Too many restroom breaks at a restaraunt.

[NinJaBob]

Originally Posted by MammaJamma

yes most kids are probably just in a rush or some just find having to go to the bathroom a drag so they try to go as quickly as possible without realizing theyre not actually done...

That's not our kids. They love the bathroom. They like using the bathroom and washing their hands and playing with the towel dispenser and walking around the restaurant.

[Pinkbook]

I had a weird habit about restaurants when my kids where this small. I avoided going with them, and if I did I usually took something(game, Nintendo, coloring book) to entertain them. They were more likely to be done before me and I hate the bathroom game. If you have to go, you have to go but don't play with me.

With that being said I had that habit because that was the time I used to bond with my husband. The time we spent to talk and have no worries about kids or anything. Just the two of us. Now that they are older we take them with us and we used the time to connect all four of us.

I know this may not be optional for you but I do recommend it if you can. In terms of the break have him go before the dinner arrive and then tell them you can go once he's done with his food. Schedules the breaks and explain that you would like to eat too. Call him on his game and be firm about your bathroom schedule. I do recommend to bring something so he can play while you eat. I think restaurants most be boring places for kids.

[NinJaBob]

Originally Posted by Pinkbook

I do recommend to bring something so he can play while you eat. I think restaurants most be boring places for kids.

We usually have some coloring pages and some crayons. My son usually has a car or two and my daughter will bring a dolly. Which actually goes against our rules. At home we don't let them bring toys to the dinner table. We also try to keep them engaged in the conversation because to us dinner is a social event. The truth is they find the mystique of the restaurant alluring and spend more time playing with the menus and the caddies on the table than with their toys. We have taken them out to dinner a lot. Probably more than we should. This is not new to them.

I just don't have the heart to deny a kid the right to use the bathroom whether I think he's full of BS or not. There's got to be another way.

-Phil

[evilbrent]

Originally Posted by PhilBilly

I just don't have the heart to deny a kid the right to use the bathroom whether I think he's full of BS or not.
-Phil

Ah.

Here I think we're coming closer to the heart of the matter. I mean this in a very friendly way: what are you? The parent or the favorite uncle? If your kid is full of BS then make that call and trust yourself. I'll bet he'll change his tone if he ever really really really needs to go. It's not about his bladder function or emotional triggers or boredom, it's about telling the truth and why it's bad when people stop believing that you're telling the truth.

It ain't a right, it's a privilege, or rather USING the bathroom is a right but only if you're actually using it.

[NinJaBob]

Originally Posted by evilbrent

Ah.
If your kid is full of BS then make that call and trust yourself. I'll bet he'll change his tone if he ever really really really needs to go. It's not about his bladder function or emotional triggers or boredom, it's about telling the truth and why it's bad

That's the hard part because I can't tell if he's lying (which we are trying to address in this whole bathroom situation) or not. He always seems so passionate when he wants to go. He always squeezes something out so I can't bust him for lying because he technically did pee. Now I know and you know that it's BS but again he did pee so in his eyes he fulfilled his end of the deal.

I am definitely not the cool uncle. I have a lot of fun with my kids and get all silly and goofy but if anything I am the disciplinarian. Which is why they don't pull this garbage when we are alone. I just don't want them to either A. suffer or B.have an accident because I judged them wrong. My daughter is especially at an age where B is more likely to happen then A.

Somehow I need to find the right way to address this issue with my son when we are not at the restaurant so that he can understand that what he is doing is wrong and then reinforcement it once we are there.

[evilbrent]

I hope it's obvious that I come across as a pretty liberal parent - but really you only get so many chances to tell the truth.

You can be nice about - you can even give lots of chances - but I've always had good results with nicely just explaining to my kids what the truth is for, and that EVERYTHING I tell them is true, and that etc etc etc.

But sooner or later you have to say "I'm sorry. I don't believe you. Shh Shh Shh. Stop yelling now please."

[NinJaBob]

Originally Posted by evilbrent

I hope it's obvious that I come across as a pretty liberal parent - but really you only get so many chances to tell the truth.

You can be nice about - you can even give lots of chances - but I've always had good results with nicely just explaining to my kids what the truth is for, and that EVERYTHING I tell them is true, and that etc etc etc.

But sooner or later you have to say "I'm sorry. I don't believe you. Shh Shh Shh. Stop yelling now please."

You're probably right.

[kjcandles]

My daughter did this when she was little. It was more because she was curious about the bathrooms and gave her something to do while she was waiting for her food. Now she avoids public restrooms whenever she can!

[AmyBelle]

Well, resturaunts are pretty darn boring when youre little.

Are there any family resturaunts with indoor playgrounds in your area? If so, maybe try one of those and see if the bathroom obsession dies down if he has soemthing fun and interesting to do while waiting.

[NinJaBob]

Originally Posted by AmyBelle

Well, resturaunts are pretty darn boring when youre little.

Are there any family resturaunts with indoor playgrounds in your area? If so, maybe try one of those and see if the bathroom obsession dies down if he has soemthing fun and interesting to do while waiting.

The only one is Chuck E. Cheese. I refuse to go in there more than twice a year. That place makes me a nervous wreck.

-Phil