Supervision of Meals AND Potty Break

[Pestle]

I have a recently-potty-trained 3yo who always and only has a bowel movement five minutes after the whole crew has started to eat lunch. He won't go if I put him on the toilet before the meal. There must be something about food moving into the digestive tract that triggers food leaving the digestive tract.

The bathroom is in another room. If I change where the tables are placed, I can see the bathroom AND the tables at the same time, but when the guy needs his butt wiped and close supervision while on a stepstool to wash his hands (he's a klutz), I can't see the kids who are eating.

What do you do? Put everybody's meal on hold and go troop into the other room together? Every day? For the indefinite future?

[Leigh]

I have a recently-potty-trained 3yo who always and only has a bowel movement five minutes after the whole crew has started to eat lunch. He won't go if I put him on the toilet before the meal. There must be something about food moving into the digestive tract that triggers food leaving the digestive tract.

The bathroom is in another room. If I change where the tables are placed, I can see the bathroom AND the tables at the same time, but when the guy needs his butt wiped and close supervision while on a stepstool to wash his hands (he's a klutz), I can't see the kids who are eating.

What do you do? Put everybody's meal on hold and go troop into the other room together? Every day? For the indefinite future?

Maybe start HIS meals before the other kids' and get the pooping out of the way before feeding the other kids?

[Ariana]

I send them to do their business and then they yell out when they are done. I go and wipe super quick, wash my own hands quickly and go back to the table where I have plenty of soapy cloths. Then I wash their hands with the soapy cloth. Since they did not actually wipe their butts I think it is fine. If you are in the kitchen with a sink have him wash in the kitchen sink.

[Pestle]

I don't go halvsies on handwashing--it needs to be with warm water for at least 20 seconds, both so the kids build the habit and so they don't spread disease. They may not have wiped their butts, but they've touched all kinds of surfaces and body parts.

And licensing prohibits kids in the kitchen in my state. Which I thought was silly until I found an aspirin tablet on my kitchen floor yesterday, and realized that no amount of carefulness from the daycare provider can fix careless spouses. He's all the time breaking glasses and leaving it on the floor for me to clean up, too.

I suppose I could wipe DCK, then go wash my hands in the kitchen sink where I can still see the kids who are eating, but then I couldn't see him as he struggles to remember in which order to dismount the toilet, pull up his underwear, and pull up his pants. :: I may have to wipe him real quick, then stand sentinel and remind him each step of the process before we both go back to the dining room together and I continue to the kitchen to wash my hands. BLECH.

There maybe something to that "feed him first" idea. At first I didn't like it, because I want the kids to learn table manners and how to be a good guest, but dining together as a group is just not working right now.

Next upgrade is going to be a low sink in the playroom bathroom, which will eliminate the falling risk while washing hands. Maybe I just need to bite the bullet and get the minor remodeling done.

[Ariana]

I don't go halvsies on handwashing--it needs to be with warm water for at least 20 seconds, both so the kids build the habit and so they don't spread disease. They may not have wiped their butts, but they've touched all kinds of surfaces and body parts.
.

Just to be clear I was only suggesting a quicker hand washing routine in this one instance to solve your supervision problem. It is not an ideal situation and supervision trumps 20 second hand washing for me if it is happening ONCE a day but that’s just me!

[Blackcat31]

How many other kids are eating and how old are they?

[daycarediva]

I would just give him his water/milk or start with a veggie 'appetizer'.

[Snowmom]

I know a lot of people might not agree with me....
But if a 3 year old can't do the toiling process himself (pants on/off in the right order, wiping, washing hands), I wouldn't have him potty training.

But if I were to come up with solution beyond putting him back in diapers, I'd say a baby monitor in the kitchen.

[Pestle]

I would just give him his water/milk or start with a veggie 'appetizer'.

Good thought!

I have 4 right now, ages 14 months to 3 years, but enrollment will go up to 6 when I'm licensed and I need to have a better process in place.

It only takes once for the butt-to-mouth transmission of bacteria, especially when that once involves poop and lunch. I'm set on finding a "supervise AND practice basic hygiene" solution.

[Ac114]

I know a lot of people might not agree with me....
But if a 3 year old can't do the toiling process himself (pants on/off in the right order, wiping, washing hands), I wouldn't have him potty training.

But if I were to come up with solution beyond putting him back in diapers, I'd say a baby monitor in the kitchen.

Agreed!

[hwichlaz]

can you put up a mirror, angled, so you can supervise both?

Or pick up everyone's plates for a mine, let them keep their milk, while you go deal with it.

[Indoorvoice]

I know a lot of people might not agree with me....
But if a 3 year old can't do the toiling process himself (pants on/off in the right order, wiping, washing hands), I wouldn't have him potty training.

But if I were to come up with solution beyond putting him back in diapers, I'd say a baby monitor in the kitchen.

Ya my thought is that if he can't hold it through a meal or take care of bathroom needs himself, I would put a diaper on right before lunch and if he didn't go during lunch, I would potty him first with the rest of the group after lunch. No need for one child to disrupt your whole routine. Part of being trained is being able to go before or hold it until after. Every once in a while during lunch I would be able to understand, but not every day.

[Josiegirl]

I like the angled mirror idea! My bathroom is situated so that I can peek out the door right into the kitchen.

[redmaple]

Would a video baby monitor help?

[BrynleeJean]

in my state we don't need to see them all the time.
its visual and/or auditory supervision. so if i know those kids are eating at the table fine and small ones are buckled into chairs and can't fall and everything is good, then i walk 10 ft down my hall to wipe someones bottom and wash their hands, especially if that one child is the one that needs more supervision that the ones that are okay eating in a seated position without me.
if that makes sense.
its a must to leave the room sometimes don't stress it I'm sure your licensor knows kids use the bathroom and homes can't logically have toilets in view of eating areas. That would be weird.

And I'm sure licensors would rather you let the child go to the restroom then for them to come in and hear any provider say, "no you can't go to the bathroom until everyone is done eating"

So i wouldn't stress it sounds like your doing good !