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Clean & Child-Friendly: Some Thoughts on Restroom Hygiene

By Wilma Flanagan

As a mom, I have recently really struggled with the issue of hygiene in public places. I was diagnosed with cancer last Spring, and have tried to maintain as normal a lifestyle as possible for my daughter. This has been difficult because of my special need to be very conscientious about cleanliness during my treatment. She and I like to go out shopping, to parks and playgrounds, and she loves to eat at fast food restaurants. I have found it very difficult to take her into the restrooms in any of those places, because none of them are truly accessible for small children. When she sits on the toilet seat, she naturally hangs on, so she won't fall in. When she is finished, she wants to wash her hands. This is nearly impossible in public restrooms. The sinks are always too high, the soap dispensers are too far away for her to reach, and often the towel dispenser is also out of reach. Not only that, but they all work differently, and she can't always figure that out, either. Because of my surgery I was unable to lift and hold her while she washed her hands. What I have done, is put soap on my hand, kneeled on the floor, so that she could climb onto my knee, using it as a stepstool to reach the sink. She gets the soap from me, and then together we get the paper towels, after I have washed my hands, and rubbed the dirt from my knee or clothing. Needless to say, this was not good for me, or my clothing.

I have found that many restaurants are very welcoming to small children, with special menus, and color crayons to play with while they wait for the food. Fast food restaurants all have children's meals. Their restrooms have signs to remind workers about handwashing, that also provide a good reminder to the public, but: they are not accessible to the youngest customers! It would very helpful if step stools would be provided for little ones too small to reach the sink. A least one soap dispenser shoudld be placed where a child can reach it, as well as one of the paper towel dispensers.

I did have one very positive shopping experience this summer, when our family visited the IKEA store in the Seattle area. They have covered parking, so you don't have to bring your little ones out into bad weather. They provide free strollers for children under age three, and have separate, free and fun childcare centers for children aged three to six, and six and older. The restrooms had chairs to sit in, and step stools at the sinks. IKEA also has wonderful children's products, furniture and playthings. I highly recommend them for the Child Friendly Seal of Approval, and hope that other businesses will emulate them! Next time we're in Seattle, we'll certainly make a point of shopping there, as it was fun for all of us.

Wilma Flanagan is the mother of Siobhan (age 4). She lives with her family in Spokane, WA.