Diapering My Almost 9 Year Old

Having a child with special needs comes with many challenges. Some seem to be more difficult than others. Like changing a diaper of my almost 9 year old when not at home. I just have to have a laugh this morning of the craziness of it. We have been running around a lot these last few weeks. So it is fresh on my mind. It is really the little things that most people just don't think of that make having a child with special needs INTERESTING. It also gives you a warped sense of humor at times.

1. You can't go into the public rest room and put them on the changing table. It would probably fall off
the wall. What a scene that would make. I would probably get arrested for something like, destroy property!

2. You don't want to have them lay on the floor in the public bathroom! Yuk, how disgusting would that be! Some places do have couches in their restrooms, that is extremely rare. Talk about the stares when you do have a place to lay them down.

3.Changing rooms are an option if you are in a clothes store. Not all of them are large enough for a bench. The ones made for handicap seem to always be occupied by someone without a stroller or a wheelchair. It is kinda irritiating when a woman walks out with a handful of clothes and all the smaller rooms are available. The other option is on the floor-which is not a very private option. Think about how far the curtain is off the floor or how high up the stall is off the ground.

4. I can change a diaper with her standing up as long as it is pee and not poop. It can be a challenge just trying to get it on straight. Using the handicap bathroom is a must. If it's not available you don't have enough of room to maneuver around in the stall. Then you hope and pray that they don't have to go poop anytime soon. Pooping and crooked diapers don't do to well together. 

5. My van works great if I know about it before we head into the store. It's not so fun when it's cold or raining. (try holding up an umbrella when it is pouring outside and changing a loaded poop diaper. It's must look quite interesting to the bystanders walking by.) Try to be discrete in a busy parking lot is not so easy when her legs hang out the sliding door. I have my whole back of the van filled with car seats. Laying her on the seat is not an option.

 I can ignore it most of the time if it is just pee when we are running around. If you have ever had to deal with diapers other than a good name brand. Think of the worst diaper you have ever used. You know the ones that leak real easy. These diapers are no Huggies and they can only handle so much.

I remember one day when Bug was wearing a dress and the diaper went sliding down her legs in the store. We were running lots of errands that day she just happened to enhale my bottle of water  and hers. She told me that she only went twice but it was a lot. Needless to say it was very busy in that store at that moment. Bug could of cared less that she had a diaper around her ankles. Talk about lots of stares.

If all the above are not an option: I then try to rush to get out of the store to change her or just smell her for a little bit longer until we can get the task done. I try to not carry her diaper bag into every store unless I know I am going to be awhile. Carrying a diaper bag, and a purse around makes some stores suspicious if I don't have an infant in tow. I have put my purse in the diaper bag(which in my case is a small backpack.)I get tired of switching back and forth when I go somewhere without my Bug.

I hope you found some humor in all of this. I would love to hear about those who have older kids also who have kids in diapers and how creative you are.

In a perfect world stores would have accomindations for older children who need to be changed.:0) Until then I just need a rather large dose of humor to laugh at those small things that come with having a special child.