Using The Potty... Providers That Is!

**blandino** · 01-31-2014, 11:48 PM

I would think that my DCP wouldn't be too happy about having kids playing on the bathroom floor and seeing me do my business.

I will sometimes just leave the door cracked. Make sure anyone crawling-18 months ish is secured in a pack and play or exersaucer. Tell all the kids to sit on their bottom, one is in charge of "yelling for me" if anyone gets up.

Once I had a stomach issue during prime drop off time. I had an infant and a DCG2, and I contemplated, putting the infant on the bathroom floor on a blanket and letting the DCG2 sit in the hall.

Most of the time, I just try and go strategically. Before work, at nap, and then after closing.

**caregiver** · 02-01-2014, 07:42 AM

Well, at my age,50+, I have to go to the bathroom a lot! I have always had a small bladder I guess and have to go many times during the day.
I have taken a child in the bathroom with me if they are under 2 yrs of age because I can't trust them to not get into things while I am in the bathroom or get hurt in the playroom while I am in there. With some kids I have put them in the pnp so I know they are safe while I am in the bathroom. I have never had any parent complain about doing this as I will tell them that is what I do and why I do it, to keep their child safe while I am out of the room and they all seem to like that I do this for the safety of their child. I just have the kids sit on the floor with a book to look at and that has worked out well. I have had some kids that seem to think that when I am out of the room,not watching them, that they can get into things they know they are not supposed to get into, or will get really wild.
Sometimes it takes me awhile in the bathroom, I just can't seem to be quick all the time, so for me this has worked. In fact sometimes it has even helped as far as getting a child to know what going potty is all about and has made them want to get potty trained faster. So for me. this has never been a issue with parents as they are fully aware of why I do it. Safety comes first with me.

**Angelsj** · 02-01-2014, 07:54 AM

I just go. And yes, kids sometimes follow me. On the one hand, there is a little half wall so they can be in the bathroom and not really see anything. If they are under potty training age, who cares? If they are older and try to peek around, I just tell them I am using the potty, please go play until I am done.

If they are being rowdy, I will sometimes call one of the older kids down to wrangle them while I go, especially if I am going to be a while. (I have a 12 and 14 yo still at home and we home school.)

**Play Care** · 02-01-2014, 12:42 PM

I do not feel comfortable taking most children in the bathroom with me. I will take an infant if necessary. Mostly I have the kids trained so that I say "mrs K is going to use the potty now, I'll be back in a minute" and they know to continuing playing nicely while I'm taking care of business. That said, if I have a rowdy or young group, I will take a moment to secure those that need it - young toddlers in boosters or high chairs, infants in PNP's, etc. A child whose behavior is so unsafe that I can't pee for two seconds probably isn't a good fit for my program.

And while I don't think taking children to the bathroom with you is wrong, necessarily, posting a pic from the toilet is nasty and unprofessional.

**spud912** · 02-01-2014, 01:09 PM

I definitely do not take the children in the bathroom with me (unless they are my own). I would think there would be liability tied to that.

I just make sure they have an activity set up and then go quickly.

**TwinKristi** · 02-01-2014, 01:26 PM

Ok, thanks for the replies. It was on her personal page not her business page but either way maybe that's what rubbed me the wrong way. I just wonder how this plays into male providers. I think parents would have a much harder time with kids in the bathroom with a male vs a female provider. Liability does cross my mind ("I saw miss Susan's peepee today" or the wonderful discovery of "hair") but also just them telling parents. These kids were probably under 3, I think around 1, 2 & 3 from the looks of them and all girls.

**Josiegirl** · 02-01-2014, 02:20 PM

We're allowed to do that? Go potty during the day?

Ya know what, I run a home daycare, primary word being home. I would never allow kids older than 2ish in there but really, the little ones trail in and out. Besides, how long would it take me? I do go right before drop offs and pick ups and during nap. But sometimes nature calls when that 8 a.m. coffee has worked it's way through at 9, or there's a kid who just won't nap and follows me in.

Thinking about liability, sure, but who helps the kids in the bathroom, if not you? They could say a thousand things about you. If the dcps don't trust you enough to believe in you, then phooey on 'em anyways.

**Jack Sprat** · 02-01-2014, 09:42 PM

I usually have and entourage following me to the bathroom. 99% of the time the door is open only a crack and the kids wait for me. I have told the parents that they follow me and sometimes open the door and that I explain I need privacy. It doesn't bother them, and it doesn't bother me. I do only have two-three kids under 3 at one time.

**Happily_wed** · 02-02-2014, 07:16 AM

I have IBS so I need to be in the restroom often and for several minutes at times if I am having a bad stomach day. If I just run in to pee I make sure babies are in a safe area like the pnp. I will tell the older kids that I am going to the bathroom and to behave themselves. I can see straight into my one bathroom from the living room/daycare room. I go in that bathroom and just leave the door open a crack so I can see into the living room.

If I am going to be in there for several minutes and I have a baby I will put it into the car seat and take it with me. The older kids just play or watch tv while I go.

I only keep one family at a time usually so I never have more than three kids here. They just get used to me going and know that when I need to go they are to play or watch cartoons and behave. They pay no attention to me while I am in there

.

**Cat Herder** · 02-03-2014, 05:21 AM

If I did not know better I'd think you were talking about me....

I posted a pic of a set of siblings washing their own hands (covered in paint) in the bathroom sink with warm soapy water last week.

(Mom & Grandma did not believe they could/would do it unassisted, the photo was asked for) I had made a big deal about how they did not even get paint down my hallway walls. I was proud of them.

I stood between the bathtub & toilet and leaned over to get both kids smiling faces in the shot. After reading this post, I guess it could also look as if I was on the toilet. :confused:

I doubt my clients would give it a thought, though.

That said when I go to the restroom, or take kids potty individually, I lock the gate on the playroom door. The infants are in their areas, the toddlers in theirs, separated by half walls and child proofed age appropriately.

My regs do allow for "reasonable accommodation" for such necessities.

Maybe the provider who posted the photo was also staging a photo op and not really on the toilet??? :confused:

**sally** · 02-03-2014, 06:20 AM

I once had a mom get mad at for leaving her 2 kids unattended because she came in early for pick up and I was in the bathroom. The kids were 2 and 5 and were sitting on the livingroom floor looking at books and my bathroom is about 10 steps down the hallway and I had left the door cracked open. I watched these kids for 10 hours a day. How am I supposed to avoid using the bathroom for 10 hours? Later that week the mom commented about how she left the 5 year old in charge of the 2 year old in the house while she mowed their lawn. Boy did I let her have it for yelling at me for leaving them unatteneded to pee for about 2 minutes while she left them unatteneded for at least 30 minutes or more

**caregiver** · 02-03-2014, 07:25 AM

Originally posted by sally

I once had a mom get mad at for leaving her 2 kids unattended because she came in early for pick up and I was in the bathroom. The kids were 2 and 5 and were sitting on the livingroom floor looking at books and my bathroom is about 10 steps down the hallway and I had left the door cracked open. I watched these kids for 10 hours a day. How am I supposed to avoid using the bathroom for 10 hours? Later that week the mom commented about how she left the 5 year old in charge of the 2 year old in the house while she mowed their lawn. Boy did I let her have it for yelling at me for leaving them unatteneded to pee for about 2 minutes while she left them unatteneded for at least 30 minutes or more

I see nothing wrong with what you did. They were old enough to sit on your living room floor with a book. You were not leaving them unattended, you were like 10 feet away,in the house with them, unlike the dcm, who was out in the yard leaving them unattended. What the Mom did leaving them unattended in the house while she mowed was not a smart thing to do at all.
When ya gotta pee, you gotta pee! For parents to not think that you need to use the bathroom during the day is ridiculous! I have a small bladder and I have to go a lot during the day.
I wonder what this dcm does at home when she has to pee???

Using The Potty... Providers That Is!

Using The Potty... Providers That Is!

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