Jenny is really going to think I'm insane for this one...Mary Grace has recently learned to use the "big girl potty" and has graduated from the little plastic potty to the real toilet much faster than I thought she would. She hasn't, however, learned to tell me well in advance of when she needs to go, so when she says, "Mommy, I need to go potty," she really means, "right now!!!"
Since we spend a lot of time driving to and from Grammaland, when she figured out the real toilet, I took her little plastic potty chair and put it in the van in a box, along with toilet paper, wipes, plastic bags, and every other thing in the universe that lives in my van (some people have storage units, some have sheds... everything we own is in my van).
When we're on the road, and she has to go right now, I don't have to worry about finding a place to stop, I can just pull off at the nearest exit, find a parking lot, and let her go in her potty chair in the back of the van. Then I can clean it up using a combination of TP and wipes and plastic bags, depending on the situation, and away we go!
This worked extremely well last time we went north, when her sister was asleep in the car. I didn't want to wake her up to take her inside the gas station with us, I couldn't leave her sleeping in the car, and MG doesn't have the skills to "hold it" yet. Everyone wins.
We only use it on long trips, but it stays out there, anyway, because I don't have room in my bathroom or garage for it. So, having a Port-a-Potty works for me! Check with Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer for more WFMW fun. And be sure to scroll down to the next post to read about the Nie Nie Auction that's going on today (9/24/08).
6 comments:
I have a little girl who is just now starting potty training and we are driving 350 miles this weekend. Great timing (grrrr)! I'm going to take along the port-a-potty and enjoy the ride! Thanks for the post. jen :)
We embarked on a 600 mile road trip just a month after beginning my daughter's potty training. We panicked a few times as we drove mile after mile with no potty in sight, and she did have one accident. (By then we had put her in a diaper just in case.) I could have used this tip!
I wrote today's WFMW post about potty training as well!
I have a friend down here that has kids ages 4 (almost 5 actually) and 3 and I think she still keeps a potty chair in the back of her van for just in case.
We will be doing that when we drive up this Christmas, assuming Katelynn's caught on to using the potty. Instead of just sitting on it.
yes, yes. Been there. Do make sure you don't forget the plastic bags and wipes. That is crucial! Very very important. :-)
You know I think you're smart - but this classifies as briliant! I'm glad to have this in mind for when we get to that stage...
Holy freaking gods, this is GENIUS. There's no room in my van for the potty at the moment thanks to the Amazing Portable Henna Shop (ie, farmer's market booth gear), but the next time we take a trip I am TOTALLY going to do this.
A thought: you could line the potty with a little plastic trash bag beforehand, then when the kid goes all you need to do is pull the bag out, tie it shut, and throw it out. Or were you already thinking of that? (You probably were, since you're a GENIUS.)
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