Tuesday, March 18, 2008

if you gotta go, go!

Charlie is finally potty-trained and doesn't need any help from me (for the most part), but still calls, "I gotta go potty!" in a plaintive cry every few hours. Almost in unison, the rest of us holler back, "Then go!" Sometimes I add in a little snide comment, such as, "There is no line and you don't have to ask permission, this isn't public school." Charlie then toddles off to the potty and resumes playing until the urge hits again... "I gotta go!"

Taking a bathroom break in our school day doesn't take up much time since we only have 3 children and the bathroom is right next to the school room. The children just resume working when they come back, unless it is Will in there reading a Hardy Boys or Star Wars book, in which case I have to holler at him. One benefit of homeschooling I have pointed out to the children is that they don't have to ask permission to use the potty, unlike this child in Florida who was forced by his teacher to use a lunchbox in class as a urinal. I know how frustrating it can be to be interrupted 10 times each hour to be asked, not about something educational, but to be allowed to leave the room for water or the bathroom. I don't know what the solution is for the public schools, but am grateful once more that my kids have never had to ask permission or been denied access to the facilities.

2 comments:

Barbara said...

I think many teachers have lost their minds.

Elisheva Hannah Levin said...

Wow!

My daughter was refused the use of the bathroom...in religious school. She was in 7th grade, and the teacher--who also had a day job teaching public school--was promptly fired.

Unfortunately, the same thing happened...at religious school...this year to a 10th grader. She just left anyway. Unfortunately, this time they did not fire the teacher, who is a member of the clergy. They did punish the girl.

What is it that makes adults so power hungry that they have to refuse children the bathroom?