At 7:42 a.m., Camille had already found a shoe under the sofa, made some toast and wiped milk off the table.
She told Malo, her almost-three-year-old son, that she was going to the bathroom.
He followed her.
Camille closed the door gently. On the other side, Malo asked what she was doing. Then why the door was closed. Then whether he could come in to show her a truck.
She needed two minutes alone. He thought this was an entirely new idea.
“I just want to use the bathroom in peace,” she said, more irritated than she had expected.
Malo knocked once. Camille wondered why such a small request suddenly felt so difficult to defend.
When a parent needs a little privacy
With a toddler, many everyday things become shared: washing your hands, looking for your keys, making coffee and sometimes even using the bathroom. A child follows their parent because they want to be close, take part or simply know what is happening.
That does not mean the adult has to be available every second. A boundary can also concern the parent’s body and space, without being a punishment or a rejection.
Camille opened the door again, crouched down to Malo’s level and explained calmly:
He was not delighted. He would have preferred to carry on the conversation inside. But he put his truck next to the door and started rolling it across the rug.
Camille closed the door again.
A small boundary, not a big lesson
The next day, the scene happened again. Malo asked to come in, and Camille had to repeat her boundary. She had not discovered a magic phrase that would make his curiosity disappear.
She had simply stopped treating her need for privacy as something slightly shameful. If Malo had been worried or needed help, she would of course have adjusted. But when he was safe, he could also wait a few moments.
That is not always possible with a baby, in a public place or when you are alone with several children. It does not make the boundary any less legitimate on the days when it is possible.
At 7:46 a.m., Camille came out. Malo greeted her with urgent news: his truck had won a race against a sock.
She listened to the whole story. This time, she had had two minutes first.
