How To Send Your Children Safely To Campground Bathrooms
Camping creates a whole new “worry” for going to the bathroom. At home one doesn’t think twice of going to the bathroom.
While camping, sending your children off to the public bathroom is an entire new challenge.
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Questions:
- Do you let your children go alone to the public bathroom?
- Do you let your children just take off and go to the bathroom without you knowing?
- Do you know when your children come back to the bathroom?
- Doesn’t matter let it happen your children will be fine.
Many questions must be addressed either before camping or while camping in relation to the bathroom.
Previous Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance!
Make a plan before hand how you will deal with the camp bathroom.
Our goal for this article is that it gets you thinking about trips to the bathroom and to make a plan prior to going camping.
What is in the Bathroom Plan?
1. Decide whom of your children if any are old enough to go the bathroom on their own.
2. If there are any children old enough to go to the bathroom on their own ask your self:
Are you ok with them going any time of day?
Do you want to know when they are headed to the bathroom and when they return?
(TIP): You can always set your watch timer so it reminds you they left and should be back by when timer goes off.)
3. If there are children not old enough to go the bathroom by themselves what is your plan for them?
- Can the child go with an older brother or sister? Or do they simply need to go with a parent?
- If the children go in pairs do you want to know when they leave and return?
- Are they allowed to go together anytime of day?
- Do the siblings have to stay together when they go? For example when we started this we forgot it would turn into a race and therefore one sibling would return crying as they were left or this has happened as well that one went running back to campsite and other was still waiting at the door for them to come out not knowing their sibling had already left.
- Do you allow a brother to go with a sister or keep it same sex.
- Do you allow them to take anything to the bathroom. (we have had to run back to the bathroom to retrieve a scooter or ball as it was forgotten at the bathroom)
4. What happens if your children get scared by someone or something during the trip to the bathroom? Do your children know what to do?
Do your children know what to do if approached by someone on the way, inside, around and/or on the way back from the bathroom?
If you or your children are ever grabbed by someone do you know what to do? See our article: How to respond decisively and effectively if someone grabs you
Do you have a plan for the camp bathroom? Hopefully this article gets you thinking and helps you to make a plan.
5. Plan Made... What Next?
Discuss your plan with your children before/beginning trip.
Once at your campsite decide what is the best way to get to the bathroom.
Walk with your children to explore the best route to the bathroom and point out any distinct landmarks to show this is the way to the bathroom. For example turn right at the Yellow camp sign.
(Hint: Use landmarks that are stationary. ie. a car is not a good landmark)
And ask your children to take this same trip every time to and from the bathroom. This way if you go looking for them you can quickly head the main route and not expect them on any other route.
Also the first time it gets dark go with your children and have them lead the way and make sure they can do it there and back.
Wow, much to think about in making a simple trip to the bathroom and the beauty is you probably have naturally already thought of this.
Do you have any trip to the bathroom stories?
