Ok, NOW I've Seen It All!

[DBug]

I agree -- why the sink? If it were culturally appropriate to pee in a sink, no problem. But why teach a child to do something that sets them up for failure? Why not hold them over the toilet if you're doing EC?

I'm wondering if it's because it's easier for the parent and doesn't strain their backs??

I have all children that can walk sit on potties, so I totally get training them early. But still -- I use POTTIES.

To OP, I would NOT be letting that mom back in my bathroom .

[Sugar Magnolia]

I would just be honest with her and tell her that you can't have urine in the sinks. She's welcome to sit her on the potty when she arrives to pick her up but you can't have her peeing in the sink. You can do it in a way that gives her the option to either go home to do it or use the potty.

I have never even attempted to potty train a kid that young. I don't do sign language with the kids and don't accept any potty indicator other than the WORDS from the child "I have to go potty".

I can't imagine what it would take in a group setting to have an adult THAT engaged to be able to tell the pee "sign" for a sixteen month old in a center. The infant/toddler rooms I watch on camera are REALLY busy. There is hundreds and hundreds of times a day the kids are on the opposite end of the room of the adults and there is SO much traffic in and out of the rooms. To be THAT engaged with a child at that age in that setting would be impossible.

Not to be gross but the pee from the kid isn't going to be as germ filled as what comes off their hands in a wash BUT that's assuming the child is perfectly healthy. Because nondisclosure of illness is SUCH a problem in a paid child care situation, it would be impossible to know on a day to day basis whether or not the peeing kid was sick or not at any given time.

Yes Nan, I agree with everything you said! I do recognize her signs, I used to work with several deaf people at my last job, and its just a few basic signs, like eat, drink, peepee, poopoo, done. I LOVE the signing and its cool, but like I said, the "peepee" or "poopoo" signs just indicates she needs changed, I NEVER see the sign and she's dry. You're right, no time to go to the potty 15 times a day, I don't and I won't. YES "I have to go" is when I start rushing them to the potty. I will sit her the potty before and after nap, IF she is dry.

[momma2girls]

This is really disgusting!! You think you have seen and heard it all, til something like this happens!!!
Also place something in your contract about potty training. I added a potty training section to mine about 3 yrs. ago. If anyone wants to see the wording, I would be glad to share it.

[Sugar Magnolia]

::::I can picture this::::

I would definitely say something to her, but I would handle it in a nice, but firm, way. i.e. - "Apparently there's been a little misunderstanding," yada, yada, yada. I'd address it so I wouldn't have to worry about her slipping in there again, and me not seeing it .

After reading a lot of your posts, it sounds like your daycare is pretty cool, too!

Aw thanks myangels! We are cool, but not THAT cool! LOL!!!!!

[Sugar Magnolia]

Probably just the opposite--the super natural, super attachment parenting, super granola/crunchy parents.

You called it Siver, super crunchy, 'nough said. I'm pretty hippy child too, and I am open to a lot of ideas. Sink peeing, nope. Again, GREAT for mom, at home. Not here.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Well... the hubs and I just did some serious research and yep - many parents who use EC instead of potty training are fond of holding their littles over the sink to pee and POOP... it appears that Scrubbing Bubbles is the choice cleaner for these folks. ::

OMG.

Poop? Holy cow! To the "urine is sterile" folks, what if poop happens while peeing in a sink? What about her feet in the sink? Its NOT appropriate in a child care setting!
YES safety is a huge issue as well! No child is in there alone, but the thought of her trying to climb in a sink is a liability nightmare!

[SilverSabre25]

You called it Siver, super crunchy, 'nough said. I'm pretty hippy child too, and I am open to a lot of ideas. Sink peeing, nope. Again, GREAT for mom, at home. Not here.

yeah i have never understood that aspect of ec'ing...it makes no sense to me.

but then, while i consider myself crunchy, i'm fairly middle of the road--and i'm pretty sure that many of the ubercrunchy types i know consider me practically mainstream.

[wdmmom]

Poop? Holy cow! To the "urine is sterile" folks, what if poop happens while peeing in a sink? What about her feet in the sink? Its NOT appropriate in a child care setting!
YES safety is a huge issue as well! No child is in there alone, but the thought of her trying to climb in a sink is a liability nightmare!

It just sicks me out! The thought of picking up something from a sink! Yuck!

Are they going to hold their child over the sink at the local supermarket?! What if no one sees?! Does that mean the next person could potentially walk away with some sort of bacteria, pink eye, or even worse...e-coli?!

[nannyde]

Yes Nan, I agree with everything you said! I do recognize her signs, I used to work with several deaf people at my last job, and its just a few basic signs, like eat, drink, peepee, poopoo, done. I LOVE the signing and its cool, but like I said, the "peepee" or "poopoo" signs just indicates she needs changed, I NEVER see the sign and she's dry. You're right, no time to go to the potty 15 times a day, I don't and I won't. YES "I have to go" is when I start rushing them to the potty. I will sit her the potty before and after nap, IF she is dry.

So when you see the sign and you see she is wet... do you think she JUST went. The odds are going to be that she's wet at any given time.

Do you change her... and then within a few minutes see the sign that she is wet?

[Sugar Magnolia]

So when you see the sign and you see she is wet... do you think she JUST went. The odds are going to be that she's wet at any given time.

Do you change her... and then within a few minutes see the sign that she is wet?

Yes, when I see the sign, she usually is freshly wet. I change her ASAP, within a few minutes because they are cloth diapers and I don't like the smell of pee or the prospect of cleaning up leaks. I NEVER see the sign when she is dry, ALWAYS after the fact.

[Country Kids]

What is EC?

[Sugar Magnolia]

What is EC?

"Elimination Communication" or "extremely complicated" or "exceptionally creepy" ::
But in all seriousness, its a nice concept, esp the signing part, but is a tactic best left at HOME. I am ALL FOR working with parents on potty training, emphasis on the word "potty". But she's too young to control her bladder, but NOT too young to sign to me she's wet.
I don't think I need to speak to mom again. My look of sheer "OMG!" was enough, I hope, considering she was told "no" in no uncertain terms.
Thanks everyone! I was pretty sure I wasn't crazy for being freaked out.

[Country Kids]

Does anyone here sign with their children in care? I have had a couple that the parents signed but I have them in my care at about 2 years and up. I figure by that time the child should be learning to talk. I also found it frustrating because if the child was signing I had no idea what they were saying. That was another frustration with signing because our kindergartens at our school learn basic sign. Well that is great if the person being signed to understands it. I wonder if that will become one of our mandatory classes to take in the future because alot of people are doing it with their children.

[familyschoolcare]

http://freetoec.webs.com/mythologyreality.htm


Myth #4: It's unsanitary

One of the most common reactions I get to the pictures of EC is people freaking out about peeing in the sink. This truly amuses me for several reasons:

First, URINE IS STERILE! That means that urine is free of bacteria and bugs that could possibly make you ill. It's unappetizing to think about, but you could drink my baby's urine and would not be made sick from it. But don't just believe me, believe Healthlink: "Normal urine is sterile. It contains fluids, salts, and waste products, but is free of bacteria, viruses, and fungi."

Second, we of course clean and wipe the sink down after each pee. I would be more worried about germs from someone's mouth that spray all over the sink when spitting after brushing your teeth... the mouth actually harbors bacteria, urine does not.

Third, I hate to pop your germ bubble... but unless you put the toliet LID down each time you flush, a fine mist of urine, feces and whatever else was in there gets sprayed all around your bathroom. You put the lid down, you say? But does every person visiting your bathroom? I don't mean to freak you out, but people who are completely calm about handling money, touching public doorknobs, letting their kids hang on to grocery-cart handles etc will have a royal fit about how gross and unsanitary EC is.... can you see me rolling my eyes? ;-)

Fourth, for the people who find the idea of my breast-fed healthy infant peeing in the great outdoors distasteful and unsanitary, I wonder if they have any idea how many animals (and probably people!) have done their business on their own lawn.....

In my experience, this is usually an excuse not to think about EC any further, and to label people who do EC as "primitive" and "unclean".

I would not allow it in my house because it is not socially acceptable that is the same reason i do not appreciate other people children pee in public.

That is how I would approach ti the mother that I can not allow it in my house for several reasons the biggest being that it is not socially acceptable and as a role model for the young children I need to sit a good example. The if the parent tried to discuss how there is nothing wrong with it pee is sterile etc. I would just say that is not the point it is socially unacceptable in the United States of America.

[PitterPatter]

Everyone has a right to their own opinion with this "EC" BUT let me ask 1 question please IF u do allow it and are all for it... What happens when the child has to poop? Do u clean that out too or try to stop it and run them to the nearest toilet? Also this allowance of peeing in the sink would just confuse a child in my opinion. They are taught it's ok then I ASSUNME are retrained to later pee in the toilet? Confusing for the poor child in my opinion. Also back to the pooing, again confusing because how do u tell them not to poo there just pee there and run to poo in a toilet when it's coming right behind the pee... Also taking into consideration the possibility of injury from them scaling the counter to get to the sink. Then we have the possible future issues if they pee in a friends sink or school in kindergarten... Just an unnecessary and confusing situation I think. Just MY opinion here.