'Clean it up. That's it. End of story': From one dad to another on the exploding diaper controversy
A recent story out of Australia features a father complaining that his son’s diaper burst open overnight.
It’s typical of the type of thing you seem to see daily nowadays: Person misuses “insert product name here,” person posts about it online under the guise of warning others so they don’t suffer the same fate.
Here’s the thing: I get it. I have two young children – one recently out of diapers, one still in them. When a diaper explodes, it suuuuucks. It’s the worst. It’s gross and messy and all that horrible stuff. And when a diaper’s gooey insides come out, well that’s just one more gross substance that you’ve got to clean up, and that’s no fun for anyone.
ALSO SEE: Dad issues warning after son’s diaper explodes – leaving him covered in ‘dangerous’ gelatin crystals
But the thing is, this is what happens IF YOU DON’T CHANGE A DIAPER FOR HOURS AND HOURS. Again, I get it. As a parent, it’s not always possible to change a diaper every time your kid, well, makes something to clean up. Especially overnight. Most nights you take your chances and hope you don’t wake up to a massive mess. Sometimes you do and sometimes you don’t. That’s parenting.
But if you let it go for many hours in a row, you have to be prepared for the possible outcomes. These outcomes include: an extremely stinky diaper that has indeed managed to contain everything that’s been emptied into it; an extremely stinky diaper that has unfortunately not managed to contain everything that’s been emptied into it; an extremely stinky diaper whose innards have absorbed everything they possibly can and has completely burst open into a pee and poo and weird gelatin-like mess.
ALSO SEE: This expert wants you to ask your baby before changing its diaper
See the pattern here?
Now, here’s what you do if one of the above outcomes occurs: clean it up. That’s it. End of story.
What you shouldn’t do is post about it online, blaming the diaper manufacturer, prompting them to release a statement that their diapers are the same as they’ve always been, but they of course take the matter “very seriously.” Some PR person actually had to craft a lengthy statement about this! Come on.
Change it and move on.
Kids are gross. They smell, they’re sticky, they make messes and everything they touch instantly becomes a major cleanup project. As parents, we know that going in. And we love them anyway.
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