Squirmy babies. Fidgety babies. Try putting a regular diaper (nappy) on them, especially away from home. It’s not easy.

That’s why my wife and I were so happy to pay 25% more for Pampers Easy-Up Pants vs Diapers when we lived in England.  They “go up like pants, work like Pampers.”

Pampers Europe understands parents

Imagine my confusion when we arrived in Vancouver before our Costa Rica trip, only to discover that neither Pampers nor Huggies provides pull-on diaper pants for toddlers in Canada. The only pants available are “training pants”, which means the child feels some moisture once they’ve had a pee. This helps them toilet train.  These wet-feeling training pants are available even in sizes that fit an 18-month-old.

Pampers North America is obsessed with toilet training

I’ll bet anyone $50 that the Pampers brand manager for Canada (and probably North America) doesn’t have any kids. Why? Because they’re relying on research. They focus-group mostly North American mothers, who cannot answer honestly.  The questionnaire goes something like this, followed by STATED, then HONEST answers.

Question 1: Would you like to start getting your child used to toilet training at 18 months old?

Pretend Answer 1: Of course, I would love to contribute positively to the environment and show everyone how excellent my child is.

Real Answer 1: Toilet training an 18-month-old is stupid.

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Question 2: What’s most important to you in a diaper?

Pretend Answer 2: My baby’s comfort

Real Answer 2: My own comfort, not hearing him whine about his wetness.

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Question 3: Why would you use a diaper pant?

Pretend Answer 3: To help my little treasure become a big boy and get used to wearing underwear

Real Answer 3: Because the little munchkin is annoying and I would rather spend 2 seconds putting his diaper on than 30 seconds.

P&G’s European Pampers team get it. Proper dry diaper pants are a godsend for non-perfect (most) parents. For some reason, North America’s Pampers brand manager has missed out on a very profitable opportunity. Bad parents unite: tell those partying P&G 20-somethings to make diaper products perfect for parents, not babies.