terrified of automatic toilets!

HI Friends and Happy New Year!

I am having a real problem with my 4 1/2 year olds and automated toilets. They are TERRIFIED of them! I discovered the problem in the mall a few weeks ago when both of them clung to me and cried because they were scared of the "robots" in the toilets! I was able to find a restroom that had not been updated in one of the department stores so a crisis was averted. DH and I talked to them about the toilets, and assured them they were safe and there are no robots in them (sounds funny- I know) but they are not convinced. The fact that the toilets sometimes flush for no reason really freaks them out. We have tried to explain how they work but it's not helping. Over the holiday while traveling by car we couldn't stop at any of the travel centers in Ohio because they all have automated toilets. We had to stop at old gas stations! And now, when we go to a restaurant they purposely will not order beverages for fear of having to use a toilet that might be automated.

Isn't this crazy? Has anyone else dealt with this? Yesterday we had to leave the mall because the restroom without automated toilets was out of order and the REFUSED to use the automated ones.



Help!

 

Every once in awhile, there was a student in my class who was afraid. They brought a magnet (if I remember correctly it was a magent) into the bathroom with them and covered the censors.

 

Not crazy. My dd had the same fear when she was about 4. My dd once held her pee ALL day. WE were traveling from Rhode Island to Oregon and the airport had the loud automatic toilets so she wouldn't go. She then wouldn't go in the plane or in the next airport. Finallly she peed in MY seat on our last flight when I got up to go to the bathroom. (that little bugger!!)

 

I have heard of people putting post it notes over the flusher.
Good luck

 

My girls are not afraid of them (they are 3.5). Is this a new fear? I'm just wondering if I have this to look forward to, also!

Covering the sensor seems to be a reasonable solution.

 

Sorry that they are scared. Ty was the same way. In fact he would scream just hearing a toilet flush in a restroom because they are loud and echo. The only thing I can suggest is show them that they have nothing to fear.

 

QUOTE(ljcrochet @ Jan 3 2008, 02:23 PM) [snapback]556054[/snapback]
I have heard of people putting post it notes over the flusher.
Good luck

A friend just drapes some toilet paper over it for her son

 

My SIL was just telling me about this!! Her DD would hold it forever to get around those toilets. She said that it was registering her (sil) standing and so it would go off when she was in there with her and as DD was sitting and scared the daylights out of her.

She said it just went away eventually. It's getting harder and harder to find the non-automated isn't it?!

 

My girls are afraid of them. Given that it's so common the manufacturers ought to have some way to disable it -- that'll reset after a manual flush. How annoying!

Of course my girls are also afraid of automatic towel dispensers, hand dryers, and pretty much most everything else in public restrooms...Melissa has yet to use one, and sometimes i have to literally drag her in so Jade can go.

 

QUOTE(jamey @ Jan 3 2008, 02:27 PM) [snapback]556058[/snapback]
My girls are not afraid of them (they are 3.5). Is this a new fear? I'm just wondering if I have this to look forward to, also!

Covering the sensor seems to be a reasonable solution.


This is new actually. They used them before without a problem and suddenly it crept up a few weeks ago. I tried covering up the censor but now they won't even go in the stall if they think there is an automated one.

I am thinking of getting a special looking magnet (as someone suggested) and telling them that the magnet is used to specifically stop the flushing. Wish me luck! I will keep you posted.

Thanks everyone! Anymore ideas are appreciated.

Lisa

 

Mine were deathly afraid of them when we first started potty training, but as time has gone on it has gotten much better. But they always check out the the toilet to see what kind it is before the sit on it! LOL I think it is very normal.

 

my niece was terrified of them too...i think around the same age. her mom used to put a post it note over the sensor. i don't know how she ended up 'getting over' the fear though. i think as she got older and understood what it was all about.

 

Yep, ours are afraid also. They had just pottied trained before a trip to the US. At a rest stop in FL, Jacob went hysterical when the potty flushed while he was on it.

We use the post-it note trick on the sensor. I always carry a pack when traveling in the US. They call them "my super duper tool". I found the TP trick doesn't work because if you move it, the sensor will activate and flush the toiler. With the post-it, I can help one guy wash his hands while the other is on the potty.

 

I would carry a pack of post its in your bag and cover the sensor up! I have a friend who does that! Mine are scared of loud tub drains.

 

I never thought of that! but how scary would that be to a young kid!! they catch me off guard sometimes!! the post it notes are a great idea! I am going to remember that for when my girls are older!

 

Post it notes?! That is GREAT!!!! Thanks for sharing ladies!!!

 

Ethan is deathly terrified of ALL public restrooms, whether the potty flushes automatically or not. if he is about to burst, he'll go in, but he'll pitch a massive fit when it's time to flush. He's run out of the restroom with me chasing behind him because he's so scared!

One time I dragged him into the restroom at a movie theater and it had an autoflush. I didn't think anything of it at first. It flushed his bum and he freaked out so I popped into the stall to calm him, but every time I tried to back away it flushed again! I think the poor kids has PTSD from that single trip to the potty, it was awful!