Believe it or not, one of my favorite places as a mom to find respite in a chaotic—yet fun-filled—home is my bathroom. When all hell breaks loose, I know it’s the one place where I can take a quick moment. The restroom is where I can have some peace and quiet, cool off, and take a breather (and finally go to the bathroom). Gen Z is calling the bathroom-breather ‘bathroom camping,’ but the truth is: moms have been doing this for years. I’m sharing what bathroom camping is, what it looks like for moms, and other places to camp that aren’t in the bathroom.
What is ‘bathroom camping’?
The viral trend of bathroom camping among Gen Zers is the escape from the outside world. They either peruse social media, shut out all the outside stressors, take a long break during the workday, or more. One TikTok user, @omg_don added, “[It] just brings peace to be alone sometimes with your own thoughts.”
This viral trend may be catching on to the younger generation. However, for moms, hiding out in the restroom has been a well-known safe haven for maybe… forever? My mother-in-law and my own mother admitted their go-to spot to be unbothered when their kids were still young was the bathroom.
Why is the restroom the room of choice?
So, why is the bathroom the top room of choice to seek refuge in times of stress and overstimulation? Like a spa, the restroom is the one place designated for privacy and alone time. My kids understand that the restroom is meant to ‘do your business.’ So, this one room is the easiest place to get a quick form of escape. Plus, my husband and I have a mutual understanding that when we need to ‘go to the bathroom,’ sometimes, we just need a moment to get grounded. TikTok user @justdadthings agrees, saying, “When I’m overwhelmed or overstimulated, best believe I’m in the bathroom.” He adds, “There’s nothing better than going to the bathroom and just escaping for five minutes at a time.”
What do moms do while they’re camping in the restroom?
Other than a quick meditation, what are moms doing while they camp in the bathroom, anyway? The Everymom team is no stranger to this phenomenon. They mentioned partaking in bathroom activities such as soaking in the bathtub, deep cleaning, or reading a chapter of the book they’re trying to finish.
Alexandra Pagar-Wolf, The Everymom’s Chief of Sales, says that she sometimes does a face mask and watches an episode of Netflix on her phone while in her home’s restroom. As a stress organizer, she also uses this time as an opportunity to deep clean under her sink cabinet.
A moment in the bathroom is also the perfect time to enjoy your favorite treat, too—alone. Branded Content Editor Steph Alleva Cornell shared, “I’ve definitely snuck a bag of hot Cheetos during bathroom breaks.”
For Senior Editor Kathy Sisson, she said, “When my kids were little, I would just take really long showers when I knew I was off duty. Now, I take a book and sneak into my office corner chair or the backyard to read.”
Other ways to ‘camp’ that don’t involve the bathroom
It can be difficult to fully camp in solitude when you’re a parent, like TikTok user @_cannddii, who commented, “Not unless you have kids 😂. They follow me in there too 🙄. Wanna have a whole conversation about nothing 🥴.” TikTok user @kayleemreanos also shared the true reality of going to the bathroom as a mom looks like no privacy, a child climbing over you, and maybe a nursing baby. While my kids often still find me—little fingers under the door and all—I can truthfully say that a quick ‘break’ is just what I need sometimes. I can sort out any frustrations or dial back down after some sensory overload.
Other places to camp inside the home
But when duty calls, and a bathroom camp sesh is out of reach, moms always find a way to ‘camp’ wherever and however is available. Assistant Managing Editor Hailey Tagliarino said, “I’ll wash the same dishes over and over and over again, so it looks like I’m still busy when I’m actually just standing there taking a breather.” And if the bathroom isn’t your jam, The Everygirl Editor-in-Chief Allyson Trammell hides in her guest room instead. “I will literally climb in the bed and just scroll my phone in the dark for 10 minutes. It’s the very last room in the house [my husband and child] think to look in, so when they start to look for me, I have a warning,” said Trammell.
Other places to camp outside the home
When moms have a moment to get out of the house completely while someone else is watching the kids, it’s a great opportunity to camp elsewhere, too. CEO Alaina Kaz said, “I pulled into the driveway and sat in my car for a solid 20 minutes the other day.” And the newest way I personally found out how to camp is by taking my most recent beach read book to the community pool and sitting there to read for at least 30 minutes.
I’m glad it’s not just the moms who call the restroom their sanctuary. The only thing I feel bad about is not realizing moms could have shared this tip sooner. Sorry, everyone, I promise we weren’t gatekeeping.
Patty Schepel, Editorial Assistant
As the editorial assistant, Patty works with The Everymom’s team on pitches, creating original articles, updating existing content, photo sourcing, writing shopping product descriptions, inputting freelance articles, and more. When she’s not working, you can find her spending time with her family, training for half marathons—she ran one 16 weeks pregnant—traveling, cooking, reading a rom-com, and keeping her sourdough starter, Rose, alive.
