I have a room in my house that you will not see if you come over.
Believe me, it is just better that way.
It is the bathroom off the kitchen that happens to be strategically located next to the garage. It is a very convenient location which might account for its troubles.
It is boy central.
There is a steady stream of boys using the restroom, changing clothes*, washing hands*, brushing teeth*, and cleaning up after being outside*.
*Based on my observations, all the cleaning activities require an asterisk.
The boys have learned to make a great show of getting cleaned up, but the results are often sub-par by any traditional standards. They would benefit greatly from an inspection after each cleaning activity and my estimate is that the fail rate on that inspection would be close to 100%.
There is yet another issue with the bathroom…the hand towel.
*cringe*
The hand towel seems to be a dirty problem, not a drying solution.
It is always wet.
It is always dirty.
It is always on the floor.
Thankfully, the laundry room is within disgusting hand towel throwing distance and I spend my days changing it out. I have become an under-tipped restroom attendant.
After a particularly sticky meal, I sent Rhett(5) to clean up. He headed into the bathroom, spent a total of 3 seconds and then came back into the room. Without thinking I grabbed his hand to hold while we walked into the next room.
Big sticky mistake.
We stuck together from fingers to forearm, yet his hand and arm were dry.
Did you wash your hands?
Yes!
Did you dry your hands?
Yes!
So, you dried your hands on the towel even though they were really sticky?
Yes, I couldn’t get them not sticky in the sink.
Please go back and try again. This time use a little more time and a little more soap.
Soap?
It appears that in the boys’ minds the hand towel is an acceptable substitution for soap.
I was just asking my husband, “When do you think we can stop asking if they ACTUALLY washed their hands?” I’m fairly convinced my 7 year old uses soap & water most of the time. All bets are off for my 5 year old!
Ha! I only have one 4 year old boy, and I can relate! When I ask him to wash his hands, he must hear “stick hot pokers in your ears” by the reactions that I get. And, the faint pee smell in the bathroom that never quite goes away?! What is up with that?! Never mind. I probably don’t want to know.
Holly, this is the one in my house that I just love. The Boy goes in washes his filthy hands so they are sparkly and clean. Then he proceeds to walk out of the bathroom and dry them on his ultra filthy t-shirt.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Pants legs seem to be a suitable substitution for water, soap AND towel among my boys. *gag*
And no, you will not be seeing the bathroom that is between the boys’ bedrooms if you come to me house. The lack of aiming ability alone makes that room a bio-hazard.
I always find the hand towel soaking wet sitting on the counter. I have no idea how it gets that way. Also, the globs of toothpaste on every surface make it clear that our dentist and orthodontist will have a nice car courtesy of the Scotts.
My son adores soap. He would use a whole bottle of Soft Soap each time he washed if we let him.