Reply from Tom, Child's Age none - 7/30/02 - IP#: 159.39.16.14

Every situation is different and what is right for one person may not be right for another, so you’ll have to use your own judgment to decide what’s best for your children. In general, diapers (or pull-ups) should not be used just for convenience – to avoid having to stop for a bathroom break. That could create a dependence on diapers that may be hard to break later. The preferable solution would be to plan for frequent stops along the way so diapers would not be necessary. However, the fact that all four children, up to age 11, sometimes have accidents at home may indicate a physical problem – perhaps a small bladder with little retention time. If they can’t go very long between trips to the bathroom, or wait more than a few minutes after realizing the need to go, then diapers may be the only way to go. Also, if they nap on long trips and wet when asleep, diapers may be a necessity. The same judgment applies to your destination. You wouldn’t expect diapers to be needed if you are staying in a condo at the beach, but a sightseeing trip to an unfamiliar city would be a different situation. Public restrooms can be difficult to find quickly when one is needed on short notice.