Diaper

Meliya's Big Diaper Butt

One thing that has been great living in this community with Meliya is that I have gotten to meet a lot of my neighbors. Everyone will come up to her and want to ask how old she is, if  she is a boy or girl, and then, where we are from.

They also like to give helpful comments. It usually is either about whether she is hot or cold, that we should shave off all her hair because it will make her hair thicker, and that we shouldn't let her wear a diaper because it will cause diaper rash. The last comment, we have heard a lot because kids Meliya's age don't wear diapers anymore. Instead, they go around with split pants and are supposed to pee and poo on command.

It is true, none of their kids have diaper rash. But there are other side effects with the split pants. I thought it was really funny that last week, twice, while I was getting chided for having Meliya wear diapers, at that exact same moment, their kid was peeing on their leg and onto their couch or play mat. I said, "oh yes, you are right, my baby could get diaper rash, but, umm, btw, your baby is peeing on your right now. OK, well you go clean that up."

I have realized that many of our Chinese friends can't wrap their minds around cultural differences. We like to tell them, "no, it is not wrong, it is just different." I like to also think about that for split pants. Yes, pee on the floor and couch is not wrong, it is just different. I do get a little scared when the kids come over to our house to play. We just got new carpet, but I just have to remind myself that pee is sterile, and it is just carpet.  Well, maybe I will put a waterproof mat on the carpet when they come over.