I was yelled at for throwing my son’s nappy in a public bin

"What was I meant to do, walk around with it for the rest of the day? Public bins smell at the best of times and the nappy was in a bag."

Recently, as I changed my son’s nappy, I found myself in an extremely embarrassing and confronting situation being yelled at by a stranger all because of the way I changed my son’s nappy.

According to this middle-aged woman, the location I chose to change my son’s nappy and where I subsequently disposed of it was not to her liking. Far from it.

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"I headed to the bin and put the bag inside"

My wife’s family were visiting from interstate and as she and her brother took the older kids to go on some of the bigger rides at the local fair we visited, my sister-in-law and I stayed at the playground watching my pre-schooler and toddler as they played.

It was pretty busy, the summer school holiday period at a beachside town over lunchtime. There were kids and parents everywhere meaning queues for everything from play equipment, and food, to the public toilets.

So about fifteen minutes in, when my youngest son who is nearly two approached me and the waft of his sizeable number two was detected, waiting in a huge baby change line wasn’t really an option. I knew it was only going to remain contained for a short period and the thought of dealing with leakage and the extra mess that would create wasn’t really on my list of things I wanted to do that day.

So, instead, I lifted him into his stroller and took on the challenge of changing his very full, smelly nappy while attempting to have him stay still and contained there, off to the side of the playground.

After an intense couple of minutes, I managed to change his nappy without incident, and he happily toddled back over to join his brother who was being watched by my sister-in-law.

Placing the nappy in a nappy bag and tying up the top, I headed over to the public bin and put the bag inside.

That’s the moment this woman, the one who had been standing nearby for the entire time we were at the playground, approached me. From the minute I saw her face, I knew this wasn’t one of those in awe reactions that I sometimes get as a hands-on dad.

Do you throw dirty nappies in public bins? Image: Supplied

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"Her attack lasted minutes"

Her face, which had turned a bright shade of red, was also exhibiting a pretty angry expression. Then came the irate words to accompany this.

What I would call ‘the attack’, lasted a few minutes and while it was pretty extensive, to sum it up, this woman told me in no uncertain terms that changing a child’s nappy in public was inappropriate.

She told me that there were changing rooms and toilets for this purpose and that using them, especially when it was for a number two was a must – “regardless of the wait.”

“No one should have to be exposed to that sight when they are out at a playground. It is disgusting!” she yelled.

“People are trying to enjoy themselves; some people are even eating, and you are there changing your son’s dirty nappy right next to them.”

The attack went on and on, but it was when she started having a go at me for putting the nappy in a public bin that things got even more heated.

“You clearly have no consideration for others, or for the general health of others, placing a sh*t covered nappy in a public bin,” she continued.

“It’s hot and no doubt in an hour or so that smell will become apparent to people walking by.”

"She created quite a scene"

The tirade was not only intense but loud and created quite the scene. People all around were staring, my kids noticed and came running up to me, worried about why this woman was yelling at their dad. It was embarrassing and just uncalled for.

I mean, what was I supposed to do? Walk around with the nappy for the rest of the day? Public bins smell at the best of times and the nappy was in a bag, it wasn’t just chucked in there!

After this woman yelled at me for what seemed like an eternity, she eventually stormed off but by this time our day had been ruined so we went home.

I still can't believe this happened all because of throwing rubbish in a rubbish bin- something I will continue to do whenever I need to.

Originally published as I was yelled at for throwing my son’s nappy in a public bin