Rocking the Car Potty
Having a fully potty trained toddler is a huge parenting accomplishment. The seemingly endless days of accidents on the floor and in training pants are finally over, there are no more diapers, life is good. Until you have to drive somewhere.
Why is it that every young child has to pee within the first 30 minutes of leaving the house? It doesn’t matter if they went to the bathroom right before you left and haven’t had anything to drink for awhile. They still have to go. Now what the heck are you supposed to do? Because P.S. you’re also always nowhere near a bathroom when this happens.
Well parents, if you don’t already know, here you go. Get thee a car potty. Yes a potty. Solely for the car. That lives in there. I promise you will thank me.
The car potty saves my sanity on a daily basis. It lives in the back of my SUV, and if I drive my husband’s car it goes right into the trunk. I have whipped that thing out in more random parking lots than I can count, and it has obviously come in real handy on long road trips.
Here’s how to rock the car potty:
- Make sure you get one that has some capacity. If you’ve been in the car awhile your kiddo will probably have to pee A LOT. I like this one from Walmart because it holds a lot, has an actual seat, and is easy to clean. The seat on this one also keeps the pee inside the potty so there are no drips on your floor mats. Oh and it also doesn’t tip over easily. We have another potty that does not go in the car for that very reason…
- Have supplies on hand. I have a cloth grocery bag with toilet paper, wipes, plastic grocery bags, and disinfecting wipes in it.
- Have a plan for poop. It’s going to happen, your child is going to have to POOOOOP when there isn’t a bathroom in sight. Or you don’t want them to use the available bathroom. Never fear! Car potty to the rescue! Grab a plastic bag and use it to line the potty. Put the seat back on top, and you are good to go. When your kiddo is done toss the wipes in there, tie it up, and into the trash it goes. Pro Tip: Use the thick Target pickup bags if you don’t have immediate access to a trash can. They keep the smell contained; ask me how I know…..
- Do a quick wipe down after your child uses it, hence the disinfecting wipes, and then give it a good cleaning once a week. This way your car won’t perpetually smell like pee.
That’s it. Simple enough, right? Do you use a potty in the car? What other tips and tricks do you have?
