The problem isn't going away and since that whole "I can never die" plan of mine isn't going to pan out like I had hoped, it was time we tackled THE HAND DRYER OF DOOM!!!! (cue the dramatic music)
In an effort to save the planet for our kids, science created a hand dryer for the public bathrooms of the world. Unfortunately, in order for it to work it must contain a motor in it that sounds like Satan's screams from the bowels of Hell.
And it's not enough to simply tell the lad, "Oh, just wipe your hands on your pants.". All it took was hearing some stranger using it once in the restroom for him to be scared shitless at the mere sight of them. So that doesn't work. Not to mention he's getting older and seeing as I am a "she", he now has started going into the men's room by himself. (With me standing in the doorway speaking loudly to all in there that "Mom is RIGHT OUTSIDE. You call if you need help and fellas you don't have anything I haven't seen before." So yeah, I will have no qualms about walking in there if need be.)
So what did work? A hair dryer. Yep, you read that correctly. Kiddo's former teacher "Mrs. M." is one smart lady and she started using one on the kids hands after they washed up at school. Now, I can't say he's in love with the thing but she got him to learn how to tolerate it. That's all a girl like me could want. The day she emailed me this picture from a class trip to the mall made me sob. Like full on ugly cry.
Miracles can happen. Even in the bathroom.
The Exlator brand! I know you know what a big deal that one is. Hella Loud!
BUT just when you think it was safe to go back into the bathroom, check out this muthatrucker.
"Hey, her autistic kid finally got over the fear of the hand dryer. We better take that idea and LEVEL UP!"
I saw this in the restroom at the movies and noticed that no other women were using it. There were also paper towels and I watched lady after lady walk right past this thing. Happy to go use a paper towel and kill a tree. There are limits to social awareness to environmental issues. This thing crosses that line even for the neurotypical people.
There are some things that even a side of fries can't fix. This new hand dryer is one of them. I'd tell it to "Blow me" if I wasn't so deathly afraid of it. ;-)
They put these in my daughter's elementary school. Thankfully her brother is on Team Quirky and goes to another school but I couldn't agree more!
ReplyDeleteThey put these in my daughter's elementary school. Thankfully her brother is on Team Quirky and goes to another school but I couldn't agree more!
ReplyDeleteDC is not afraid of the hand dryers (fortunately) but I do spend a good amount of time yelling into the men's room :)
ReplyDeleteWhy couldn't Dyson just have stuck to making vacuum cleaners?!
ReplyDeleteWe had the dreaded Dyson at our OT clinic. I think the clinic wanted to keep themselves in business by installing the torture device
ReplyDeleteUgh my son hates both, he'd rather have an accident then go in the room.....
ReplyDeleteMy two 5 year olds are freaked out by the hand dryer. And, I'm a 49 year old well-adjusted woman and the hand dryer you stick your hands in seems kind of weird to me.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention when you use it looks like your skin is coming off!
ReplyDeleteI was waiting for someone to mention that part! Haha!
DeleteThats how I get my grandson to calm down. I put my face in the "wind "tunnel" and make goofy noises. He is not thrilled, but will tolerate it. I love the way men look at me when I am yelling into the door - get over it guys that is my grandson in there. In what movie restroom that damn thing is right by the door to get out - in the other one, which we walk the extra mile to - it is furthest in. I like to go to that one and use hand sanitizer. The little things in life.
DeleteThese are the reason my 7 year old won't even USE public restrooms. We don't get out much.......
ReplyDeleteWell, my son hates the noise and won't touch the things himself, but he loves holding his hands over his ears and watching his very loose-skinned-hands mommy use that Dyson Blade thing.
ReplyDeleteit doesn't help that the name is, "airblade!" May as well call it a sharknado! A "whole lotta nope!" involved in that thing!
ReplyDeleteWait till you see the 'do it all' sinks! You stick your hands in water sprays, soap, more water, then dryer comes on....all in one hole/sink.
ReplyDeleteMy kiddo is now 18. He has his headphones with him all the time. He does plug them into his phone and listens to music but are incredibly helpful with dealing loud noises.
ReplyDeleteMy son wanted to get a hoverboard and see if it would float around the dryer.
ReplyDeleteHeh... blow me
ReplyDelete"NSF" means Not Safe For... anybody!!!!!
ReplyDeleteOn long car trips I have to convince my daughter that the dryers are off so she will go to the bathroom, at a road side rest stop
ReplyDeleteMy son hates the ones you put your hands into Freaks out every time he sees one. Like it will come alive just by walking near it. He will use a hand dryer if it if low and not the hurricane winds force with loud noises one.
ReplyDeleteThey should know that it is a torture for the kids.
ReplyDeleteMy son is quite sensitive to the noise of these things but he has grown to tolerate their sound to the point that all he does now is cover his ears, with a small whine at times. I do understand how everyone here feels though, since we still have to deal with all the objects in this world that make loud noises with no warning at all.
ReplyDeleteYeah....I know most of hand dryer is very noisy and it create loud noise pollution that is not good for our environment. In home, the children play with this accessories and enjoying noise pollution. But according to my view the genuine hand dryer does not produce noise pollution.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing us such a great post
ReplyDeleteNowadays, most of the modern building such as movie halls, shopping malls and even offices are installing hand dryer. Though, it requires electricity to run and makes little noise, but it effectively helps in drying the hands.
ReplyDelete