This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 8th, 2009 at 4:36 pm and is filed under Family Stuff. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Every so often a topic comes along that simply must be addressed immediately. If not just for expediency’s sake, then at least for peace of mind.
My mom and I have been having an argument since the last time she came to visit and, while I don’t like to ask much from the misguided few who continue to read this blog, I am asking for something now. I need clarification. Validation, if you will. I need to know that I am right and that my dear old mother is so very, very, wrong.
As I have mentioned before my daughter, now almost four-and-a-half, is not completely potty trained. She is still wearing her Pull-Ups at night and, until she started school again a couple of weeks ago, was having accidents on multiple occasions regularly throughout the week. One day during my mom’s visit, upon my arrival back at the house after a long day at the office, I was greeted by my wife. We exchanged our usual pleasantries, and I asked her whether or not Frankie had had an accident.
“Yep. Just had one,” she said flatly with frustration in her voice. “It was poop again today. That’s the third pair of underwear she’s messed up this week. At least your mom’s here to help. She’s in the bathroom helping her get cleaned up now.”
I rolled my eyes and headed down the hall toward the bathroom where I could hear my daughter and my mom speaking cheerfully. Mom was attempting to offer some encouragement to her regarding her potty training, and Frankie was babbling away. I also heard what sounded like waves lapping on the shore of a lake. I opened the door.
“MOM!” I screamed, what the HELL are you doing!?”
My mother, who had finished cleaning my daughter up was now holding her soiled underwear in her hand and, to my complete dismay, was swishing them around in the toilet! I was appalled.
Now, mind you, the water in the bowl was clean. Not even my mom would go that far. Nonetheless, I could not for the life of me understand how someone, anyone, would think that rinsing poo off a pair of underwear in the commode was acceptable behavior, regardless of whether or not they were going into the washing machine afterwards. She held her ground, stating that’s how it was done back in the day, and we have been arguing about it ever since. To make matters worse, she showed me the responses to an email she sent to a large group of her friends this morning in which she had asked them how, when they themselves were raising their children, they rinsed their childrens’ cloth diapers before laundering them for reuse. The responses were not only horrifying, but completely unanimous. They all rinsed them in the toilet. I scanned response after response for just one “eeeeew” or *gag* and saw nothing. They all did it. Every time. The closest I came to finding one of her friends that agreed with me was one woman who pointed out that she rinsed in the bowl using the clean water after flushing, which immediately made me question if perhaps the other women hadn’t, heightening the repulsiveness of the entire situation. And bringing me to the reason for this post.
Asking for comments is tacky. Bad form. An unwritten rule and, frankly, something bloggers just don’t do. I don’t care. See, my mom reads this blog and I want, no, I need her to see that I’m right. Please. Drop me a comment here and give me your opinion on this one. I am banking on the fact that most people will take my side.
Oh, dear lord, please don’t let me be wrong.
-Matt
PS – Thanks, mom for letting me poke fun at you. You know I love you, dirty hands and all!
PPS – We’ve decided to extend our Labor Day Sale to the end of the week. Check it!
September 8th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Sorry, Matt. Some others, I am sure, will give you the validation you seek, but it’s not just “back in the day”. I’ve rinsed poopy cloth diapers out in the toilet, too, which amounts to the same thing. If the toilet is clean, so is the water after a flush. And it’s so much better than having to disinfect the sink afterward. Practical, man, think practical.
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September 8th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
Fall on your sword, Matt.
Barbara´s last blog ..But can he do it?
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September 8th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
Um, yeah. Toilet, all the way; as little as 14 years ago, too, so if that’s back in the day…sorry, Matt, your mom is right.
Kori´s last blog ..Beyond fame and fortune, what more do I really need?
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September 8th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
I can’t BELIEVE this! You’re all a bunch of traitors.
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September 9th, 2009 at 5:12 am
Way to treat your faithful readers, Matt.
Barbara´s last blog ..But can he do it?
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Matt Reply:
September 9th, 2009 at 6:53 am
@Barbara, of course you know I meant ‘traitor’ in the most loving way possible!
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September 9th, 2009 at 7:41 am
I told you so, I told you so.
Mom
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Matt Reply:
September 9th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
@nana, don’t you wave that potty-tainted finger at me!
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September 9th, 2009 at 9:56 am
Well I’ve never rinsed anything in the toilet. Would it be a better option than the sink? Thinking of how my dad fills up the sink to shave (do all men do THAT? I dunno) I would think he’d rather not have traces of feces in there. Toilets are where poop goes. I just don’t know where else you would want her to do it.
Myself, I’d probaby go outside and hose that crap down OR just bag it up and toss it. But I’m a weird mom.
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Matt Reply:
September 9th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
@Miss, that’s the closest I’ve gotten to concurrence yet!
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September 9th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Matt–your mother is always right. Never forget that.
Ed´s last blog ..A Montage by Request (Because Apparently You Can Train an Old Dog–or a Lazy Brother-in-Law)
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Matt Reply:
September 9th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
@Ed, much to my dismay, I’m beginning to think you’re right!
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September 10th, 2009 at 5:56 am
I have not had my hands in the toilet, but I’m pretty sure this is status quo where cloth diapers and the like are concerned.
They even make diaper sprayers that attach to your toilet these days to make it all less…er…hands-on. (I spend too much time on the internet.)
I’m always looking for a reason to “nyeah nyeah” my Mom, too. We can keep dreaming, can’t we?
Enjoying your candid take on parenting.
Stephanie Meade Gresham´s last blog ..No Whammies No Whammies
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September 11th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Yep – rinse ‘em in the toilet. Not saying it’s pleasant, but where else are you going to do it? Your Mom is right. Sorry.
sAm´s last blog ..WTF?
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September 13th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
For a guy who TASTED said poo you ought not to draw a line in the porcelain and talk down your momma’s long since cleaned finger.
Now get your mind out of the potty and write an inspirational message for us all. I know you can do it!
Barbara´s last blog ..Heavenly Messages
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Matt Reply:
September 14th, 2009 at 11:25 am
@Barbara, Hmm. You make an excellent point.
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September 21st, 2009 at 4:47 pm
I am totally late to the game with my opinion but…
Your mom is totaly right!
Would you prefer she rinse them out in the kitchen sink? LOL!
Eternal Lizdom´s last blog ..Happy Birthday, Teddy!
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September 30th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
[...] Note: If ANY of you who told me that it was OK to wash off poopy underwear in the toilet give me a hard time about this? We ‘re through. AKPC_IDS += "965,"; « Down [...]