Parenting young children is a messy business—and for many mums and dads, it’s also a source of endless conversation. A new survey of 1,000 parents with children under four has revealed that toilet disasters top the list of parenting topics, with six in ten admitting it’s their main subject of discussion.
From potty-training mishaps to full-blown ‘poo disasters’, nearly a third regularly swap stories about their little ones’ bathroom blunders, while a similar number confess to sharing updates about baby poo with their partners. These incidents can trigger a variety of emotions in parents, but to help cope 41% of parents resort to humour.
Annabel Eden, brand acceleration manager at WaterWipes, which commissioned the research following the launch of its new range of wipes which are now two times stronger, said: “Parenting is full of surprises, especially when it comes to little ones and their toilet habits.
“Much like anyone tackling a big job, you need products you can truly trust to help get you through the tough times, especially when dealing with a baby or toddler poo emergency.
“From needing a pile of wipes because they can’t do the job, or that horrible feeling of your finger going through a wipe that’s not got the strength needed, there’s a surprising amount that can go wrong.”
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The study found 73% of those who’ve had a nappy nightmare have been ‘fearful’ of it happening when out in public. But more than a third have had to perform an emergency nappy change in a car park.
A third has also reached into the nappy bag to realise there were no wipes to be found. As a result, as many as four in 10 parents have had to rely on napkins from a café after running out of wipes, 24% a piece of their own clothing – and one in 10 have had to use their own hands.
More than a tenth have to deal with an issue along these lines once a week, while 9% go through it multiple times in a seven-day period.
With the most embarrassing places being at a restaurant or café, a family gathering, a wedding or formal event or even the supermarket aisle.
But 85% said laughing about the emergency helped give them the strength to get through it and 71% turned to social media to watch funny content from parenting influencers, according to the OnePoll.com figures.
Annabel Eden for WaterWipes which is using humour to give parents a dose of extra strength to tackle the toughest of messes by working with comedians and creating a hub of tips, added: “Every parent knows the pain of a poo disaster when out and about.
“Yet we often still feel embarrassed or shamed when it happens to us, despite nearly everyone having gone through it themselves.
“Parents should try not to be hard on themselves when dealing with a poo disaster from a little one as it’s totally natural but forewarned is forearmed, and having the right supplies, and a little laughter, can give you the strength to get through.”
