Bathroom stories

On Monday night, I was driving Jake, Maia, and Maia's friend Kylie home from their acting class. Somehow the subject of incontinence came up, and I remembered a couple of good stories!

When Jake was four years old, I enrolled him in a karate class. I was trying to find a sport that he was interested in, and karate seemed like a good fit for a conscientious little boy who didn't have much natural inclination for balls but could follow instructions really well. Little did I know how well he would follow instructions! At the end of the hour, I noticed Jake was standing in a puddle of his own making. "Jake!" I cried. "Why didn't you go to the bathroom?"

Jake, equally panicked, said, "The teacher told me I had to stand in ready position!"

****

One day, I was picking up three-year-old Maia from preschool. As we were getting into the car, Maia said, "Mom, I have to go to the bathroom."

"Okay, Maia," I said, distracted. I was in a hurry to get home.

A few minutes later, Maia said again, "Mom, I really have to go to the bathroom."

Okay, Maia," I said. "We're on our way home."

Maia didn't complain about having to go to the bathroom for the rest of the thirty-minute drive, so I continued home. But when I opened the car door to get Maia out of her carseat, she was completely drenched.

"Maia!" I said in exasperation. "You're sopping wet!"

"I told you I had to go to the bathroom," Maia said.

I realized I was completely to blame for this one. "You're right, Maia." I said sheepishly. "Sorry about that."