Why don't you think of the poor kid who's trying to figure it out and just got dismissed when he was trying to tell his parents what they've wanted him to tell them? Op made a mistake, people are calling them on it.

Being a parent is irrelevant, people can understand without directly experiencing the situation. We're sympathizing with the child here because the mother was in the wrong. I have a sister almost 9yrs younger than me, I know kids can be buttheads, I know parents get tired, but I don't care what the excuse is, you should NEVER invalidate a child's bodily urges, that's just cruel, especially if they actually have to go. And when they're potty training especially, doing this will just confuse them, it's basically telling them that their bodily alert system is wrong.

OP never said they were the one who took him every time. It's entirely possible that the other parent was helping. "In front of everyone" means the other diners/staff in the restaurant. Why would some stranger offer to take their child to the restroom?

OK, I'll grant you that. Its possible OP was alone and "everyone" could have been other customers. I'll also grant you the possibility that the other adults (spouse/bf/gf... either op didn't say or my phone is messed up so I can't tell gender... why ass u me op is female?) maybe were helping OP by taking child to the bathroom. I get the kid's perspective, he's TWO and JUST potty training. He might've asked for potty bc he felt something "happening" but it took awhile. At the same time, my 15 year old only went potty once during dinner at home. At two. Even at Arbys? Yeah, at least six times. He didn't really have to go, he just wanted mama (me) to stop talking to her friends and put her food down.

They took the son out to eat and had to take him to the restroom the three times. They decided this time not to listen and the son did have to go and pooped.