A child's dangling legs in a public washroom (Photo: copyright iStockPhoto.com)
I had the pleasure of babysitting my darling granddaughter last evening and she is going through the potty training phase of life. This brought to mind the subject of today’s blog post.
Just how accessible are the family and/or accessible restrooms in the government buildings, shopping malls, medical buildings, schools, airports, bus stations, rail stations, etc., in your area? Do family restrooms exist at all in your area?
If your local establishments have family and/or accessible restrooms, what is included in them? I assume there is a change table for diaper changes, and probably a wheel-chair accessible toilet and sink, but is there a child-size toilet? A lot has been done in the name of “accessibility”, but I believe that the smallest of us has been ignored by most establishments when assessing community needs.
Community Needs
- Single parents use them when they are out shopping with young children of the opposite sex and the children are too old to be taken into the restroom of the opposite gender. Often, these parents are uncomfortable with letting them use the restroom alone.
- Families with several young children also tend to use them to take care of everyone’s needs at the same time.
- Disabled individuals in need of assistance use them while traveling or shopping with spouses, family members, friends or attendants of the opposite sex.
- Overweight individuals prefer them due to the extra space and privacy that these facilities provide.
- And, transgendered people use them as well.
There are so many needs in the community and it is a huge expense to building owners to accommodate everyone. Perhaps a universal facility could be designed to accommodate everyone with special needs.
Washroom Wish List
A washroom large enough to accommodate:
- a wheelchair and at least two people, as many people with disabilities need an assistant
- a family of two or three, perhaps four, and a stroller – maybe even a double stroller!
- what we normally refer to as an “accessible” or higher-than-normal toilet
- a child-size toilet
- an “accessible” sink, as well as a child-size sink – or a movable stool
- a diaper changing area (check out our convenient change pads)
- what else?
What would you like to see in the family restrooms in your community? I’d love to hear your opinions.