Traveling and Potty Training

This past Christmas my son and I took a 10-day road trip with my husband through the Southeast part of the country. We were having an enjoyable time until that unforgettable bitter cold Monday morning.

We were at one of my husband's top accounts in Nashville, TN, the Country Music's city of fame. We had just eaten at every child's favorite restaurant, McDonalds. My husband took my son to the bathroom and I thought all was well no more potty issues for the day. But, I was wrong.

We had been at my husband's account for a little over 20 minutes when my husband came and told me I might want to take my son to the bathroom. I thought no problem. He had been doing a decent job on the trip with the potty training. Little did I know that all my positive aspirations for my son were soon to end in a nightmare experience.

I chased my son down and dragged him to the ladies room. As I prepared to clean him up, I looked down and saw poop all the way down his leg, his sweatpants, and his socks. I started screaming at my innocent 3 year old, "Gross! Why did you do this? You have poop all over yourself! Why didn't you tell me you had to go?" I am sure any human outside of the bathroom walls heard the entire conversation.

I told my son he had to stay in the bathroom alone while I went out to get another pair of pants, pull-ups and wipes. I saw my husband and he said, "Is everything ok?" I emphatically replied, "Oh sure, I have it under control. Could you keep an eye on him while I go and get a change of clothes for your son?" He reassured me he would watch over him. I had to trust my spouse on this one.

I ran out into the bitter, cold air and opened the trunk of the PT Cruiser. It was then that I realized that my son's suitcase was wedged sideways and I had to get other bags out in order to get to it. I found everything I needed accept a pair of socks. I then had to get all of the suitcases back in the trunk of the car, but to my surprise, the trunk wouldn't close.

So I kept trying and I couldn't get it to shut properly. I started screaming at this inhuman object thinking it could somehow hear and obey me. Finally, I think an angel in heaven took pity on me and closed it shut for me. Meanwhile, my son is in this strange bathroom waiting on his frustrated mommy to take care of him.

I ran back inside the store and thanked my husband for keeping an eye on my son so he would not be traumatized for the rest of his life from this experience. I went back in to the half lit bathroom and attempted to give my son a mini bath and put clean sweatpants back on him. I had to throw away his pants and his socks. I asked my son if he was going to do this again and he sadly and sorrowfully said," No, mommy."

The rest of the trip my son didn't have anymore incidents like this one, and I made sure everywhere we went, I was prepared for any bathroom disaster.