hand sanitizing gel because little children are too small to reach the sink and they never can reach the soap 
4. Drying cloths so that you do not have to turn on the noisy hand dryer     
5. Some type of room deodorizer in case you must use the dreaded outhouse

Finally a signed document from your children identifying you as the Grandparent and not a mass murder!  

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls