Different people have different eating preferences. Some like their food spicy, some put on YouTube videos for background noise, and some carry chopsticks wherever they go.
However, it would be difficult to find a person who enjoys a strong unpleasant odor while they're fueling up.
Recently, a woman who goes on Reddit by the nickname HRProf2020 went to a restaurant to grab a quick dinner when another customer started changing her baby's diaper right next to her.
After their confrontation, HRProf2020 started having doubts about the way she carried herself, so the woman made a post on the subreddit 'Am I the [Jerk]?' describing the situation in detail and asking its members to share their opinions on it. Here's what she wrote.
Changing diapers in public can be a challenge
Image credits: Rido81 (not the actual photo)
But this restaurant client thought a mother had crossed the line when she began doing it next to her eating lunch
Image credits: Guillaume Bolduc (not the actual photo)
Image source: HRProf2020
Even parents would agree that this mother was pushing social norms
Image credits: William Fortunato (not the actual photo)
According to Joshua Bartlett, who, together with his wife, have 11 years of parenting experience and run a family lifestyle blog called Natural Baby Life, in almost every place you visit, at least one parent before you has asked the same question: "Where will I change my baby's diaper?"
"Proper etiquette for changing your baby in public is to be as discreet and out of the way as possible and to dispose of the dirty diaper quickly," the father writes. "Public restrooms, your vehicle, or a stroller are the best places for changing, but bringing the right supplies on the trip will allow you to change your baby anywhere that is out of the way of others."
"As parents, we know that each stage in our child's life brings its own unique challenges, and we try to have grace for each other in those times, but even [we] agree that no one wants to smell a dirty diaper in a public place, especially when they are trying to relax," Bartlett says.
Although there are no hard and fast rules, he suggests to keep these things in mind when going about your child's business:
- Use public restrooms or changing stations whenever possible;
- If no changing area is available then be sure to move far away from others (out of sight and smell range) before changing;
- Use your vehicle if it is reasonably close;
- Dispose of the dirty diaper properly (in a sealed bag thrown into the trash) or seal it so that it doesn't stink and keep it with you if you can’t throw it away;
- Be prepared with the proper supplies so you don't have to rely on what’s available.
While there are no specific laws prohibiting parents from changing their baby in a public, as we've been reminded by this post, private establishments can ask you to leave if you're doing it in its common area.
"No matter where you are in public, it is best to be as respectful and considerate as you can when changing your baby's diaper," Bartlett adds.
"Think about how you would feel if you were another customer in the store or restaurant. If someone has spent money on food or a cup of coffee, they certainly don't want a parent changing a dirty diaper right next to them."
People who read the story unanimously gave the woman a pass
