Every child needs to learn how to urinate outdoors if family picnics or long drives are not to be ruined for everybody. Boys don't usually find this difficult. They copy their daddy and urinate against a tree or even beside the car in a lay-by if necessary.

Girls are at an unfair disadvantage. Very small girls may find al fresco peeing easier if they are "held out" with a parent supporting them in a squatting position. Slightly older girls who don't want to be held may like to take their knickers right off. They often find it difficult to hold pulled down clothing out of the way. Search out a good site for them; all ages will be thoroughly put off if they find themselves amid stinging nettles or ants.

Generally, most fast food restaurants, large department stores and big hotels usually have free and more importantly clean toilets, which are a very welcome sight if you are out and about in Asia, especially in China or Japan where many of the public toilets are the type you have to squat over a hole in the floor and risk your children falling in ! Uck ! doesn't bear thinking about...it may be wise therefore, to spend some time planning your toilet stops in advance, in an emergency look out for a disabled toilet as these will usually have a sit down toilet.

Childrens Toilet Seat Covers

A lot of young children who can keep themselves reasonably safe at home come to grief when they are away on a trip or a holiday. A new environment offers new hazards. The child has never met them before and therefore cannot anticipate or even necessarily recognise them. Adults have to do both for him.

At the seaside, local children will know about tides and collapsing sand tunnels but your child has never learned. He will see no significance in a dwindling beach, the increasing pull of the current around his legs or the telltale trickles of sand from a tunnel that is about to cave in.

When you take your child on holiday you will probably long to let him run free, but if his freedom is unsupervised you need to choose your place very carefully. Even that innocent country cottage may have a bull in the next field, deadly nightshade in the hedge, a well in the garden or a delightful haystack with a pitchfork for him to jump on.

What he needs while he finds his way around is an undemanding but willing escort, ready to go with him over the rocks or down to the pool, into the ocean or over to the farm, down to the shops or into the park.