Chinese bathrooms and a funny Sam story

I have traveled all over the world, and I have noticed that you can judge a country by its toilets. If it is a wealthy country or city - you will have amazing toilet facilities....poorer countries it is practically a hole in the ground.

I have always marveled that strewn along US highways some rest areas are architectural masterpieces, and they boast of having a great view. I have often thought about what a waste of tax payer money that is.

The toilet seen here is a typical eastern design - which is a hole in the ground, but it isn't a trough, and it flushes....so at least the cities in China are in good shape. ...although it would be better if you could flush the toilet paper down vs. putting it in the basket.

Eastern style toilets have challenged the boys. They really don't know where to poop, and if they do it in the squatty toilets - they often pee down the back of their pants.

I used to pick Sam up during his nap time, and I was noticing that every time I did he wanted to poop outside…..which I do not think Chinese people let their kids do. I would pick him up at school and ask him, Sam, do you have to go pee or poop – let’s go now. He would say he didn’t. Then not 5 minutes after we left the school gates he would be in a state of emergency, and of course it was always #2. I finally got mad at him one day. The next day when I came to pick him up the teacher requested that I follow her to the class bathroom. Sam had done the biggest duper you can imagine in the urinal. I really wanted to laugh my butt off and take a picture.....but I didn't think it would go over well. It was then that I realized that Sam was pooping outside because he didn’t know where to go or didn’t want to use the smelly toilets at the school.

Gavin absolutely refuses to poop anywhere except for outside or in the house. In Sam’s school it sounds like they make him poop in a little potty training toilet which he doesn’t like, but is willing to suffer through if needed.

It is very typical that Chinese people let their kids pee outside so that is also an option, and the least smelly of the options. I am kind of down with that. I never understood why it is okay to let your dog pee on my front lawn, but not my child pee on yours….although I would prefer that no one pees anywhere outside.