Toilet Issues

[Unregistered]

*new home provider*

Anyone else have a hard time if outside in the backyard and needing to use the toilet? Is your licensing OK for you to go in to use it? I mean...it is not much different than being in the house and going I dont have raised surfaces where they could fall and they are school-agers, or incoming school agers not toddlers. Except my 3 year old and he is fine.
I go before going out but I have a very small and weak 0-60 second bladder. Like I had a coffee and had to wee 15 minutes after going. Normal.

My husband is home currently but cant watch kids without being in my sight. I can have him in earshot if I leave the door open (I am not viewable to kids) but it is not licensing compliant, either.
Other option is to being them all in for 30 seconds, not too feasible.

Mostly venting but if there are suggestions I will take.

[Cat Herder]

Always go before going outside.

I would be closed pending investigation and risk losing my license were I to leave children outdoors unattended.

I know of no law or regulation prohibiting your husband from caring for the children as long as you make parents aware that he is your emergency back-up.

GI Distress is an emergency any parent would understand. My husband keeps my daycare when I run to the doctor for routine exams. Many providers here have the same routine.

[Unregistered]

My state's licensing says he is a house member |volunteer and cannot be out of my sight.

Otherwise I would use him for that minute but he wouldn't know how to handle them for 10 min or transitions|eating.

[e.j.]

Licensing here wouldn't be ok with me leaving the kids outside to play while I ran in to use the bathroom. To be honest, I wouldn't feel comfortable doing it whether they approved or not. Licensing also wouldn't be ok if I left my husband out there to supervise since he's not an approved assistant. I'd either skip drinking liquids until after we came inside or I'd use the bathroom before we went out. If that doesn't work for you, I'd bring all of the kids inside with me. I know it can be a pain to drag everyone in, especially if they haven't been out there for very long and put up a fuss, but to me, it wouldn't be worth the risk to leave them outside alone even in my fenced in play area. Have you considered wearing something like Depends? I don't know how well they work or for how long but it might be worth wearing one if it allows you to stay outside with the kids? Just trying to think outside the box!

[Cat Herder]

Can he not simply take the required annual assistant training hours? What state does not allow husbands to be emergency backup providers? They are already background checked, anyway. It makes no sense.

[Unregistered]

I agree it does not make much sense. If he had his annual hours he could but no big need. I know he wouldn't do well more than a few minutes-he has no child experience or interest. I think the issue lay in over doing it-like letting an unqualified volunteer be with kids for the whole day.
Luckily my licensor is OK with him in my earshot while he keeps an eye on the kids. My bathroom is not far from outside, I can hear. And the gate door to the front is down the side of the house so it isn't "right there".
I think it will only be an issue on nonschool days because I otherwise will only have kids in care before and after plus a 2 hour preschool program.


I couldnt regulate my drinking-I would have to go many times and I won't dehydrate myself. I drink a lot of water.
Once I was on a field trip to the zoo and was the only staff without a 2nd staff and I did dehydrate myself so I would avoid the bathroom. When I did have to go I had to go across the whole zoo to reach a group to watch my kids and walk a bit to a bathroom. Horrible. But a zoo is not like a backyard.

[Alwaysgreener]

I agree it does not make much sense. If he had his annual hours he could but no big need. I know he wouldn't do well more than a few minutes-he has no child experience or interest. I think the issue lay in over doing it-like letting an unqualified volunteer be with kids for the whole day.
Luckily my licensor is OK with him in my earshot while he keeps an eye on the kids. My bathroom is not far from outside, I can hear. And the gate door to the front is down the side of the house so it isn't "right there".
I think it will only be an issue on nonschool days because I otherwise will only have kids in care before and after plus a 2 hour preschool program.


I couldnt regulate my drinking-I would have to go many times and I won't dehydrate myself. I drink a lot of water.
Once I was on a field trip to the zoo and was the only staff without a 2nd staff and I did dehydrate myself so I would avoid the bathroom. When I did have to go I had to go across the whole zoo to reach a group to watch my kids and walk a bit to a bathroom. Horrible. But a zoo is not like a backyard.

Is it really a weak bladder?
My SIL had surgery to enlarge her bladder. Her bladder only could hold small amounts of fluids. She said something like only being able to hold 40% of what a normal bladder would hold. Now she does not have to pee as often.

[Blackcat31]

I couldnt regulate my drinking-I would have to go many times and I won't dehydrate myself. I drink a lot of water.
Once I was on a field trip to the zoo and was the only staff without a 2nd staff and I did dehydrate myself so I would avoid the bathroom. When I did have to go I had to go across the whole zoo to reach a group to watch my kids and walk a bit to a bathroom. Horrible. But a zoo is not like a backyard.

I drink a ton of water but because I do AND am a child care provider I am also a pro at holding it! !

I guess I am not understanding the issue.....are the DCK's drinking a lot outside as well?

How long are you outside that this is an issue?

Maybe have shorter periods of time outside.

[AmyKidsCo]

Licensing requires sight OR sound, and I can hear them when I'm inside if the windows are open. I'm a pro at going FAST! ::

[Unregistered]

Is it really a weak bladder?
My SIL had surgery to enlarge her bladder. Her bladder only could hold small amounts of fluids. She said something like only being able to hold 40% of what a normal bladder would hold. Now she does not have to pee as often.

Yeah, because sometimes I can hold a lot. I also just feel it really easily.

[Unregistered]

I drink a ton of water but because I do AND am a child care provider I am also a pro at holding it! !

I guess I am not understanding the issue.....are the DCK's drinking a lot outside as well?

How long are you outside that this is an issue?

Maybe have shorter periods of time outside.

Like 15 min -30 outside and I go immediately before going outside. I have a horrible bladder, especially after birthing my son. I don't remember to do kegels, my fault. A post- birth nurse chided me when I had to go and I had a catheter in me and she was like "that's nothing!" And it was probably a cup worth. But it has ways been that way. I remember trying to tell my dr when I was about 14 and she brushed it off.
It means no walking field trips with my school agers. I have issues taking walks, which is one of the few things that doesn't hurt me (mainly a sacroiliac joint issue from birthing my son) so I don't go on walks anymore. I can't just go on a long drive with my sleeping kids or a drive in an area without regular toilets.


I left being in ratio at centers due to my bathroom breaks. It was always a joke with coworkers and friends about my frequent trips.

Monday morning I kid you not 1 cup of coffee and half a bottle of water 10 bathroom trips in the first 4 or 5 hours. But that is still a lot even for me. I think I had 1st day nerves-it went away and by lunch I was back to normal. Weird as it was my two kids and a 6 year old; nobody else is inquiring.

"Drink a lot of water" for me is about 60-80 oz a day so not like gallons.

Bringing in all the kids if I have a sudden need to go could be difficult if kids drag their feet or get upset. One being my daughter-she has ODD.

I really wish I did not have this issue. It is almost debilitating! It's bad when I have to drive an hour, so I go to the bathroom, and then I am in an area where there is no hwy pull off, and I have to go suddenly and badly and it is not being held for long. It is ridiculous. 😢😢

Luckily I asked my licensor. She is fine with my husband there at the screen door while I go. It will help on the full days he is home. Shouldn't be a problem once Sept rolls around and I have 3 sessions ( before|after and 2 hour preschool) exept non school days-and I would just haul them in.


And I guess I was seeing if there were creative solutions like ways to position or something.