Another Potty Training Question - Belleville, MI

I used to have the same problem, and ironically a lot of people laugh when they hear how I made it work. I would obviously go in with my daughters and then hold them over the urinal portion and they would go in there. It worked great, as long as they didn't poop. My girls didn't like the smell, but they disliked the idea of sitting on a big whole that had a lot of mess in it. As far as the smell goes, you could pick up one of those car deodorizers with you and bring it in with you. I would keep it in it's little package that it comes in until you go into the port a potty. My daughters are now 4 and 5.5, and this year was the first year that I didn't have to go in with them and hold them over the urinal, so you may need to bring a deodorizer with you for a while.

Seriously? Public restrooms can be a challenge themselves (putting paper down and washing hands with a little one), but those port-a-potties are the most disgusting thing ever! If it were me, I wouldn't want my child to use it and would explain to her that those are not the kind of potties to go in because they are too dirty, but other potties (restaurant, store, etc) are ok. I would then take her back to the car and use a travel-port-a-potty brought just for her.

Hi W.,

I have got to say that I've been around many porta-johns, gas stations and restaurants. I've been in some very clean and well-kept porta-potties (municipal parks, festivals, etc) and I've also seen some really nasty ones. My husband has also seen some gross gas station bathrooms and insisted that I take our son into the ladies room because of this.

Try to stay open-minded about bathrooms and your kids will, too. If possible, go into the bathroom/stall first to scope it out and go from there. Please don't just assume that all porta-johns are disgusting or even that all restaurant/other bathrooms are pristine. Just bring hand sanitizer.

Hope this helps!
D.

That's a tough one! I don't even want to go in those things. She is a bit young to understand that it really is her only choice. :( You could make a game out of it.."ok hold your breath, we have to go to the stinky potty" Take some extra clothes and take it as it comes.

I make a big deal out of going in the "new potty" and make the trip as fast as possible.

we have a travel potty we keep in the vehicle... for fairs, we would put in her stroller... the one we have is compact and looks like a briefcase. We ordered it from onestepahead.com. It is called "travel potty". It is about $25 and WELL WORTH every penny. We have had it for over a year now and use it for all of those times when the potty situation is just really gross... especially for kids who like to put there hands on EVERYTHING!!

W., yeah you say , yes its smelly this is why we flush the toilets at home so its not stinky but this is a potty that does not flush they come and clean it, and this way when there is no potty we can go potty and plug our noses, while we are in there, so ill plug my nose and you plug your nose, and we will go potty and then we will have fun, you just have to play a game or a smelly game, ahahah what do you smell now, ? ooo i smell cotton candy , or i smell ice cream, or ooo thats a potty smell, hahaah gotta just do what you can, enjoy life and have a good day D. s

Offer a choice. Either she holds her nose and goes potty or you'll have to cut the fun at the carnival short to go home and use the potty OR a nearby restaurant. there'll come a time when she outgrows Pull Ups and will have to use a less than pristine, sterile facility or else completely embarass herself. the choices are clear.

If you have no other choice and the potty is absolutely disgusting then I would have her stand on the toilet seat and then squat over it. If it is truly dirty then no one will sit on it anyway (I know I don't). You could always wipe the seat off after she is done with a wet wipe.

You could take a potty chair with you and take her out to the car to use it when she needs to go.