“Dads change babies too, so where are all the men’s restroom baby changing tables?”
This isn’t the first time there’s been a call for baby changing stations in public male bathrooms. It seems as though the situation has improved over the past few years, however, it’s rare to find men’s public bathrooms with baby tables for changing. It makes changing babies either really hard (and gross) for dads, or leaves it to moms each time a kid needs to be changed. That’s if we’re not talking about a single dad situation. One dad has shared a photo showing how he must change his baby’s diapers, and parents everywhere were quick to relate to his struggle.
In Instagram, Donte Palmer, father of 3 kids, wrote: “This is a serious post!!!”. His picture shows him propped against a bathroom wall with his kid over his lap. While he’s clearly used to it, he’s apparently still going through serious effort just to balance. “What’s the deal with not having changing tables in men’s bathroom as if we don’t exist!! #FLM #fatherslivesmatter clearly we do this often because look how comfortable my son is. It’s routine to him!!!!”
Donte mentioned viral news site The Shade Room, who were quick to share his picture. That kickstarted quite a lot of chat from other father’s who were sick of going through the same. “Let’s fix this problem! I Kaepernick drop a knee to this issue! @theshaderoom let’s show the innovation of fathers!” posted Donte.
According to Donte, the picture is from one of the many times he’s been forced to change his kids’ diapers without a table. “Honestly, I’ve been in enough places that didn’t have them so now I don’t even bother to look,” wrote the dad. This time, he and his three boys were eating at Texas Roadhouse when the one-year-old needed a diaper change. Of course, Donte and Isaiah (his seven-year-old) headed to the restroom so they could both help out.
According to Donte, dads have long been considered as “being absent in our children’s lives. Taking care of children has been a job deemed necessary for women. At times society complains about the presence of fathers not being involved but in all actuality, there are a ton of fathers willing to step up to the plate.”
He’s got a fair point. There’s no real reason moms should always have to change diapers! There are both non-hetero couples and single dads who need to change their babies, but even more importantly, men often want to help. That they have to squat or do the changing on the floor is totally out of order.
Good on Donte for keeping the topic a matter of discussion, and raising awareness with restaurant and shop owners. Because #fatherslivesmatter, right?
