I'm armed for battle at Target this morning, but I want to quickly post about a pediatrician recommendation discussed by Lisa Belkin.
A pediatrician at Leighton Hospital in England, Joe Philip, writes in the letters section about
four cases of little boys who were injured when a heavy toilet seat
fell and crushed the tip of their tender parts. All the children were
between the ages of two and four, all were recently toilet trained, and
all the injuries were serious enough to require an overnight hospital
stay.
seat but a heavy wooden decorative seat, leading to the first
suggestion the author gives to parents who now have one more thing to
worry about: do not use those kinds if you have a male toddler in the
house…
“Studies have shown that the social norm of leaving the toilet seat
down is inefficient and not always welfare-enhancing,” Dr. Philip
concludes. “Therefore households with a male infant should agree the
default position for the toilet seat should be ‘up.’”
As a mother of two boys, I say, NO. Toilet seats must be raised and lowered. I live with arm farts at the dinner table, competitive burp contests, and muddy cleats. I can choose clothing for them in the exciting options of light brown or dark brown. No one wants to read Anne of Green Gables or draw for hours at the dinner table. My life expectancy is shorter that mothers of girls. The absolute least that should be done is the raising and lowering of a toilet seat. Lines must be drawn somewhere.
Apt. 11d 