Trying to teach S to Squat

What is the deal with the squat toilets?! Seriously Europe! Get with it. France does so many things well. The food is delicious, the clothing is beautiful, the city is well-designed and gorgeous, and the public transportation is fast efficient, clean and inexpensive. But what is with the seat-less toilets?! For those of you who don't know what a squat toilet is, it's a toilet with the seat removed. In Italy we encountered squat toilets that were actually flush with the floor. The ones we have found here are just like regular toilets, with the seat removed.

Now let me tell you. Squat toilets are a hassle. But never a big pain in the butt then when you are dealing with a potty training toddler. S has been doing so well potty training. He basically refuses to were anything but underwear now, and rarely has accidents, but he in true 3 year old form, never wants to go to the bathroom. Every trip to the potty requires negation on our part. These squat toilets are no help to the situation that unfolds as I try to sweet talk my child out of his pants and onto the potty. Between those and the auto-flushers (which S is terrified of) I have spent a truly remarkable amount of time bribing my child to pee.

But the worst offense of the squat toilet, which really got me today, was a PAID for squatter.This one had holes where the seat used to be - it had been intentionally removed! Sebastian and I paid our .80 euro each waited about 10 minutes in line to get to a SQUAT toilet! Are you kidding? And this is at a Mc Donald's no less. Not very family friendly. Of course they didn't have a changing table either, so poor Everett had to be changed in his stroller in the corner of the restaurant. Not very polite, but a mom's gotta do what she's gotta do.

In other news we had an amazing day, which ended with S dancing in the rain in front of a sparking Eiffel Tower, a little moment in time I hope I remember forever. I'll tell you all about it later.