Ladies and Public toilets...what do you do?

You bring up a lot of good points. I do the squat thing or don't use it at all b/c I don't like public restrooms. I don't have children but when I take my niece and nephew shopping I stand right outside the restroom door and talk to them. When my nephew was smaller, I'd take him in the ladies room. I figure it's ok until they start trying to peek at the other women or are getting a little to curious about things. They are 12 and 15 now so I just wait outside the door for them. If I have to go then they have to stand by the door and talk to me. [b]**AT PEACE WITHIN** ~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~[/b]

I do the hover stance. That's how I was taught. If it's not possible to hover then I'll take time to line the seat with toilet paper before sitting on it. I try to go before leaving home so that I don't have to go while I'm out b/c I hate using public bathrooms. [b]~~AT PEACE WITHIN~~ **STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS**[/b]

I don't let my kids run rampant in the public toilet, and be sure to wash hands. I want to personally thank all you squatters though. It's you peeing in the toilet seat! Stop peeing on the seat, and the bathroom wouldn't be so bad in the first place.

My mother gave us such a hard time about public loos and drinking from bubblers. I became afraid to use a bathroom anywhere but at home. Even at scool I was self conscious to use the bathroom. Whenever we went somewhere Mum would make us "go" before we left home and if we did have to "go" she would take us to a decent loo and make us all use it. I remember doing the same with my girls, making them go before we left home (I still do it myself) but I didn't give them a hard time about using public loos...we just went wherever we had to. I find it hard to go to a public bathroom...like I won't go into a pub to go but I might use one at a servo. If I'm dining or drinking at the pub it's different, I'll use the facility under those conditions. I will more than likely hold on than making a fuss or using a bathroom where I might have to be self conscious. I don't have a problem using roadside loos when travelling.

Great topic to discuss. We all face this situation some time or the other. I do face such situations at times when I go out with my son. I normally make him wear a diaper when we go out but then even if he want to do potti, he will hold till we reach home or any other destination. If I happen to go to a public toilet, I put cover the seat with tissue paper. It really is annoying at times to see public toilet in unhygienic conditions. If they are clean, I feel it's fine for the kids. I too ask him not to touch anything and he obeys :). Regards and take care..

My little one is still a toddler. But I would like to say that I think its fine for mothers to bring male children (pre-puberty) into the ladies room with them. I don't see why its such a big deal. Each individual toilet has a its own wall thingy and door around it so whats the big deal?

I bring my daughter into the bathroom with me but she is 20 months old. I kind of have to. She doesn't really touch anything though. Sometimes she will but usually she doesn't, plus I am really fast pee-er so she doesn't have the chance to get into trouble.

as for myself, I don’t actually sit on the toilet seat, I try to do it hanging midair. By ‘it’ I mean the liquid thing, the solid thing never wants to come out when I am traveling (Thnk goodness for life’s small mercies!). as for my son, his father always accompanies him to the men’s room. I never took him alongwith me and we don’t leave him alone. Of course there were days when his father was not there…but it was not much of a problem in the ladies’ room coz boys have that convenience of doing it standing…it would have been a real problem with a small girl.

I avoid them at all costs. I will hold it for days if I have to (not really, but pretty close). If I HAVE to go, I rarely sit all the way - unless it looks REALLY clean. I had 2 boys so I would make them go together when they were "too old" to go with me. I figured they'd be a little safer in pairs.

Your discussion brought back some funny moments of taking my girls to the public bathrooms. Funny neither of my girls never asked me why I cleaned the potty before we sat down on it. My oldest got scared of the auto flushers so she would hold it until we got home. I guess she thought she would get sucked in, lol. For mommies, don't teach your child to tell you what number they have to do, lol. My oldest got to that age where she didn't want me to go in the same stall as her. So out of no where I hear, MOM, are you doing # 1 or # 2? Then I hear giggles, then she says it again, to shut her up I said # 1, now hurry up, lol. We get out and everyone thinks it's cute. My youngest didn't really care, if she had to go, she had to go. So I would have to manage hanging my purse and her blankie on the hook so it didn't touch the floor.

it is really annoying for ladies to use the public toilet. I also know it. I really found it very hard to use public toilet. i am skeptical about that. I do not have children. But i know the sitaution when u have another child with you.

I'm a balancer. LOL!! My kids come with me to the rest room and for the boys I send them in and tell them if anyone touches you or even attempts to touch you then scream and kick them in the balls and run out, but honestly I'd be running in if I heard me kids scream and with what is in my purse I have been told that I can knock someone out instantly. LOL!!!!

When my boys were old enough I started letting them go in the mens room and trying to make sure I didn't have to go while we were out! It doesn't always work but I give them the don't more an inch speach before going in and being really quick. I do "hover" over the seat. They wind up being so gross after so many people use them. My bathroom at home at least I can just wipe before with clorox wipes beforeusing. (With 2 boys I usually do)

I don't have a kids yet but i think when I would have a boy i will tell him to go with his daddy. And if he would be only with me, i think i will take him to ladies restroom and when it is the right time to let him go alone? I guess when he is older then 6 years old. I am very careful about sitting in the toilet and never sit or cover seat with paper. I also never touch the door , always use the paper or just push the door with leg. I think there is no use to wash your hands and then touch the door, since there so many people, who doesn't wash them and you got all the bacteries from them.

lol..I know exactly what you mean! I try not to really 'sit' on the seat and I'm balanced in the air in public toilets and to be even more safe in case I lose balance I line the seat with toilet paper too! Paranoid..huh? I used to travel alone with my older son a lot when he was younger...even long distance by bus. And I would take him with me to the toilet. I couldn't leave him alone outside when I needed to use the toilet and most often than not, it was in the middle of the night. So, I would have my purse and my son in with me...and ask him to hold the purse for me. And he wouldn't touch anything. Even then I had a lot of juggling to do. Now that son is 7 and can go to the men's toilet alone...but depending on the situation, I sometimes bring him into the ladies toilet (which he doesn't want to come into , now that he is 'grown-up'). I'm going through the process all over again now with my 14 month old...who just started potty training. But I don't let him sit on a public toilet. I'd rather he goes in his diaper and clean him up. But once my older son was potty trained by 1.5 years, he refused to go in his diaper and would actually hold it in till we got him home or to a toilet! He wouldn't even pee by a bush! He really could control himself.

ya know I never really thought of it took them in when I had to and then sons went with dad so no problem there. BUt I think when a boy is 7 or 8 time for them to go to the mens bathroom. I just make sure no one has peed on the seat! that is the most stupid thing a woman can do is leave it setting on the seat I get so mad and I make comments on it very loudly wehn I dont go it that one I say darn lazy person who didnt wipe offfthe seat after they peed on it!

From all your confusion, i advise you to bring "Desifectant Fluid", choose the spray one. So before you sitting on the toilet, spray this desifectant to the area that will contact with part if your body. Many spraid desifectant sale at the supermarket.After you finis with your toilet, don't forget to clean your hand with this desifectant AFTER you come out from the toilet, means, the last contact is at your hand while you open the toilet door. For your child, bring him inside the room and keep on talking with him until you're finish, this way you'll know that he still around, or ask the security guard ( if avaible ) to wacth him Regards Teddy