After a frustrating encounter trying to change his baby in a public restroom devoid of a changing table, one dad decided to take a stand.
It’s just another day in a dad’s life, advocating for the ability to change his child’s diaper in public without having to crouch on a filthy bathroom floor. What a time to be alive, right? The year is 2016, and while we may have flying cars on the horizon, we still don’t have changing tables in every men’s restroom. Isn’t that something?
Given our modern society, wouldn’t it be great if all restaurants and businesses acknowledged this fact and equipped their men’s restrooms with changing tables? One dedicated stay-at-home dad believes so strongly in this that he launched a blog called Dads Who Change Diapers, aimed at cataloging businesses that support fathers who take on the essential task of diaper changing.
The idea for his blog came to life during a dinner outing with his wife at a local diner. When their infant son needed a diaper change, he eagerly volunteered. “Being the engaged dad, I thought, ‘Sure, honey, I’ve got this,’ so I grabbed the diaper bag and my child, but it never occurred to me that the restroom might not have a changing station,” he recounted to K7 News, recalling his frustrating experience.
Isn’t that sweet? He genuinely didn’t realize that some establishments still cling to the outdated belief that diaper changing is exclusively a woman’s responsibility, despite the increasing number of dads taking an active role in childcare. Some even stay home full-time with their kids—shocking, right?
It must be incredibly daunting for a parent to head out with their child, uncertain whether they’ll have to lay their little one on a grimy bathroom floor for a diaper change. Because changing a soiled diaper isn’t unpleasant enough, let’s make it even worse, shall we? Understandably upset, he didn’t just vent his frustrations; he took action.
Inspired by his challenging experience, he created a valuable resource for dads on his blog. The site maintains a list of businesses with changing tables in men’s restrooms so fathers can easily find places to change their child. This also encourages them to support establishments that cater to their needs, sending a subtle message to those that don’t. Dads can contribute by submitting locations, ensuring the site remains comprehensive. Users simply enter an address or zip code, define a search radius, and voila—results appear showing where changing tables are located. While it shouldn’t be necessary, it can be quite handy until more public restrooms catch up to modern standards.
The diner where he first encountered this issue has since installed a changing table in the men’s room, but there are still many businesses that need to update their facilities. If stories like this continue to gain traction in the media, perhaps more establishments will recognize the need for family-friendly amenities without a dad having to call them out first. For now, hats off to those who are advocating for this change (pun totally intended).
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Summary
A dad’s frustrating experience in a public restroom without a changing table inspired him to launch “Dads Who Change Diapers,” a blog that lists businesses with changing tables in men’s restrooms. The initiative encourages more establishments to accommodate fathers and raises awareness about the need for family-friendly bathroom facilities.