Stores With "No Public Bathroom"

[aaarcher86]

If your employer fires you for letting one small child go pee, I would say your employer was looking for a reason.

And, btw, if I was the parent and ypu handed me the cleaning supplies I would throw them back at you. A child cannot hold it or sometimes doesn't say anything until its too late, to treat a customer as though it was done on purpose its unreasonable and the worst customer service possible.

Like I said, most reasonable adults would realize a child can have an emergency and can reasonably make an exception.

Sure, but I could also assume that most reasonable adults wouldn't expect an exception and plan accordingly.

I've heard the 'I need to pee now' stuff - rarely. Because with kids that little I made sure to take them to every possible available bathroom, and planned for it. They've somehow managed not to pee in the middle of a store.

And before the whole 'just because it worked for you spiel' - it worked because I planned accordingly with small kids who pee on the hour.

 

[Wendy31]

I kinda took the "bawoosh in the toilet or bawoosh all over your floor" as a threat as well.

I mean, how is the clerk supposed to respond to that?

And is it really fair to the employee that his/her options are either (1) break the rules he's been given & allow your child to use the restroom or (2) clean up the mess your kid makes?

I get it. Emergencies happen.

But does your emergency make you any more entitled than any other person? And what constitutes an emergency? At what age should a child be able to "hold it"? Who determines that? How many times should a clerk make the store's private restroom available? What if there were 5 other kids in the store, &, when they see one child going to the restroom, they suddenly all decide they need to go too? (I've been a kindergarten teacher...)

Instead of arguing w/ the clerk, I'd be scooping my kid up & finding the nearest restroom.

Again, I think it's fine to ask, but, once you're told "no, I'm sorry," that should be the end of it really.

I'd be ticked if, as a shop owner, after I told you "No, I'm sorry, but we don't have a public restroom here," you proceeded to let your child go all over the floor.

(And if you threw cleaning supplies at me, I'd be tempted to call security.)

And I realize that little children who are just learning really do sometimes suddenly have to go & "go right now!" But I'm seriously trying to think of a place we've been that I wasn't able to get my child to some nearby public restroom. Maybe the post office? (Which is kinda funny since the OP is about a postal carrier... LOL!) But I also always drove around w/ a potty chair in my van, so I could have run out to the van w/ whichever child if necessary.

Why can't we as parents take responsibility for our own children?

My kids are 15, 13, & 5... no pee accidents in the middle of a store yet. I was constantly saying things like, "Here's a bathroom. Does anyone need to go? Why don't you try while we're here?" "We're about to get in line, so why don't we stop at this restroom first?" "I don't think such & such store has a bathroom, so you need to go to the bathroom now."

As an aside, once, when I was at the mall by myself w/ DD & older DS when they were about 5 & 3, DS suddenly announced, "I feel sick, Mommy" - no symptoms or any sign of sickness until that very moment. He threw up, & I proceeded to "catch" it w/ my hands & in his shirt.

 

[Wendy31]

If a store employee allows someone to use the store's private restroom for whatever reason, great!

But I don't plan my life & my kids' lives banking on the possibility that everyone we encounter will be accommodating to our every need.

 

[Dawnlight]

I've got 6 kids, believe me, we've had bawoosh moments coming from both ends and it wasn't due to poor planning on my part. It was due to "life happens"; vomit happens, pee happens, poo happens - and it sometimes happens at the most inopportune time.

Overall, I don't think businesses need to provide facilities to their customers and certainly not to anyone off the street, but it is a courtesy to extend to others, especially in exceptional circumstances.

 

[Luvchefmic]

If your employer fires you for letting one small child go pee, I would say your employer was looking for a reason.

And, btw, if I was the parent and ypu handed me the cleaning supplies I would throw them back at you. A child cannot hold it or sometimes doesn't say anything until its too late, to treat a customer as though it was done on purpose its unreasonable and the worst customer service possible.

Like I said, most reasonable adults would realize a child can have an emergency and can reasonably make an exception.

No the boss would probably be ticked off the clerk ignored his/her rule. Something they had specifically told their employee not to allow. Someone should disrespect their boss and maybe jeopardize their job for someone else ? Is that fair to you ? Too bad, you don't sign the paycheck in that store. Write a polite letter to the company or the owner when you get home expressing your feelings but give the employee a break.

Throw the supplies back at them ? Nice.

 

[Dawnlight]

I wonder how many of the perfect parents, who must also have perfect children that don't ever pee, poo, or vomit in public, had accidents in their own childhoods. Go ask your own parents if you ever peed in a store, puked in a library or on an airplane, or any other type of accident of this sort. I bet a large portion would be surprised at the answer. Were your parents irresponsible to not have scheduled in your bathroom stops or for not carrying a barf bag?

 

[Luvchefmic]

We're not talking about being perfect or never having an accident. We're talking about being demanding and rules don't apply to us and our special children. The attitude of the hell with you employee in the name of customer service is what is being discussed.

 

[Laura66]

We're not talking about being perfect or never having an accident. We're talking about being demanding and rules don't apply to us and our special children. The attitude of the hell with you employee in the name of customer service is what is being discussed.

My kids have never peed on someone's floor.
And if they did vomit or something like that I woykd be super apologetic to the clerk and clean it up myself.
That's what parents do - you're responsible for your chikdten and you plan ahead!

 

[aaarcher86]

I've got 6 kids, believe me, we've had bawoosh moments coming from both ends and it wasn't due to poor planning on my part. It was due to "life happens"; vomit happens, pee happens, poo happens - and it sometimes happens at the most inopportune time.

Overall, I don't think businesses need to provide facilities to their customers and certainly not to anyone off the street, but it is a courtesy to extend to others, especially in exceptional circumstances.

Yeah, it happens. But it's our problem. I've caught vomit in my brand spanking new purse before. It sucks. It sucks for ME. I don't make the facility's problem or expect any special accommodation.

People are acting like people who wouldn't let a child pee in their restroom are some kind of heartless villains.

 

[Luvchefmic]

My kids have never peed on someone's floor.
And if they did vomit or something like that I woykd be super apologetic to the clerk and clean it up myself.
That's what parents do - you're responsible for your chikdten and you plan ahead!

Come to think of it, my dogs have never peed on Petcos or a Vets floor either probably because I make sure they go often and where they are supposed to. If they did though I would apologize, take the cleaning supplies, and clean it myself too.

 

[Wendy31]

As an aside, once, when I was at the mall by myself w/ DD & older DS when they were about 5 & 3, DS suddenly announced, "I feel sick, Mommy" - no symptoms or any sign of sickness until that very moment. He threw up, & I proceeded to "catch" it w/ my hands & in his shirt.

I wonder how many of the perfect parents, who must also have perfect children that don't ever pee, poo, or vomit in public, had accidents in their own childhoods. Go ask your own parents if you ever peed in a store, puked in a library or on an airplane, or any other type of accident of this sort. I bet a large portion would be surprised at the answer. Were your parents irresponsible to not have scheduled in your bathroom stops or for not carrying a barf bag?

Actually, I *did* say that my child once vomited in public.

As careful as I was to try to catch it in my hands & on his clothes, there was some splatter. I was extremely apologetic to the employee who came to assist. I offered to clean it up, but he politely refused & said they had a "protocol" to clean up accidents.

So I ushered my 2 kids & myself to the nearest restroom in the store where we were. I cleaned up as best as I could, & then I locked DD & DS in a stall, called my DH who was at work, & let him talk to DD on the phone while I ran back into the store & bought DS a change of clothes.

I totally get it. Things happen.

But I do try to take responsibility for myself & for our children & don't expect that everyone we encounter will be accommodating to our particular needs.

 

[piccolopat]

One gratuitous assertion deserves another in retort.

It was definitely not. And you're just saying it was to be argumentative.

Yes, it was a threat. The purpose of your "stating the facts" was to coerce the store into letting you use a restroom that was off limits to the public. Instead of arguing, you should have picked up your child and headed out of the store and then gone home to deal with the aftermath. Would you have paid to have the store carpet cleaned or pay for any merchandise damaged by your child's accident?

 

[OurBigTrip]

We dont know our mail carriers at all. I always wave or say thanks if I am at the mailbox but I dont know them to allow them access to my home.

If you are on the road, you need to learn to anticipate your needs. DH drives all over so sometimes he is in an unfamiliar town but he tries to scope out places to go before he goes lol

I know my mail carrier well enough to know that I don't even like her being in my mailbox, but no choice. No way would I let her in my house.

 

[OurBigTrip]

I don't see a mail delivery person asking to use the bathroom the same as a random person who comes in just to use it.

Why not? They're nothing special.

 

[OurBigTrip]

When mine had to go and I got flack from the clerk I just said this. "Look. I'd love to stand here and waste another minute arguing with you, but I don't have that luxury. It's coming and I can't stop it. Either it goes Bawoooosh into your toilet or Bawooooosh all over your floor. Make your choice." They wisely chose toilet.

Faced with that kind of threat, I would have let the accident happen, then charge you for bringing in a bio-hazard team to clean it up.

 

[MIGrandma]

And you really believe that this Party Goods store was sitting out in the middle of a rural field with absolutely nothing surrounding it? I don't.

Now, if the party goods store was indeed sitting in a field with no other restaurants, fast food, grocery stores, public buildings for miles and miles around, then yes, I can see asking the clerk to make an exception. But party goods stores are not usually destination places that would survive being the only retail place for miles and miles around.

Do I mind the OP's DIL asking the storekeeper if she could use the restroom? No. But, when she was told that she couldn't, that should have been the end of it.

Even though this particular party store was in a rural area, I'm almost positive it wasn't the only place around. I'm sure there was a fast food restaurant or a gas station nearby where she could have stopped.

Wow. You both know the area where my daughter-in-law was delivering mail? Hmmmmm....Hrhpd you "don't believe" there was nothing else there. And Wendy31 you are "almost positive" the convenience store wasn't the only place around. Do either of you really understand what "rural" means?

The store she delivered mail to is a small beer/convenience store. They sell beer, wine, simple groceries, snack foods, lottery tickets, etc. The nearest town with a fast food place/gas station/restaurant is probably 5-6 miles away. The store is right on the corner of a fairly major road in our area and another road that goes to a small town but it is on the corner of a rural field (farmers here farm the land right up to the edge of the road) and there is NOTHING NEAR IT. No restaurant. No fast food. No grocery store. No public building. NOTHING. It survives because of it's location, and people living near don't have to drive several miles into one of the surrounding towns.

I do not know how I can describe the location any more accurately than that. If either of you don't believe me, nothing I can do about that.

And I have no idea where she ended up finding a bathroom. Maybe she drove into the nearest town that did have a fast food restaurant or gas station. She may have been taking her lunch break and drove home to use her own bathroom. I don't know, she didn't say. And I know I'm in the minority here in thinking that it's sad/too bad that stores and businesses deny a paying customer the use of a bathroom. Although I've seen a few mothers here who don't mind if businesses don't allow their patrons to use their bathroom, but they were appreciative of the ones who did allow their kids to use them. I know my daughter-in-law would have been appreciative of being allowed to use the convenience stores bathroom too and would have continued to spend money there.

 

[OurBigTrip]

If your employer fires you for letting one small child go pee, I would say your employer was looking for a reason.

And, btw, if I was the parent and ypu handed me the cleaning supplies I would throw them back at you. A child cannot hold it or sometimes doesn't say anything until its too late, to treat a customer as though it was done on purpose its unreasonable and the worst customer service possible.

Like I said, most reasonable adults would realize a child can have an emergency and can reasonably make an exception.

If I'm a clerk in a store, and your kid poops or pees on the floor, you can bet I'm not cleaning it up. Your kid made the mess, you clean it up.

 

[LiveYourLife]

This thread is some funny *** bawooooosh!!!!

 

[jodifla]

It's pretty shocking to me that people are using the work "entitlement" and bathroom in the same breath. I guess it shouldn't be...Disboards have that reputation. Anything they can peg "personal responsibility" on whips them into a sick frenzy of posting over each other to say that they of course are too perfect, smart and prepared to every have been in that situation.

I can't believe that anyone potty training a toddler hasn't had some issues about the child having to go right now with no bathroom in sight, or being in a store. And good luck calling "biohazard" on a child pooing or peeing or vomiting on your floor.

Luckily, I only ran into kind store owners when I was potty training my son. I did have to pull over a few times on the side of the road with no bathrooms in sight on very rural Florida roads.

 

[jodifla]

Yeah, it happens. But it's our problem. I've caught vomit in my brand spanking new purse before. It sucks. It sucks for ME. I don't make the facility's problem or expect any special accommodation.

People are acting like people who wouldn't let a child pee in their restroom are some kind of heartless villains.

In the right circumstances, they absolutely would be.