Bathroom Breaks

Specialties School

Published

Sprinkle some wisdom on me wise school nurses!

I had a parent contact me because the teacher is limiting them to one bathroom break a day. Poor kid ended up having an accident due to this policy, and the teacher didn't bother to let me know. Student doesn't have any kidney/urinary issues, not diabetic, no underlying medical conditions. Mom wants the child to be able to drink water throughout the day which of course means multiple bathroom trips.

So, I need to reach out to the teacher and I'm not sure what to say. No other teacher limits bathroom breaks. In fact, most my teachers are very free with the bathroom breaks.

Also, I'm elementary and this is 3rd grade.

Help!

Specializes in school nurse.

Unless this teacher is new to your school, I'm shocked that it all hasn't hit (the bathroom) fan before now. I'm also amazed that the parent contacted you first instead of going straight to staging a revolt in the principal's office...

Specializes in Occupational Health.

Mom ended up at me after not being able to find the teacher. This was right after the doors opened, teacher should have been here...

I doubt I'll hear anything more now, unless something gets brought up as a general FYI during a faculty meeting. Or we end up on the news because mom is rightly upset and takes it to the media.

I started Googling after this happened and found a blog discussing classroom tips about the bathroom. It's horrible that this is the mentality!! The first tip? Say no the first time, because if they really need to go, they'll ask again. :banghead:

Classroom Management: Dealing with Trips to the Bathroom

Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

This is jmo, and I have no data to support this, but, it seems like this is not congruent w/an 8 y/o's physiology. I remember, @ age 7, being unable to "hold it" and had an accident--I was afraid to ask the teacher (a nun) to leave the room. I also wasn't sure where the restrooms were. My teacher was mean. So is yours!

Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.
Mom ended up at me after not being able to find the teacher. This was right after the doors opened, teacher should have been here...

I doubt I'll hear anything more now, unless something gets brought up as a general FYI during a faculty meeting. Or we end up on the news because mom is rightly upset and takes it to the media.

I started Googling after this happened and found a blog discussing classroom tips about the bathroom. It's horrible that this is the mentality!! The first tip? Say no the first time, because if they really need to go, they'll ask again. :banghead:

Classroom Management: Dealing with Trips to the Bathroom

I'm shocked by this. I thought it was plainly illegal to say no to a kid who asks to use the bathroom. My understanding was that you can require them to ask, and take a pass, but you can't say no. My husband says that even in boot camp for the marines they were always allowed to go to the bathroom. Apparently third graders do not get this privilege.

That article also suggests that teachers give laminated cards to the kids for bathroom breaks that are deposited in a box. At the end of the week if the class has under a certain number of cards they get a prize. Are you ******* kidding me???

Specializes in Endoscopy/Operating room.

Unfortunately, this is very common in the district that my children are/were in. My children 26, 19 and 12 all at some point in their school years urinated in their pants because they were not allowed to use the bathroom. By the time it happened to my youngest I was furious. I went right to the teacher and expressed my anger and concern. She subsequently felt horrible and apologized. Needless to say it never happened again. But, I think that was just with my child. The overall school policy has remained unchanged. Attending the district meetings are probably necessary to change policy. But for starters, talking with the teachers may help. Within our school district there are many disadvantaged, poverty level parents. In turn, the kids suffer. Mostly by acting out, misbehaving etc. This I feel, sours the faculty and all the kids pay the consequences of another's misdeeds. My point is just because one kid will act out on a bathroom trip that doesn't mean all will. Its wrong to inflict this "limited bathroom trips" to all. I wish they would change the policies in our district and I wish the best to you and yours.

Specializes in pediatrics, School LVN.

The teachers here are great. Most will say something like, we are going to recess in 5 minutes, or I'm almost done with this lesson, (or whatever) can you wait, if the answer is no then the student is excused to the bathroom, no guilt trips or negative comments, so the kids are comfortable being honest if they really cannot hold it.

Specializes in School Nurse.

Yep, "can you wait five minutes until the bell rings" is an acceptable answer (if you let the student leave if the answer is no). We've had issues with students who show up in class and then immediately ask for a pass. This I can understand is problematic for the teachers (but I can understand it for many kids who want to avoid the zoo the bathrooms are during passing time). Still, there are other interventions for persistant problem than just telling them NO.

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