Public Restrooms ...

This may be a bit of a rant ... but here goes

Who designs public restrooms?  I would love, love, love to be part of the consumer research for this.

Here is a list of what is needed in a public restroom:

1. My person (skin, shoes, purse) should not have to touch the walls, door, the "sanitary items" trash can on the wall, or the toilet paper dispenser.
2. I should not have to straddle the toilet to shut the door.  
3. There should always be a place to hang a purse and diaper bag.  (Just try to take a little guy in there, stand him on your feet, try not to touch anything, and then hang your purse and diaper bag around your neck - seriously how much does a hook cost?)
4. In every public restroom there should be at least 1 stall without the auto-flush toilet to eliminate the need to cover the sensor so my little people can piddle without being flushed.
5. The toilet paper should be within reach of the person sitting in the toilet - you shouldn't have to lean all the way over to reach it at the bottom of the stall or have to bend all the way forward to reach it near the door.  (Toilet paper removal should never remind you of the time you watched your dad "pull" a calf.)
6. I should never have to separate from my little people in a public restroom or piddle with the door open so I can see where they are.  
7. If you want to be skimpy with paper towels, toilet paper, or water through your micro-management of how much should be used, know that I and most other people (I have seen a few in the restroom) will use more than we need.  (I do find it ironic when a hospital or other medically involved building uses the water reduction system that gives you about 3 seconds of water to wash - do they not read their own hand washing policy signs?!?)

7 simple things.  Not too much to ask, just think about using the restroom you design with 2 children in tow and decide if it is set up well.  If you are in public restroom design and would like some help - I have some ideas :) and am willing to share.

This rant is coming from a place of LOVE not from a place of being piddled on - that's my story and I'm sticking to it.  (Anyone else singing the song now? - no, just me, the Collin Raye lover.)

I do reserve the right to add to this list as is my right as a user of public restrooms and as a mother of a little piddler who has to navigate the restroom with a purse, diaper bag, and another little person as witness to the piddle.