[who_it_is]

3 trips per week

I saw this article the other day, and then have spent the last two days thinking about it. I don't know, I can't see how it's all that bad for a teacher to want to minimize her student's trips to the restroom during classroom time. Thoughts?

[kimmiejo]

Personally I don't see it as a bad thing either, providing a child doesn't have some kind of medical issue I think 3 trips per week in that one class seems adequate and these are 5th graders not 1st graders, eh I don't know really but at this very moment I think it is fine and wouldn't be bothered by it.

[BelloFiglioLA]

I would be pissed. In 5th grade we didn't change classes yet. If this is for one "period" a day then I can see the 3 times a week. If this is an all day thing, that's ridiculous!

Imagine sitting at work for 6ish hours a day and not being able to go to the bathroom. I go at least 3 times on a good day. I have stomach issues so on a bad day its more.

[who_it_is]

We didn't change classrooms in 5th grade either, but we did have recess and lunch and a second recess in the afternoon. So between those things, I just don't remember having to leave class to go to the bathroom all that often. If every kid left class even just the 3 times per week that would be a ton of distractions all the time for the teacher and the rest of the class. I'm also assuming that there are exceptions made in "emergency" situations or in cases of illness or what not.

At Genna's school, her teacher in the class just after lunch has "no questions asked passes", I think they each get 5 per quarter (12 weeks) where they can leave the classroom to go to the bathroom or get something they forgot in their locker with no questions asked. Once you are out of passes, then you have to ask and the teacher tracks you leaving the room, I think he allows for a handful more of those before he contacts your parents. According to Genna it's not gotten that far for anyone this year.

[BelloFiglioLA]

Ahh I forgot about recess. That makes it a little better.

[Man N Cheese]

I agree with Lisa. There are so many opportunities for children to use the restroom, there is really limited need to do so in class. There is before school, Lunch, 2-3 recesses, passing time to specials (art, music, gym), not to mention if you leave class for excelled studies etc. A 5th graders day is broken up pretty well, and I would think 3 bathroom breaks a week during class time is more than sufficient.

[momtothe3rdpower]

The article sounds horrible, but I am a teacher, most of my kids never ask to go during class time because they know they have time to use the restroom after specials, before lunch, and after lunch. It is just like an adult, we make ourselves go before we know a time we cannot (like before getting on a plane...)A few kids ask to go additional times, but they are missing alot in class, especially if it during the instructional times (versus work time).Plus, you can't send a child unsupervised, so you have to make someone else leave the lesson to take someone there...bathrooms are a big distraction (wish we had a toilet in our classroom!!!!!!! Ours is a far way from our classroom (like almost a 2 minute walk there, another two back)

[kileechatseal]

I don't agree with the policy at all. In my sons school his specials are as soon as school starts and then he goes to class until lunch time. When they go to specials they have to walk in a single file line and can't get out of it (hence not being able to go before specials). At lunch they have to ask to go to the bathroom and recess as long as it is nice is outside and they cannot enter the building during that time without permission. So if that policy were applied at his school he would not be able to go to the bathroom everyday during school because he has to ask every time. The article references it being a 5th grade class, 5th grade is where some girls start their period. Idk about you but my first couple periods I was always going to change my pad and make sure I wasn't leaking. I probably went to the bathroom quite often during that time. My mom used to always tell me, and I tell my son, ask to go to the bathroom, if they tell you no go anyways.....I deal with it. Thankfully I have never had any issues.

[flitabout]

I think I would bounce off the freakin walls if that was my kid. In mine kids schools the don't change classes and they only get recess at lunch time. Yes that is for my first grader too. It is bad enough that they don't get a recess during the day other than lunchtime but to limit the potty breaks too? No that's not exceptable. Ask yourself how many times a week do you just get up and go to the bathroom while your kids are at school. I easily go 5 times a day

[Oreobaby]

Ya, I'm not sure if I would agree with this either. I used to be a Teachers Assistant, and so some times, you just have to go, and even with my scheduled breaks and lunch breaks, it was sometimes tough to hold it...and I have a grown up bladder...I think she may be looking for trouble.

[hiskid1324]

I think that as long as there are designated bathroom times (the school I worked at allowed these right before recess, lunch, and right before classes resumed after lunch, classes finished at 2:30), then there shouldn't be a problem for 5th graders. if they were 1st graders, I'd have a problem with it, but a 10/11 year old should be able to go 2-3 hours without an issue, and otherwise they need to be seeing a doctor for their overactive bladder...