Have you ever been in a store and have your 2 year old...?

Question

who is in the process of potty training, tell you he has to use the potty, so you go ask the employee if he could use the bathroom, and they tell you no while your child is crying because they have to go so bad? I asked her where she went to the bathroom at, and she said in the back bathroom, I was furious, how you not going to let a child use the bathroom when they need to? Am I wrong for being angry about this, should I call the store and complain? What is your opinion on this?

I think that if a child has to use the restroom, public bathroom or not they should be allowed to use it, I feel it is just out of humanity, am I right or wrong?

Answer 1

thats just sooo rude, i know its happned to me, where im 9 months pregnant and they wont let me use the can! but a little kid? i would call and complain

Answer 2

well unfortunately the store may not be able to allow you into the bathroom... perhaps their insurance doesn't allow coverage in employee only areas? sorry but we have become a lawsuit crazed society and the store needs to look out for their interests

now i understand your anger (I'm pregnant and i had to leave a store to walk across the parking lot to use a restroom) and i would encourage you to complain to the store, and perhaps not shop there in the future... let then know that is your intention when you call them

Answer 3

Yes I've had this problem too. It makes me so pissed. I feel like taking little girls pants down and letting her pee all over there floor and make them clean the mess they caused. It's ridiculous to make a child have to wait to go to the bathroom. I have thought of calling a few places but instead I just don't take her with me to those specific stores anymore.

Answer 4

Had the same experience and was pretty mad at the time, but employees don't make the rules...  

I stormed out of there and found a public restroom... just in time ;-) And after that, I always made sure that my child "went" before going out on shopping trips where there were no public restrooms in sight... I wouldn't complain if I were you - it's a waste of energy ;-)

Answer 5

Where i used ot work we didn't have a "public" washroom but as it was a toystore we allowed children and pregos to use it.

Answer 6

The employee is not responsible for the rules at the business where they are employed.  They have to follow them if they want to keep their job.  

And, perhaps, the business itself has to have the rules for insurance or health code purposes.  

Yes, it is a hard situation & it sure would be nice if there were bathrooms available everywhere during potty training time (and even later, for older children & adults, too!).  But, part of potty training is learning that this is not always the case, too - to plan ahead & deal with situations like this when they come up.

Edit to add: One way to plan ahead, when going out with a child who is not yet fully potty trained is to put a diaper or pullup on your child.  Just because they're wearing it doesn't mean that they have to or will use it.  But, it doesn't hurt to have it there for times just like this :-D

The rest of the world is not responsible for me or my family.  I am.

Edit to add:  I *have* cleaned up after my child in public places in the past.  Why should anyone else have to do it?  

Again, it's not the employee's problem or the business's problem that I entered their store with my child who had to pee.  Yes, it's great when their is a public bathroom.  But, there is no legal requirement for a business to supply bathrooms to it's customers.  And, as a parent, and as a human being, I need to deal with that.

One more add...  

It is not any store or employee's responsibility to provide the things that I or my child needs.  It is my responsibility, as a parent, to make sure that I provide my child with what he or she needs & bring them to places where those needs can be met.  

Of course it's nice when people help other people in need.  But, I have no right to be angry at anyone who cannot (or will not) help me because I chose to put myself (or my child) in a situation where their needs could not be met.  

What I might do in this kind of situation is send out an email to the business owner, asking about their policy & letting them know that I might, unfortunately, have to choose to spend my  money elsewhere in the future.  But, outrage certainly isn't appropriate here.  People are just doing their jobs.

Answer 7

We have a few like that and in most cases they let us in  anyway, but a few have not. And yes it makes me very mad. One time when I was full term I needed to go and they said no you need to walk to another store nearby, there was no way I could make it, I was carrying very low, I told them "well I can use your bathroom or pee on your floor" they were mad but let me in. After that I made sure to go before going to that store. And that is also a must with my kids, they must go to the bathroom before we leave the house, or at least try to go.

But like someone else stated unless you are talking to the manager it is not the employees fault they are just following the rules.

Answer 8

You know some people just don't have children and DON'T CARe. it's very wrong i believe but I know it's true. They lok at it as ur peoblem, not theirs.

Answer 9

I think that there is some law that states a "store"  must provide a restroom for the public if they are serving the public,

Answer 10

That worker was just being a douche.

I worked in a store where people weren't supposed to use the bathroom but I made exceptions and would have allowed this.

You should have let your child go on the floor.

At least that person would have learned it's better to be nice than clean up someone's p**p.

Answer 11

I've had just the opposite experience.  You can tell the employee didn't have kids....

Answer 12

I would have told the nice lady at the store my child can go pee in the toliet or right were you are standing, and leave it up to her if she felt like cleaning up pee. A child can not and should not be expected to hold it. I would call the store and complain, and tell them until they get a public bathroom you will not be shopping there, and also you will let your friends wioth children know how you were treated in that store, so they also will no longer be going there. People are so rude sometimes.

Answer 13

This is one of those things where we have gotten too stuck on rules. I can understand why a business does not want their bathroom open to the public. But for the love of Pete--if a child is desperate bend the rule.

Answer 14

I cannot believe that!  Those of you here who are saying "plan ahead" how do you plan when your child will need to use the restroom?  You don't.  It's impossible to tell when they will need to.  It just happens.  

I believe you are totally justified in being upset.  Even if the have a no public restroom policy, you don't refuse a two year old child the chance to use the restroom, especially during a critical time like potty training.  I would file a complaint if in your shoes.  Any person that can turn away a small child like that when they need to use the restroom has no heart.  That's just terrible!  

My opinion on this is a TWO year old who needs to use the restroom should not be told you can't.  It's asking for an accident and the poor child could face embarrassment by wetting their pants.  I guess the employee and the store owner would rather mop up a mess than allow a child to use the restroom.

mgnavadomskis:  I hope the employees will be handing *you* the mop to clean up the mess since it's your responsibility to take care of your family!  In a public establishment there should always be a restroom available to the *public*.  Toddlers have small bladders that aren't fully mature yet.  Some children have bladder problems and are prone to UTIs.  Telling a child that young that they cannot use the bathroom is cruel and can cause a UTI, especially if there is not another public restroom close by.  

And when you are trying to potty train your child, the point of potty training is to NOT use the diaper/pull up.  In some children's cases it can hinder the process rather than help.

Answer 15

i have had the same problem and my child has a bladder condition. i have gone into several establishments  with my daughter just to be turned away and most of the time she then has an accident. i think it is horrible to do that to a child because they always wait until the last minute to tell you they have to go. it's against the law for schools to refuse a child use of the restroom so i feel it should be for businesses as well.

Answer 16

OMG, thats terrible!Next time, ask to speak to the manager, thats normallt my trick, and it works everytime!