My class shares a bathroom with the kindergarten class next door which means the doors on both sides need to be locked....and then unlocked. In the event that someone forgets to unlock one side, the next nearest bathroom is down the hall. For a kindergartner or ahem.. teacher, who suddenly realizes that they waited just a tad too long to go to the bathroom, the distance can be excruciating!!!
Today, while I was talking to my assistant, I opened the bathroom door on our side only to find that it was already occupied. I don't know who was more surprised...me or the little boy from next door! "Hey" he yelled as he desperately attempted to hide himself "somebody is in here!!!" I quickly closed the door and told him that I hadn't realized he was in there since the door on our side was unlocked. Bless his heart, I remember once when I had the same thing happen to me........
In one elementary school I worked in about twelve years ago, we had a single restroom in each kindergarten classroom. I don't have to explain to anyone who has been a kindergarten teacher why this arrangement works better. Kindergartners get so wrapped up in what they are doing that they have been known to take flight in the middle of an activity when they realize that nature calls. There were no locks on the doors so that a child wouldn't accidentally lock themselves in.
One afternoon, right after my assistant had taken our students out for recess, I decided to slip into the restroom since I had a few minutes to myself. I had been in there all of ten seconds when someone began pushing the door open. They pushed hard!!!! I yelled "Hey! Wait a minute! Someone is in here!" and pushed back with all my might. A child in my classroom, who I will refer to as D, yelled back "Well, move over! I gotta go bad!" Evidently he had waited until he couldn't wait any longer before running back into the classroom. We continued to have a shoving match with the door. Can you picture a teacher desperately trying to put herself back together while trying to keep a five year old out who just as desperately wants to get in? It wasn't a pretty picture. After that, I always managed to wait until I got to the faculty lounge before I used the facilities.
When I accidentally walked in on the poor little guy today, I know just how he felt!
On a side note, my blogging buddy Shell at Things I Can't Say has a precious little boy named Mason who is in a baby contest. If you are so inclined, she would love it if you would go and vote for him. It is really easy...you just click where she shows you to or click on his name .....and voila! He is Mason Samuel and he is on the fifth row.
On a side note, my blogging buddy Shell at Things I Can't Say has a precious little boy named Mason who is in a baby contest. If you are so inclined, she would love it if you would go and vote for him. It is really easy...you just click where she shows you to or click on his name .....and voila! He is Mason Samuel and he is on the fifth row.
hey when you gotta go you gotta go lol!~ That is funny though....good thing little ones really do not get embarrassed at that age!
I really can't remember the last time I've had true restroom privacy. Of course, the lack of privacy is to my family, not students (or strangers). Although I can't tell you how many times my Bubby has tried to share his mommy with the world when we are at a public restroom.
Haha! This seriously made me laugh out loud! I think we all have had a similar experience.
I can't even imagine only one bathroom for each classroom. Seems like when one has to go, it starts them all thinking about it at once.
I just had to laugh.
And laugh.
And laugh.
Your descriptions did it!
What an adventure!
~Blessings to you!
:D
Yeah, I definitely remember my teaching days and that it's all about the potty for the little - and, ahem, bigger - kids.
Cheers,
Robyn
You are a hoot! I love these stories but I had a similar experience at my office. We are the only office in the building who has a private restroom and the door is heavy but it locks! Our audiologist had a patient and she does 2 hrs. of testing so the patient took a break. The lady did not lock the door and I went bursting in. She was standing there is her black bikini underwear! Not a picture I want embedded in my brain! LOL! Anne
I have those shoving matches daily (grin).
OMG, that is too funny! We had shared bathrooms the year that I taught third grade and even then, my little ones would walk in on each other, needing to go NOW.
It was much better when we had our own bathroom in my fifth grade class. Though, my kids that year were hilarious- we were in a trailer(which I actually loved) and the kids came up with their own rule- they could pee in the bathroom in our class, but they needed to go inside to the other restroom if they *ahem* were going to stink up our trailer.
Thanks so much for the shout out for Mason! :)
I love stories like these. They warm the heart!
Oh how funny! If I haven't told you. I LOVE your blog!!!! I have an interview on Friday for a kindergarten teaching position and this is my go to place for advice and just someone to relate to. Thanks!
How I hated bathrooms at school!
There's nothing quite like empathy is there?
This story is awesome! Kids don't care if they walk in on you, but if they get walked in on, it's the most embarrassing thing in the world.
Brilliant, I can see it now.
Hugs RosieP x
The link doesn't work sweetie..xo
I have experienced a similar experience, still feel embarrassed when I think of it.
I will go vote for your friends baby.....big hugs....:-)
LOL. That was funny. Having no locks can be an issue. But its a good measure to keep kids from locking themselves in.
I was once stuck in my School in a bathroom. They had to drill a hole through the door. My entire class was outside cheering!
Just found your blog. Have an awesome day...:)
This post made me smile today!!!!
Have a great day today and thanks for sharing with all of us!!!
That is so embarrassing! The funny thing is that I can truly understand how you feel, that has happenned to me during my teaching career. Moments you never forget!
you know, I had an experience or two like that in the classroom. Thought it was all over and done with once I stopped teaching... then I had my son :)!!!!!
"Well move over, I gotta go" had me laughing out loud!!!
Oh my, this had me laughing OUT LOUD. I've said it before, but I really think you have the makings for a book!
Bwhahaa! Oh those bathroom experiences are simply the worst! My son won't use the school bathroom because some kid 'peeped' under his stall once...he was traumatized! Great post...and I voted for Mason--what a doll!
This was really funny, I can picture you sitting their, trying to get decent again :-) What a perfect way you described it!
Have a great day!
I have that battle with the door on our bathroom toilet every day with my daughter - not because she needs to go, no she just wants to stand and watch! Great stories as always
how funny ...nothign like invading the bathroom while someone else is busy going ...
Hmmmmmmmmm....Debbie.....the little guy yesterday turned a pleasant shade of red when I walked in on him...bless his heart.
Oka,
That is absolutely hilarious. Bless little bubby's heart for wanting to share.
Thanks Leslie....and to you as well!
Jay,
We have one bathroom between the two classrooms...lol
Lol Megan,
I can laugh now, but back when the second incident happened, I was surprised that I could bend my body like a pretzel trying to keep him out and put me together....lol
Lol Robyn.....twould be nice to have one just for the big kids 21 and over...sigh
Lol Robyn.....twould be nice to have one just for the big kids 21 and over...sigh
Lol Anne,
Now its my turn to laugh out loud...that is hilarious. I don't think I would want that implanted on my brain either.....lol
Lol Midwest Mama! I bet you do.
Lol Shell....very good planning on the ahem teacher's part. I was happy to do it. I want the little guy to win!!!
Awwwww thanks Vicki! Have a great day and thanks for your comment.
Messy Mommy,
Let me know if you need anything at all. I will gladly send it...lesson plan samples, newsletters, you name it...and you are welcome to change anything and put your name on it. I am happy to share.
I can understand why Ms. A!!!!
Absolutely ,Teaching in Fourth!
Lol cheeseboy,
You are right. When can we expect another post from the cheesy one? I love your blog!!!!
Oh goodness Rosie....I hope not!
Thanks for your sweet comment Bernie....I fixed the link! Thanks for pointing it out!
Wow Mr. S,
That tops my story for sure. You ought to blog about that!
Thanks for your comment Jocelyn. Have a great day!
Really Choices? It sounds like more people have had a similar experience than I realized. Thanks for your comment my blogging friend)))
Lol T.J.,
Too funny!!!
Ahem Marlene,
I wonder how much you would have laughed if you had been twisting yourself like a pretzel to keep a desperate five year old out....lol
kiddddddddddding
Lol Yellow House,
I am glad you like it. It is fun to look back over so many years and remember these things happening!
Lol ~J,
That is a big no no. They all get so embarrassed by that. Your son is certainly not alone!
Lol ~J,
That is a big no no. They all get so embarrassed by that. Your son is certainly not alone!
Aw thanks Ellen,
How are you today my sweet blogging buddy!
Aging Mommy,
You keep me in stitches. I love reading about your family! You have such a way with words.
I hated it Adrienne,
Today I decided that I am going to knock first and see if someone answers....we also talked to the kids about remembering to lock both doors.
I feel for you. Teachers don't get to go to bathroom often.
Cute story! I work with young children so I've a few stories of my own. Some things never change!
We don't have a bathroom in our classroom so we have to go to the big one down the hall. I always go into the bos bathroom with my guys and so many times the "big boys" come in! i tell them watch out, Mrs. C is in the house!
OH the potty adventures of a kindergartener. You gotta smile! That is like being in the last available stall in a public restroom, where the door doesn't latch properly, and so you try to sit on the toilet with one leg reaching out and jammed against the door to keep it closed... LOL!! It's harder than it sounds. Guys have it easy!
I had a waitress walk in on me in the bathroom. Evidently she was stocking paper towels or something, but the way that the door opened up, there was no chance for her to not see me standing there at the urinal in all my glory...
Luckily, we were just sitting down to our table when that happened so I got to see her for the next couple hours while we ate dinner. :P
My kids do that to me all the time at our house. So funny!
That is a funny story! Lol, good thing, they don't really get embarrassed at that age so much.
I laughed reading the entire post! Kindergartners almost always wait until it's an emergency.
Until my daughter turned six, when we were home and she had to go, she'd always start pulling down her pants on the way to the bathroom. No amount of reminding her that pants at her knees would make her walk SLOWER could convince her to stop the habit. I asked at school but (thankfully) she didn't do it there!
We are experts at bladder control JDaniel's Mom...lol
Lol Mrs. C,
That is so funny!
Lol Sarah,
I imagine you do. You ought to blog about them sometime!
Bless her heart Dr. Heckle.
lol Tracie...thanks for sharing.
You are right Yonca....bless their little hearts!
Lol Theresa,
It has ALMOST happened here a time or two...luckily the child remembers where they are in the nick of time....or with a gentle reminder from the teacher...lol
oh my! lol We are so lucky at my school. We are a K-4 bldg, with 80 classrooms, and we are blessed enough to have TWO bathrooms in EACH class. one for boys, and one for girls! But I have been at other schools that had to share 1 bathroom b/t 2 classes.
Oh...I think the WORST is at an amusement park or somewhere else in public (like a concert or theater) where there are LARGE CROWDS...and you wait and wait either because you don't want to leave the fun, or you are thinking of a time that shouldn't be too busy in the bathroom --- but lo, and behold, you get in the bathroom REALLY having to go and there's a line a mile long!! *Raising Hand* been there many times!!!
This is absolutely hilarious! I think we should probably institute a closed door policy in our house....our son doesn't seem to have a problem just walking in on anyone!