Guest review by Trisha Oksner of Chronicles of Oksnernia.
Potty training a little boy is like watching a garden hose gone wild. I have no personal experience with standing up to pee; how can I effectively teach Junior to direct a spray that seems to be everywhere at once? It is one thing when you’re potty training while safely ensconced in the bathroom at home, armed with a bottle of bleach and knowledge of where wayward droplets might hide. What to do when you are out on the town?
Well, if you have OCD like me, dragging a potty-training preschooler to portable Honey Huts and dirty public restrooms is simply out of the question. Some people get a minivan for the ability to carpool as many children as they can fit; I got a minivan so that I can have control over where my children use the potty. And yes, dear readers, that place is often in said minivan.
But not just any portable potty can do. Remember that backyard hose image? Have you ever tried to scrub urine from carpeting? And do you know what powerful odors can happen if you don’t get it all? Let’s just say I needed a portable potty that could help my little guy direct the spray right on target, every single time. I searched for a compact potty that would contain the mess with little or no fuss. Because let’s face it, the whole process of toilet training a preschooler means enough fuss for everyone.
After extensive research – basically surfing the Internet and informally polling my mom friends with sons – I discovered that many of the portable potties on the market are simply not designed with boys in mind. I bought the Fisher-Price Potty on the Go because it had the most positive reviews that were specified helpful for boys learning to aim. I am not sure what it is about the design that is so helpful for boys, but so far we have spilled nary a drop.
What I love: it is compact, comes in a perfect carrying case that I can sling over my shoulder, and assembles and collapses in a snap. But the best part of all? The potty doesn’t require scrubbing and bleaching. Standard kitchen trash bags squire away any offending body fluids – and are easy to replace when you run out.
When Nature calls, simply remove the potty from the carrying case, snap the three legs out and set it on the ground or in the back of the minivan, tripod-style. The “seat” is a plastic ring that comes off and then secures the disposable bag below it for holding any messes. When Junior is done with his business, you remove the trash bag and throw it away. The potty folds back down and tucks back into the bag.
In the interest of full disclosure, I should share that the potty is also sturdy enough for moms with OCD to use when no acceptable restrooms are available.
The Potty on the Go has been a lifesaver. I wish every aspect of parenting were this easy!
Disclaimer: Fisher-Price did not provide any compensation for this review. If, however, Fisher-Price would like to send a supply of toys for the boys to play with while on the potty, I certainly wouldn’t complain!
Trisha Oksner writes about her family and foibles at Chronicles of Oksnernia .
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After my son peeing in my coffee cup this weekend…i might be investing in a portable potty. Although the coffee cup is also sturdy enough, not always big enough, but sturdy enough for that OCD mom with her own emergency….
Wow. I once used an old measuring cup (retired from the kitchen, thank goodness!) but never would have considered a coffee cup! This will DEFINITELY be an improvement!!