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I've had a thought-provoking weekend. We visited family to spend some time with our lovely grandchildren. Of the 2 younger ones, one girl is aged 4 and one boy aged nearly 3, in the throes of becoming more reliable with toilet training. He really didn't want to take the time out from having fun to do boring things like visit the toilet so we made a game of it - "let's all go to the bathroom and take it in turns to use the toilet". So I found myself trying to pee on the toilet with 2 pairs of eyes watching me! Conscious that I didn't want to saddle the children with any of my hang-ups I went through the motions but have to confess that I faked it - I don't think they guessed - I hope I was a picture of laid back toilet-relaxed granny! We then had the inevitable comparison of the colour of our knickers - mine have neither a Disney Princess nor Spiderman on! It made me a little sad to wonder what went wrong that something so natural could have caused me so much trouble over the years. And to hope that the children don't grow up with the same difficulties.
As you know, I'm quite determined that my grandchildren will grow up uninfluenced by my toilet hang ups. I hope their latest story will make you smile - my son and his family have just moved to a new house with a big garden. My grandson, aged 3, got fed up with having to stop playing in the garden to go inside to the bathroom when he needed the toilet, so someone told him it was ok for boys to use the garden drain instead. He took that on board - but I think they should have mentioned to him that they were only referring to peeing - when they were last playing outside, a horrified loud cry went up from a number of visiting children "Robert's doing a poo in the drain"! How lovely to be so unself-conscious, however I think he is going to have to learn some of the norms of toilet etiquette. (Incidentally his name isn't Robert - I wouldn't want to identify him).
This is not a thought specifically on children but it is a thought which made me smile and also made me wonder. According to research it is easier to tell a lie if you have a full bladder. Sounds bizarre doesn't it! As many of us will have spent a great deal of time with a full bladder (I know I have!) I'm wondering if that has made us all convincing liars! Here's the weblink if you're interested http://www.medicaldaily.com/full-bladder-technique-lying-need-pee-may-help-you-tell-lie-brains-inhibitory-control-354860 On a serious note I did find myself wishing that they could research something which would be of more practical use to those of us who experience difficulties with our bladders.