The Age Gap

It sometimes seems to me that so many companies don't seem to understand that children come in all shapes, sizes and ages. I have increasing noticed that Joseph, my big, bouncing nineteen month old is getting rather too big for most of those nasty fold down nappy changing tables you get in public toilets. I used one today that looked like it could barely cope, its cantilevered end bent down most alarmingly and Joseph looked like he might slide off. The fact is that I am highly unlikely to start potty training him for another six months yet and it could be another six months after that before he is confident enough to be out and about nappy-less. I've heard of a poor unfortunate few who've still been struggling at over three years old - usually with a little boy who's just too lazy to bother properly. I am really not looking forwards to having to manhandle a large and unhappy two and a half year old up onto one of those horrible changing tables and they'd probably not cope with the weight. Anyway, the one I had to use today simply wasn't long enough. His feet were hanging well over the end and his head was rammed as tight up to the top end as I could manage.
You might ask why I don't lay him on the floor?
Given that the vast majority of public loos, be they restaurants or otherwise, rarely clean their toilet floors more than once a day then I think I've answered my question. Given that the baby changing is usually in the disabled toilet and these are generally used not so much by the mobility impaired but by Mums with large numbers of little boys all with poor aim then there's no way I'm risking laying my son on the floor. Joseph can be a bit of a handful at home with a nappy change, when we're out and about he hates it with a passion. People outside the toilets must think I'm torturing him rather than just scraping poop off his little bum.
As a result I am often tempted to leave it and risk waiting till we get home. I did this once and found that he was liberally coated with excrement all around, both back and front and leaking from the leg holes as well as out the top. It was horrific, he was unhappy but at least I could change him in more comforting surroundings. I'm not going to risk it again, it have him nappy rash, but I am still regularly tempted.
There's something else that doesn't really cater for children who are between one and two, and that's kids menus. Most now offer jars of soft food, which is great if you're mid weaning. Every childrens menu I have ordered from always supplies portions geared up towards the average five year old. Many have I scanned and several have been utterly short of any sort of meal that can be safely presented to a 1-2 year old. I end up having to grab hold of his plate before it gets to near to him and cut up his food and remove anything unsuitable. All meals so far have been served on breakable plates and these always make me nervous as at home, when he's eaten about 3/4 of the food he likes to turn the bowl upside down to see if there's something more interesting underneath. I also have to try and remember to bring suitable cutlery for him as well.
So what do I do? Take my own food for him, which always seems a little mean, or only go to places that are specifically for children. I don't think my psyche would cope.
So - restaurants. Stop forgetting this age group exists and at least provide better changing facilities. So far, only the ones in Debenhams and Mothercare have been up to scratch.