Translating…
The Toilet
There seems to be a difference of opinion as to what is meant by the expression ‘household toilet’. We all have one. We all know that it is essential. We also all know that when it does not function properly it can be a real pain in the neck.
First let’s establish exactly what we are talking about. Some people believe that the toilet is only the commode. All other things in the bathroom don’t qualify as part of the toilet.
For the purpose of this article I am going to use the term toilet to include everything in the bathroom that is functional. I think that is more the accepted use of the word today. Whether or not it is I think it is necessary to be clear in the beginning what we are going to talk about.
First Thing In The Morning
If your household is anything like mine almost the first thing that anyone does each morning is to visit the toilet. If you have enough toilets in your home for everyone to have his very own you are lucky. However, if you are in the majority, where I belong as well, there are a certain number of people who share each toilet. Therefore it is necessary to develop a kind of relationship with your toilet and the others who use it.
In my home the bathroom consists of two rooms. One is the commode and the other is everything else. This is the easiest in many ways. In this way if the commode is what is needed it is fairly easy to organize it so that no one is inconvenienced except in special emergency situations.
However the use of the rest of the toilet is another matter altogether.
One choice is to actually share. It is possible for one to shower while another brushes teeth. It is possible for the hair dryer to be used without negating the possibility of using anything else in the room.
In my home it really breaks down into what is essential to get ready to face the day and what is a non essential use of the toilet.
We consider the use of the commode to relieve and satisfy basic bodily necessities to more or less have priority. I would say that we consider the morning shower comes next. After that it is more or less just the trimmings of getting together in order to face the day.
In our home the use of the toilet for all the purposes that we do is fairly well organized by being governed by those who have to get to work have a kind of priority so that they can in fact do it and get to work on time. Next comes seniority. If this isn’t appropriate then it is mostly negotiable.
The Rest Of The Day And Night
After the first flurry of toilet activity each day it seems to be quite easy for it to function normally and without major drama. It may take planning and routine. It may even take cooperation and thoughtfulness. But it is entirely possible to have a comfortable and properly functioning toilet by just discussing it and setting some ground rules. This will normally be driven by the parents but there can be room for negotiation.
Conclusion
One thing that is far too often overlooked is that the toilet and its happy function for the family can be quite easily organized and functional. All it takes is a meeting of the interested parties and a discussion as to what the ground rules must be. If, like in most families, either dad or mother is sitting on the throne, then it is merely a matter of careful discussion with the full knowledge that the noble leader will make all difficult decisions.
An organized use of the toilet can certainly aid the general atmosphere and feeling of well being in a family.