Dads Are Angry There Aren't Changing Tables in Men's Rooms. Here's Why.

This isn’t a new discussion – men and women have been lamenting how hard it is for dads to help out with public changing duties for years. I’ve found that most places now have, at the very least, a family bathroom where either parent can go and change the baby, but apparently, there are still plenty of establishments out there that think only mom will be shlepping the baby and diaper bag into the bathroom for a change.

But this is definitely not true. If my husband and I are both present, he’s 90% more likely to do the public restroom changing, because our son typically behaves better for him during the stinky process.

This recent viral image is re-igniting the discussion, however, and shows with no uncertainty, how difficult it is to change a kid – particularly an older one – without a table to lay them on.

Photo Credit: Instagram

“This is a serious post!!!” Donte Palmer, a father of three, captioned his photo on Instagram. “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!!!!”

First of all, just let me say that my child would be squirming off my lap and racing around diaperless looking for somewhere to poop and not being at all cooperative, so props to Mr. Palmer and his parenting on that front.

To his point, however, it’s totally ridiculous that they – or any father and child – should have to go through this.

Photo Credit: Facebook,Chris Boneyard Mau

Palmer tells ScaryMommy that, in his mind, it’s partly because for a long time fathers have been looked at 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 presences of fathers not being involved but in all actuality, there are a ton of fathers willing to step up to the plate.”

He’s right. Men are just as capable and often the parent out alone in public with their young children. It’s insulting to expect them to change a diaper while balanced against a wall.

Then again, there is an unexpected bonus, as Palmer points out in this follow-up post on Instagram – his older son is conditioning for football, and Palmer claims to be working out his quads for his next trip to the restroom for a clean diaper swap.