Bathroom Rules

OY!

The things one learns in Kindergarten and needs to be taught during the first week of school amazes me! Did you know that you have to explicitly tell students how to use a bathroom? I didn't!

BIG MISTAKE!

There is a bathroom in the classroom. I taught them to raise their hand to ask to go to the bathroom and that only one can go at a time. Students learned this procedure and quickly raises their hands to ask. (Pats self on back.)

Child raises hand to ask to go. I give permission. Student goes to the bathroom and LEAVES THE DOOR OPEN! Oy!

Ah... class, when you go to the restroom please make sure you close the bathroom door. Make sure the light is on before you close the door. When you leave the bathroom please turn off the light and leave the door open. If the door is closed, knock and wait for an answer to be sure no one is in there. 

There fixed that right up.

Later that day -- student comes out of the bathroom half dressed. Ah... students you must put on all of your clothes and make sure they are buttoned before leaving the bathroom.

A friend of mine sent me her list of bathroom rules and procedures for Kindergarten but says she has used it in third grade as well. Things she includes: how to sit on a toilet, how to use a urinal, how to open and close bathroom stalls, how to flush a toilet, how much toilet paper to use, how to wash your hands, how to dry your hands, how many paper towels to use, throwing away your trash, no messes, belt buckles and buttons: a challenging obstacle.

REALLY?? Don't parents teach their kids these things?

Moving on... how do you manage the question of how to use the bathroom in your classroom? If a student asks do you let him go?

This past week we had an incident with one of my special needs sons. He needed to use the restroom. The teacher said not until lunch in 20 minutes. Said son couldn't wait. Teacher said no to an emergency. Son had an accident. The kids laughed. He went to the nurse to change and came home crying. He is in 4th grade.

This is part of his brain thing but they will not do his IEP until he goes through SAT first as it is a private recommendation and they need to have proof. MRIs, CTs, and neurological exams are not proof. I will digress on that one for now.

I understand the teacher needs to teach and the student needs to be in the room. I understand this is especially important for special needs kids as they need the added support. But where is the line on this issue?

My third grader is also having issues with this topic.

My husband is an EMT. I had heat stroke this week from being out in 115+ temps when I shouldn't have been. I got the lecture from hubby's friends that in this weather you should be going to the bathroom every hour or you are dehydrated and will have issues.  I know this but I was teaching that day and teachers can't go every hour. I am sorry. We can't. They argued as this is what I get for not listening. Humpf!

Back to my third grader... he believes his daddy can walk on water. (Ask him he will swear it is true. I have failed to convince him otherwise.) So he does as daddy does. Everything that daddy does even the things I wish daddy wouldn't do he does. So daddy says drink lots of water. He does and as a result has to go potty all the time. His teacher is annoyed. I would be too!!

So now I am getting emails like "your son went to the bathroom 4 times today prior to 11:30 (our lunch) and 3 times after 11:50 (when lunch ends)." This is on a daily basis. It is better it was 6 times before lunch! He cut it down by half but that is still a lot. He is academically advanced so there is not a concern he is missing something that he needs to learn. It is just that he is setting a bad example.

Hubby and the EMTs say it is healthy. His pediatrician says it is healthy. The school says its against policy. So now what? He is getting his card turned to yellow as he is out of the room too much. I don't know what to do.

Then I have my eighth grader who as 2 minutes between classes to "use the restroom" or he has a 12 passes he can utilize in a quarter to go. So he is severely dehydrated as he refuses to drink water as there is no time to go to the restroom. My hubby is ticked on that one.

So my question is... where is the bathroom line? Are the school rules fair to teachers and students? What do you do when it is over 100 degrees outside? What do I tell my children's teachers and school?

Sigh..... who knew a bathroom could cause so many questions or issues!