Yesterday, we sprang into action and did not return to our house until after five p.m. With two children, this tends to be a chore. And, of course, with two children, at one point or another someone needs to go "potty" or have a diaper changed. It's amazing, I know, but true.

For us, it hit around lunchtime. Part Deux needed a diaper change in the worst way, so I took her to the bathroom. I looked around. No changing station. I thought nothing of it at first. More and more places are creating larger handicapped restrooms so mothers can change their kiddos in private. I opened the handicapped restroom door--nothing.

Nowhere in this "family" restaurant could a changing station be found. For some, this might not be a huge deal, but I (for one) find it absolutely disgusting to place my child on the floor of a public restroom that may or may not get cleaned on schedule and regularly to change her diaper.

Not a little disgusted, I made sure to mention the missing changing station to my husband whilst the manager of the restaurant was near. She then told me the lovely news:

Someone complained that the changing stations in public restrooms were not low enough for someone in a wheel chair to access them; thus, they were discriminatory. Now, at least for this restaurant, there are no changing stations at all because having them violates the Americans with Disabilities Act.

And then the thought occurred to me: This "missing changing station" scenario keeps happening to me more and more. And the more I thought about it, the more irate I became.

I understand the whole "public-facilities-need-to-accommodate-the-entire-public" thing, but SERIOUSLY?

A mother in a wheelchair can't reach the changing station, so NONE of us get to change our kids? It is the most asinine thing I have heard in a long time.

They didn't take away public toilets when public bathrooms weren't accessible; they simply required that restrooms become handicap accessible. What is the problem with doing that in this situation? Did they really have to strip us all of being able to change our kids' diapers?

It disgusts me.

That said:

Thank you, Americans with Disabilities Act, for handicapping mothers everywhere--or at least in my area of the world. I hope we can charge you for all of our diaper rash cream or doctor's bills for whatever illness kids will get when mothers who feel they have no choice change their kids in the floor.

I had to use the hot car.

It's been a while, so I will remind everyone of how it works. I will post the word. You will respond by commenting what about what the word brings to mind. It can be a story, a joke, another word, the actual definition, or you can just use the word in a sentence. Enjoy!

TODAY'S WORD:

Torrid