The Nappy Police Live On Anglesey
Have you heard about the recent nappy controversy on Anglesey? Anglesey Council have stated that, as of October, nappies will only be collected by their specialist waste disposal teams if the child is under 3 years old.
The cut-off is 3 years old??? Seriously????
They have even stated that birth certificates must be produced to prove eligibility!
The Nappy Police
Who made Anglesey Council the Nappy Police? What business is it of theirs whether my child wears a nappy or not?
It is well-documented that all children develop differently. Some children will be dry by the time they turn two. Others could be several years later!
A child cannot control their bladder or rectum until they are two years old because the muscles are not mature enough. Even when the muscles are ready, the brain is often can’t read the signals the bladder is sending until much later.
10% of three year olds are consistently wet in the day time. Fact!
By putting an age-limit on nappy collection, Anglesey Council are implying that these children are not normal. That they are developmentally delayed.
Actually, these children are operating within normal parameters. Children who wet during the day are not referred to specialists until they are over five years old.
Night Time Wetting
The Children’s Bowel and Bladder Society (ERIC) states:
“It is quite normal for 4 year olds to wet the bed.”
Well not according to Anglesey Council!
Or maybe the council are happy for the children to wet the bed, as long as they do it nappy-free and then have to sleep in their own urine?!
Treatment for nighttime wetting is not warranted until a child is over seven years old. What exactly are parents supposed to do if their children are not allowed to wear nappies during this period?!
Lots of children take much longer to be dry at night
This Time It’s Personal
I want to tell you something that not many people know: I was fourteen years old before I stopped being wet at night. Fourteen!
It was awful. I was so ashamed. I couldn’t go on sleepovers or school camps. My sleep was disrupted (think middle-of-the-night showers and changing sheets). I had tests and hospital appointments, alarms and medication. No cause was ever found.
I wasn’t lazy. I didn’t have special needs. I was a bright, happy, confident girl. But I wet the bed.
Let me tell you, it is humiliating enough, without having to go to the council and beg them to take my nappies away. Children do not need any extra pressure. They want to be dry. They wish they were ‘normal’. They go to sleep praying that this will be a dry night for once.
Go Back To The Drawing Board!
Anglesey Council – you need to rethink your policy. I’m sure it was made with the best of intentions (cost-cutting, environmental issues, etc) but you made the wrong call.
A child who wears a nappy should not be made to feel abnormal. These children are not lazy. They should not be publicly humiliated.
I look forward to hearing your revised plan very soon (fingers crossed!)…
Wow! I didnt even know that there was a nappy collection policy in some areas of the country. In London/Surrey you dispose of your nappies all by yourself along with your normal family waste so this is really interesting. However, I completly take your point on the subliminal message that Anglesey council are inadvertedly sending which I agree is not a positive one. It’ll be interesting to hear whether the council does rethink its policy due to external pressure.. Good luck! Emily #BrilliantBlogPosts
I think this a new scheme they’re trialing because they want to move to 3-weekly bin collections, and it would be a health hazard to have dirty nappies sitting around for that long. It seems like they’re being put under a lot of pressure to review the policy so I hope they’ll reconsider. Thank you for commenting. L
Blimey! Councils seems to just want to do whatever hey can to save money. What does it matter if nappies make up the household waste? What if you have someone to stay where kids for a few days? How will they know there’s nappies anyway?!
Our council only collects our rubbish once a fortnightly (recycling weekly) and by the end of last week our bin reeked and was crawling with maggots. With talk of councils going to 3 weekly it causes concern over health!
I hope Angelsey council see sense and realise not all 3 year olds are dry and who the hell are they to dictate when a child should be out of nappies?! #sharingthebloglove
Oh I never thought about having some else’s kids to stay. Or what about grandparents who have their grandkids to stay regularly? I have no idea. I don’t think they’ve really thought this through…
This is disgraceful. Whoever thought this policy up obviously has never raised a child! they should be ashamed of themselves for being so judgemental and inconsiderate. I hope they realise their stupidity and change their tune asap for you! #sharingthebloglove
No I think you’re right – they can’t have spent much time around children! They’ve said that they may put the age limit up to 4, but even that is very young, in my opinion. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. L
This is absolutely crazy! I’m sure they will be getting an earful from plenty of mothers and will have to change their policy whether they like it or not. “Nanny State” indeed! xx
Yes totally crazy! I don’t know how they thought this would be a good idea. We’ll see what happens when they review the policy…
I have never come anything like this before. Our council just take the nappies away with our normal waste. I think its ridiculous that councils can different rules, just depending on where you live. I completely agree, its not right to put an age on it. Every child is different and if there wasn’t enough pressure on parents to do things by a certain point.!! Thank you for joining us at #SharingtheBlogLove x
I know. Parents are under so much pressure these days, from all angles. I’ve never come across anything like this, though. I can’t imagine what on earth they were thinking when they agreed to pass this policy! Thank you for leaving a comment. L
This is CRAZY!!
Anglesey need a serious re-think. This is totally out of order..
Good for you for drawing people’s attention to this. I hope change can come from this.
Big love, L
Xxx
Totally crazy! I couldn’t believe it when I heard it on the radio yesterday. I think they’ve said they’re going to review the policy so we’ll see what happens… Thank you for commenting. L
How bizarre!! One it sounds like needing specialist nappy collections wouldn’t make it cost effective and two….how rude! So what should you do if your three year old is still in nappies, get a sign for your door and a picture of your child saying I still wear nappies? Sounds like they haven’t thought this through properly. Hope it gets changed v soon #sharingthebloglove
Yes I’m not sure how it can be cost effective, having to create a whole new collection service! Thank you for your comment, Sara. L
Sheessh…This seems like a violation of something. I am not sure what, but it is a violation of human rights in some way. In the US, we just dispose diapers off as usual with family trash on trash day. In Canada, at least in Toronto, the city even tries to compost them or something like that. It’s just infuriating to me that some Council decides for you and your child when they should be toilet trained. I feel your anger and frustration. #sharingthebloglove
In the UK, we normally dispose of them with the regular trash too, but it is a new scheme that is being piloted in Anglesey as the council have now moved to 3-weekly bin collections and it isn’t hygienic to keep the nappies for that long.
It is totally frustrating and, as you say, it shouldn’t be up to the council to dictate how people choose to parent. Thank you for commenting. L
Honestly, this is such a bizarre decision. I’ve not started potty training yet, as I’d like to wait until my son is ready (which he’s showing no signs of). I had it loosely in my head that we’ll try at 3 if he’s not shown any signs by then. I really don’t think it’s that unusual for children to still be in nappies at 3 judging by lots of my friends and their children. But the point is, even if it’s not normal, it’s not something that the children have any control over (quite literally!). And if they are saying that children over 3 still in nappies are developmentally delayed, where is the compassion and help for them, rather than simply making life harder. I can imagine there will be so much backlash on this that they’ll have to rethink things. Thanks so much for joining us again at #SharingtheBlogLove
I know, Katy. I totally agree with you. It just seems ridiculous when all the current advice from experts say that you should wait until a child is ready, rather than forcing it on them too soon. This puts so much extra pressure on the poor children and their parents. And, 3 is SO early to be night-time potty-trained!
It’s going to be really difficult because, whilst the council are now saying that they might make exceptions for those with special needs, a child who is late potty training is not considered to have a problem until many years after this 3 year cut-off point! Thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed comment. L
What a strange and infuriating message that sends out. Up here in Norfolk as far as I know nappies just go in the same bin as your typical non recyclable waste. We have two 5 year old boys and they still have accidents now and then. We have opted for the waterproof mattress protectors rather than putting those ‘pyjama pants’ on them. But yes that is a disgraceful intrusion in to your life and how you seem fit to parent. #PoCoLo
Yes it’s a total intrusion! As you say, even at 5, most children will still have the odd accident. I hope they sort out this policy soon. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment. L
Not sure how I missed this story – how ridiculous! If it was April I’d think it was April Fools! #ablogginggoodtime
I know! I heard it on the radio but didn’t believe it until I came home and checked on the BBC news website. Crazy!
Wow! I cannot believe they did this!!! It’s almost laughable. I really hope someone at your local council reads this and takes note! It’s insane xx #DreamTeam
I know! I couldn’t believe it when I heard it! I hope it gets sorted out soon as the policy is supposed to come into force this month. Thank you for commenting. L
I had to read your post twice, because… really?? You are not allowed to dispose of nappies for children who have just turned 3 years old and over? As we are constantly told by the health professionals, little ones meet their milestones at different times. To have this policy in place is to effectively say – your child shouldn’t wear nappies (or pull ups?) once they have reached their 3rd birthday. And those that do, what’s wrong with you. I am completely gobsmacked. Do you have a parent group for your area? Perhaps you could all come together and raise a petition to get this over turned. Thank you for sharing with the #DreamTeam
Lol I know – crazy! I couldn’t believe it either. It’s not my area where it’s happening – I heard it on the radio. And then came home to check the BBC website to make sure it was actually for real. It just seems so totally ridiculous! But I wanted to write and show support for the people fighting this policy in Anglesey. I think the council have now agreed to review the age limit they’ve set, but we’ll see what happens…
This is absolutely barmy!
All children meet milestones in their own time.
These silly people need to sort themselves out asap! Thanks for sharing x #PoCoLo
Every child is different and the potty training one is well-known for having a wide age range, so it’s a very odd decision for the council to make. I’ve heard that they’re reviewing the age limit but we’ll see what happens… Thank you so much for commenting. L
Omg?! Really have we just gone back in time to the dark ages? What a load of rubbish …. Could you tell I wanted to swear? How dare they out an upper age limit on it. Agree completely let’s hope they reconsider! Xx #sharingthebloglove
Totally back in the dark ages! I’m glad to see you’re as infuriated by it as I was! I just couldn’t believe it when I heard about it.
This is crazy – 3 years old?!? Absolutely ridiculous and hope someone from the council sees sense before it is enforced. I was about 7 or 8 before I stopped wetting the bed and although I remember it feeling like I was quite old, 3 years old is most definitely too young. #dreamteam
Yes I hope they get it sorted. I’ve been trying to look for updates on the BBC news website, but there’s hardly anything about this story at all. Thank you for your support, Bridie. L
I had no idea there was a nappy collection! That isn’t the case here in Nottingham. It’s shocking that they would put that limit on it. You’re so right, children should not be made to feel abnormal. #pocolo
Yes it’s a really odd set-up. I think it’s a trial so let’s hope they don’t roll it out across the rest of the country!
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