Rhom Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 So here's my situation today. I have a bit of an office protocol/ettiquette question... I came out of my office today to find four diapers in a parking spot. Earlier, I had a new Medicaid patient who came in with a friend and two four month old babies. (No other infants came through the office in the course of the day.) Tomorrow she is scheduled to go over her exam findings, would you address the issue with her? Or let it slide without comment? If additional frame of reference is needed, it's a chiropractic office and I am a solo practitioner. To correct her would potentially lose her as a patient, but that's hardly a make or break proposition. FWIW, she is a new mom and perhaps could use some parenting advice in this area. My son is six, so I do not consider myself far removed from the diaper stage of parenting; but I certainly wouldn't have ever dreamed of leaving trash like that (or of any kind really) in a parking lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry of the Lawn Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 I wouldn't mention it unless you were positive that you this person left the diapers there. Because if for some reason they came from somewhere else, you look like a total jerk. Seems like you've found the likely culprit, but it's probably not worth pursuing at this point. If you find the same thing after her next visit, maybe time to re-evaluate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Pepper Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 Why is it important to describe what sort of insurance this person uses? Probably not worth pursuing. I'm not sure she needs any parenting advice in this area, either. Perhaps anti-littering advice, but that's different. I'm sure you've seen litter in the parking lot before and you probably don't pursue all culprits. fwiw, I've found myself desperate to get rid of dirty diapers at the car before. Baby screaming, trashcan nowhere nearby, just wanted to get home. I've been a total asshole before and left it on the ground. I obviously know it's wrong and terrible and I'm asshole, don't need to be shamed about it when I already feel like shit, I'm sure she does, too. Put more trash cans out if possible, or a single one in an easy to reach space and a sign to remind people not to litter if you're really upset by it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datepalm Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 A prominent (if not comically so) 'No litterring please' sign over a convenient garbage bin in the parking lot would seem to be the way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhom Posted January 12, 2017 Author Share Posted January 12, 2017 Good thoughts. I bounced the situation off a private Facebook group of friends of mine from school as well. The vast majority of them also said just to let it go. I suppose deep down, those of us who would never do anything like that just want to lecture someone! The most diplomatic way to confront the issue that was suggested was to say something along the lines of "We always welcome children here... I know what its like to be a parent and never knowing quite what to do with my kids when I have appointments... if there's anything we can do to be supportive, just let us know. I can show you a private area for changing them if you need one and even provide a waste can after if you'd like... yadda yadda yadda." 7 hours ago, Dr. Pepper said: Why is it important to describe what sort of insurance this person uses? Mainly force of habit I suppose. When talking with my staff I often will say something like "The personal injury case last year..." or "The Medicare guy that was here earlier..." However, I do also think it does provide some demographic value to provide description in the situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Pepper Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 21 minutes ago, Rhom said: Mainly force of habit I suppose. When talking with my staff I often will say something like "The personal injury case last year..." or "The Medicare guy that was here earlier..." However, I do also think it does provide some demographic value to provide description in the situation. I guess it depends on how you are hoping people to react to this particular demographic description. "Look! A poor person littered omg should I roast her a wealthy individual would never do that*!" Or, "Hmm, so on top of being injured or in pain and the mother of twin babies she's probably struggling financially which only increases the stress she's under." Obviously my response would be the latter, but it's unclear what you were expecting. I'm sure this is not the first litter situation you've had in the parking lot at your place of business. *they litter all the time, fwiw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PyroclasticFlow Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 I believe the person came in with a friend and two babies. Said babies may or may not both be hers. But I get where you're coming from, too much info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhom Posted January 12, 2017 Author Share Posted January 12, 2017 4 hours ago, Dr. Pepper said: I guess it depends on how you are hoping people to react to this particular demographic description. "Look! A poor person littered omg should I roast her a wealthy individual would never do that*!" Or, "Hmm, so on top of being injured or in pain and the mother of twin babies she's probably struggling financially which only increases the stress she's under." Obviously my response would be the latter, but it's unclear what you were expecting. I'm sure this is not the first litter situation you've had in the parking lot at your place of business. *they litter all the time, fwiw. Nah. Kentucky was pretty much the poster child for Medicaid expansion (which we are getting ready to repeal... but that's another story). Almost any young mom on a single income in this state can qualify for Medicaid. This gal actually works for a factory and I presume has an okay income that falls just below that mark. I have gotten so used to seeing lower middle class folks on Medicaid that sometimes I forget how other people see it I guess. Between that and the reference to her as a new mom, in my mind it just kind of indicates that she's an unwed mother (mostly single... think dad is in the picture but not married) and young with probably little life experience with raising a child and the etiquette that goes with it. 1 hour ago, PyroclasticFlow said: I believe the person came in with a friend and two babies. Said babies may or may not both be hers. But I get where you're coming from, too much info. Yes, one baby was hers and the other was her friend's. They had them a week or so apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Pepper Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Lol, had a run in and thought of this thread. Went to doctor appointment. Baby had a diaper blowout as babies sometimes do. Doctor told me not to leave diaper in trash bin. Provided no alternatives for disposal. I left it in the parking lot. Still don't need parenting advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swordfish Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 2 hours ago, Dr. Pepper said: Lol, had a run in and thought of this thread. Went to doctor appointment. Baby had a diaper blowout as babies sometimes do. Doctor told me not to leave diaper in trash bin. Provided no alternatives for disposal. I left it in the parking lot. Still don't need parenting advice. Sounds like you need advice about why not to litter. Or perhaps advice on resisting passive aggressive behavior. More people use that parking lot than the doctor, after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Pepper Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 22 minutes ago, Swordfish said: Sounds like you need advice about why not to litter. Or perhaps advice on resisting passive aggressive behavior. More people use that parking lot than the doctor, after all. Sigh. You never fail to bring on the dumb. Passive aggressive behavior would have been leaving it right next to his car door or right outside the back door so that he steps in it. And I'm sure plenty of people in that parking lot of the need to dispose of items. That means the doctor ought to provide a place to dispose of rubbish if he won't let his patients use his garbage bins or dumpsters. I'm obviously not going to carry around a bag of poop and pee. Do you need advice on the reasons why? Do you think you can figure out something really simple? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swordfish Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 5 minutes ago, Dr. Pepper said: Sigh. You never fail to bring on the dumb. Passive aggressive behavior would have been leaving it right next to his car door or right outside the back door so that he steps in it. And I'm sure plenty of people in that parking lot of the need to dispose of items. That means the doctor ought to provide a place to dispose of rubbish if he won't let his patients use his garbage bins or dumpsters. I'm obviously not going to carry around a bag of poop and pee. Do you need advice on the reasons why? Do you think you can figure out something really simple? Certainly everyone who litters has what seems to them to be a valid excuse. Yours happens to be very privileged, but it is none the lase a fairly shallow excuse for littering, particularly littering involving human waste. it's unfortunate the doctor chose not to make your life more convenient, but it's still littering, and it's still wrong, regardless of the perceived bad behavior of the doctor. It's also highly unlikely that he will be the one who has to clean it up. So congrats on making someone elses day just a little more unpleasant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Pepper Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 3 minutes ago, Swordfish said: Certainly everyone who litters has what seems to them to be a valid excuse. Yours happens to be very privileged, but it is none the lase a fairly shallow excuse for littering, particularly littering involving human waste. it's unfortunate the doctor chose not to make your life more convenient, but it's still littering, and it's still wrong, regardless of the perceived bad behavior of the doctor. It's also highly unlikely that he will be the one who has to clean it up. So congrats on making someone elses day just a little more unpleasant. No, sorry. Needing to dispose of baby waste is not a privileged excuse. Having a car and thus needing to use the parking lot is certainly a privilege. But if I were utilizing public transport, I'd still need to dispose of the diaper and the doctor still would have been a scumbag and not allowed me to utilize any of his disposal bins. If you think I don't feel guilty about littering, I'll assume it's just part of your usual 'play dumb' routine (or maybe it's real, can never tell with your ilk). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isis Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 8 hours ago, Dr. Pepper said: No, sorry. Needing to dispose of baby waste is not a privileged excuse. Having a car and thus needing to use the parking lot is certainly a privilege. But if I were utilizing public transport, I'd still need to dispose of the diaper and the doctor still would have been a scumbag and not allowed me to utilize any of his disposal bins. But why couldn't you put it in your car and dispose of it when you got home though? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry of the Lawn Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 17 minutes ago, Isis said: But why couldn't you put it in your car and dispose of it when you got home though? must confess this was my thought. I seem to permanently have bags of dog shit tied to my side mirrors or rear windshield wiper. Eta: apologies, DP, I can actually see a few reasons for doing so and not really fair of me to say that without better understanding of what was going on. Eta again - actually don't even need better understanding, sorry, was douchey thing for me to say Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
litechick Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 As a waitress, there were a couple of occasions when I found dirty diapers on the floor under the table. To be fair, there was no changing station in the rest room but still...your solution is to change the baby on the public dining table and leave the refuse in the dining room? Never mind me, what about the other restaurant guests? I just responded in another thread about how I felt justified in blowing snow off the roof of my vehicle even though it was nuisance and hazard to others, here I am saying this situation is unacceptable--the harm/inconvenience/disgust of others outweighs the convenience of the parent. But I'm not a parent. To coin a cliche, it's all about perspective. To the OP, I believe the socially accepted, passive aggressive way of dealing with it is to make no accusations but find a way to bring it up in casual conversation, "I know you would never do such a thing but you wouldn't believe what other people do. Just last week we had dirty diapers littering our parking lot. What gets into people anyway?" This way there is no confrontation but the (guilty) person knows her behavior has been noticed and the (innocent) person doesn't think anything of it beyond small talk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Pepper Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 3 hours ago, Isis said: But why couldn't you put it in your car and dispose of it when you got home though? No one has ever asked me to remove my waste from the building and take it with me. And yet people constantly ask that I do that with a baby. It's bullshit. What's more is that I spoke to this particular doctor's office in advance and asked if I could bring my baby or if I should reschedule because he can't be left with a babysitter right now. They said bring him, no problem, and then told me I could not use a single receptacle to dispose of his waste. I didn't even intend to leave it in an indoor trash can, but the outdoor dumpster. "Sorry, we have a policy that the dumpster isn't for public use." Yeah, whatever. 3 hours ago, larrytheimp said: must confess this was my thought. I seem to permanently have bags of dog shit tied to my side mirrors or rear windshield wiper. Eta: apologies, DP, I can actually see a few reasons for doing so and not really fair of me to say that without better understanding of what was going on. Eta again - actually don't even need better understanding, sorry, was douchey thing for me to say I consider my dog's waste and disposal quite different. My dog isn't required for medical reasons so I can't take him everywhere, certainly not the doctor's office. When I am able to take him places, I've never been denied the ability to dispose of his waste in a proper receptacle. I've also been warned when I'll have to carry his waste for a period of time in order to dispose. It's never a surprise. Plus, my dog doesn't have any serious illnesses that would make it harmful to carry his waste with me for long periods of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitestripe Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 My diaper days are a fuzzy memory, but I can't remember ever leaving a soiled diaper anywhere not in a trash can. I do remember putting several in plastic bags and carting them around in a diaper bag. I generally went to the restroom and shook the worst of the poop into the toilet. But then again, I've had dogs for years and often walked around with a sack of dog poop until I could find a trash can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Pepper Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 It seems like many of you would be surprised to discover people don't think babies and dogs are the same things. I personally think babies are people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Northman Reborn Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 10 minutes ago, Dr. Pepper said: It seems like many of you would be surprised to discover people don't think babies and dogs are the same things. I personally think babies are people. Nice fudging of the issue. It's not about equating your babies to dogs. It's about you having a sense of entitlement. We have been in the diaper phase for the last 5 years, with our youngest just moving out of it now. I have plenty of experience with dealing with dirty diapers in less than ideal situations. We have never left a diaper anywhere other than in a trash can or a disposal unit specifically intended for it. You should have taken it with you in your car and disposed of it at the next available spot, instead of acting up in petulant fashion because the universe wasn't cooperating with you on that particular day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.