A girl dad raising his daughter as a single parent faces a dilemma each time his child needs to use the public restroom, and his solution has been receiving praises from the netizens.
Muhammed Nitoto, the owner of the popular blog site Chronicles of Daddy, did not want to ruffle any feathers by going to the wrong facility with his little girl in tow. The single father realized that there was no easy way to handle his situation because he would be criticized, regardless.
If he brings his daughter to the men's restroom, someone will likely protest and say that he doesn't care for his girl's wellbeing. If he asked a female stranger in the women's restroom to assist his daughter, it could pose some risks or cause an issue.
Determined to get it right, the girl's dad said that the most "respectful" solution he thought of was to use the women's restroom and bring his daughter inside himself. However, he makes sure to ask permission from the ladies who are using the facilities first.
Good Strategy for Single Dads
Nitoto shared his girl dad hack in a viral post on Instagram and wrote that he could not bring his daughter to the men's bathroom because it has never been set up for a woman or a person with a child in the first place. While there is a changing table in the men's section, it's immediately next to the smelly urinal.
So, he goes to the women's restroom and makes sure to announce his and his daughter's presence. Nitoto said that he knocks on the door before coming in, and if someone is inside, he has to know first that the women are comfortable with the thought of a dad helping out his daughter use the bathroom. The single father said he would repeatedly announce why he's in the women's restroom if "someone new is coming in" so they will not be surprised.
Nitoto also said that women's bathrooms are cleaner than the men's, and the changing station is set up with its own stall, so it's also always clean.
"As a girl dad I can't help but want to protect my daughters from all things that aren't for them, and the men's bathroom is 100% one of those things."
Nitoto's followers commended his good strategy, and some women shared that they wouldn't be offended if they saw him with his child. Another commenter said that it's a trigger for some women to see a man in their bathroom, but he is helping take away their fears because he explains why he's there.
Spark a Conversation with Girl Dads
Speaking with "Good Morning America," Nitoto said he created the post about using the public bathroom to spark a conversation with other dads who have daughters. He also wants to offer a solution for the men who may find themselves in a similar situation.
However, pediatric expert Dr. Alice Domar disagreed with the single dad's solution and recommended that dads should find a family bathroom first since it's now more common in establishments. The doctor also said that daughters below five years old must be taken to the men's bathroom and straight to a stall. On the other hand, girls older than five may be ready to go to the women's bathroom by themselves, provided their daddy is waiting outside.
