# When you had a stomach bug, did your parents put a bowl next to your bed **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 21, 2012, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-had-a-stomach-bug-did-your-parents-put-a-bowl-next-to-your-bed/619488 "2012-04-21T10:31:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-had-a-stomach-bug-did-your-parents-put-a-bowl-next-to-your-bed/619488/41 "2012-04-22T03:54:00Z")
I was about 30 by the time I figured out that running for the toilet made it much worse. So when I’m sick, I’d just keep a plastic trash can with plastic liners in the bed with me. I got sick last week. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-had-a-stomach-bug-did-your-parents-put-a-bowl-next-to-your-bed/619488/42 "2012-04-22T04:38:14Z")
A bucket, but yes. > [@elfkin477](#): > > No, and frankly the idea of a container full of puke strikes me as awful to think about. Lil bro and I were not the type of kids to spontaneously vomit past the age of two or so, though, so there were no accidents where we couldn’t wait to throw up in the toilet past toddlerhood. Does it strike you as more or less awful than a floor full of vomit? > [@Sudden\_Kestrel](#): > > No, we weren’t allowed to vomit in our bedrooms. We had to sleep on the floor in the bathroom, sometimes all of us at once. Fortunately we had a decent-sized bathroom, but it was still miserable. That’s just bizarre. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-had-a-stomach-bug-did-your-parents-put-a-bowl-next-to-your-bed/619488/43 "2012-04-22T05:10:39Z")
> [@PandaBear77](#): > > Towel. Same here. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-had-a-stomach-bug-did-your-parents-put-a-bowl-next-to-your-bed/619488/44 "2012-04-22T05:54:48Z")
Both my sister and I were prone to carsickness so the barf bowl went in the car with us as well. It was rare we had to use it at home (because we could make it to the toilet, not because we didn’t get sick), but it got regular use anyway. It was a yellow round shallow bucket. ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-had-a-stomach-bug-did-your-parents-put-a-bowl-next-to-your-bed/619488/45 "2012-04-22T06:40:17Z")
Bowl and towels. Same for mine when she was younger. Luckily it hasn’t been needed for several years. I’m assuming just replying to this thread will jinx that for me. ---
**Author:** ![tmoh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e5b9ba/32.png) [@tmoh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tmoh)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-had-a-stomach-bug-did-your-parents-put-a-bowl-next-to-your-bed/619488/46 "2012-04-22T21:31:28Z")
If I was camped out on the living room couch, I got a plastic hospital bucket, but I don’t recall having a bucket in the bedroom…I guess because my room was right next to the bathroom, and my parents had their own so I wouldn’t have to worry about getting locked out if I needed it. ---
**Author:** ![NorthernBiker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/50afbb/32.png) [@NorthernBiker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NorthernBiker)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-had-a-stomach-bug-did-your-parents-put-a-bowl-next-to-your-bed/619488/47 "2012-04-22T22:04:20Z")
I got the bowl also, but never used it due to the bathroom being next door. It was a small Tupperware dish anyways, hardly fitting for my volume of vomit. Hell if I’m still feeling ill, or more typical hungover, I’ll move the trashcan close to the bed. As an adult cleaning puke isn’t fun, especially when the smell tends to bring on the next round. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-had-a-stomach-bug-did-your-parents-put-a-bowl-next-to-your-bed/619488/48 "2012-04-22T22:17:00Z")
A brown paper grocery bag with the edges folded down to make it stand open, but the same in principle. My dad understood that kids can’t predict they’re going to throw up. ---
**Author:** ![LaurenIpsum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@LaurenIpsum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LaurenIpsum)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-had-a-stomach-bug-did-your-parents-put-a-bowl-next-to-your-bed/619488/49 "2012-04-22T22:48:37Z")
My mom used an old metal pot (sort of like a dutch oven) with black handles on either side. Or as she referred to it, “the kettle.” Over the years, I spent many days/evenings with that kettle by my side in bed. Funny that I haven’t thought of it in probably over a decade until I saw this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-had-a-stomach-bug-did-your-parents-put-a-bowl-next-to-your-bed/619488/50 "2012-04-23T16:08:55Z")
Big metal stockpot for me. We lived in a long, narrow place where the bathroom and living room were at opposite ends. Much easier to puke in the pot or carry it down the hallway. Now I use my plastic trash can and just dump it in the toilet and rinse in the tub as needed. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-had-a-stomach-bug-did-your-parents-put-a-bowl-next-to-your-bed/619488/51 "2012-04-23T16:23:57Z")
Bucket lined with a plastic bag. I remember once screaming, “MOM!! The buckets full”. She came a running. I was a little prankster. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-had-a-stomach-bug-did-your-parents-put-a-bowl-next-to-your-bed/619488.md?page=2)