Unprofessional Parenting

Since when is it okay to pester me in the bathroom? I’ve seen several parents make note of the small fists pounding on the door at the most inconvenient times but for me this is becoming a pattern that I fear I will never escape.

Before my son was born I worked in a construction office for my husband’s family. There were three women (myself included) and we had a nice, clean, one person women’s bathroom all to ourselves. We also had a very aggressive receptionist for a few years who thought nothing of pounding on the door to tell me I had a phone call.

I’m very serious about this. I asked her several times to take a message if I wasn’t at my desk but it was her job to get me to that phone so come hell or high water she was going to get me there. I finally blew up at one point when she knocked on the door and said “We’ve got to get you out of there hon, you’ve got a phone call.” The ever so important phone call? It was my mom calling about some random thing that I don’t even remember at this point. Through clenched teeth I explained I didn’t care who’s on the phone - don’t knock on the door! It didn’t work. Until the day she left she kept on a-knocking.

Now my son has picked up the torch. He pounds, he yells, he giggles, and now he turns the knob furiously fighting the lock that comes between us. I can’t wait to potty train him and then pound on the door when he’s trying to relax. Don’t think I’ll forget this when he’s a teenager!