? About Kids: Are All Boys This Gross?

[bellebuzzntink]

I walked into my DS8's bathroom just now, and I swear he was target practicing - trying to hit all of the tiles AROUND the toilet. It's even on the edge of the bathtub BEHIND the toilet!!!!! It's so gross. I've fussed at him about his "aim" before, but it's never been this bad. I got down and started scrubbing the grout and asked him if this is what he wanted me to do. Maybe guilt will work.

He's up there now finishing the cleaning, but I'm not sure what I need to do to get through to him that this isn't acceptable. And if anyone has any suggestions for a good grout cleaner, that would be appreciated too!

 

[TriMom]

YES - boys are gross - mine are younger, but I have to wash the shower curtain twice per week!!!

 

[Fintastic]

Oh please tell me it'll be okay (says the mom expecting a boy next month)!!!

 

[JessicaR]

Trust me guilt wont work. Making him get down and scrub it will definitely improve him aim. 8 is old enough to keep it clean!

 

[Pembo]

Having to clean it EVERY time worked for my boys...

 

[justhat]

My son is not yet 3yo so I attributed my constant cleaning of pee to his age. I had no idea this would continue when he's older!! I am not happy about it now as I see him purposely aim up and spray pee, but I can't imagine when he's older that I'll be any more thrilled about it!

 

[teacups]

Yes. Typical. Make him clean the bathroom everyday for a week as punishment... and maybe spill something in there that looks a little gross once or twice. Let him see how horrible that job is.

Make sure he doesnt say "Dad showed me that game" LOL!

 

[Liberty Belle]

Yeah, they are. My six year old's favorite trick is to not lift the seat when he pees. "His" bathroom is off the hallway and used for guests, too, so I'll sometimes use it. It's lovely sitting down on a toilet seat covered with cold pee.

 

[JVL1018]

Before I even opened up the thread, my answer was YES!
I wouldn't trade mine for the world, he cracks me up constantly, but he's gross.
I make him clean it up, too-and we only have on bathroom, so I have to keep on top of him.

For the PP who is expecting a boy, trust me when I tell you, a few years from now, when your son says to you "Hey Mommy..smell my fingers"..DON'T! When he calls to you from the bathroom "Hey Mom, come in here for a sec, I want to show you something"..DON'T!

Besides that, enjoy-boys are great!

 

[minkydog]

I walked into my DS8's bathroom just now, and I swear he was target practicing - trying to hit all of the tiles AROUND the toilet. It's even on the edge of the bathtub BEHIND the toilet!!!!! It's so gross. I've fussed at him about his "aim" before, but it's never been this bad. I got down and started scrubbing the grout and asked him if this is what he wanted me to do. Maybe guilt will work.

He's up there now finishing the cleaning, but I'm not sure what I need to do to get through to him that this isn't acceptable. And if anyone has any suggestions for a good grout cleaner, that would be appreciated too!

Wait. you *asked* if this is what he wanted *you* to do? what's wrong with this picture?

Yes, it is common for boys to turn their firehose on things other than the toilet. I work in a middle school and we had to lock the handicapped restrooms because the teenage boys would go in there and spray urine(and sometimes feces! ewww!) all over the sink and walls. Disgusting. The restrooms are located about 5 feet from my desk and now the students have to ask me to open the restroom for them. Kinda inconvient for me, but it has drastically reduced the bathroom vandalism.

But, back to your son. I suggest that you hand him a scrubber and the detergent and expect him to clean up to your standards. A couple of those sessions and I bet he won't be peeing on the walls anymore. There is no reason for you to clean up this kind of mess. If he were 3yo, I could understand it's a learning process. At 8yo he knows exactly what he's doing and he knows it's wrong. He must make his own restitution. And guilt will not produce that. Calmly hand him the supplies and walk away. And keep doing that until he gets it all cleaned up, even if he has to do it 5 times to get it right.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

Sorry they do not get any better. My son(21) showers two times a day
his clothing is clean and he even irons his jeans. Can he hit th toilet? NO. Can he drink out of a glass instead of the milk carton? NO Can he eat like a human being? NO (when he is home that is ). Does he have a thick carpet of clothes on the floor of his room? Yes. Boys turn into men and they are deceptive. For those who don't know them they appear to be clean and have manners but trust me they never change. They only hide the grossness until they get married and then they resort back to their gross slovenly ways.

 

[teacups]

when your son says to you "Hey Mommy..smell my fingers"..DON'T! When he calls to you from the bathroom "Hey Mom, come in here for a sec, I want to show you something"..DON'T!

LOL! Aint it the truth!!! LOL!

 

[JR6ooo4]

standing up is just gross, it splashes! I found that out like a bazillion years ago, when wearing shorts...

Mikeeee

 

[oregonmommyof2]

I just had this fight with my 9 year old (will be 10 next month)...

His sister was in their bathroom and he asked to use my bathroom, which I had just spent forever cleaning and disinfecting... Well, about 10 minutes after he got out of there, I went in there and noticed pee on the toilet, floor, wall, and cabinets... Everywhere! I told my husband and he called our son in and asked him what happened... His response was that he wanted to see the look on his face when peeing and got it everywhere... But he was happy to report that he makes no weird faces when peeing...

 

[CanBeGrumpy]

Oh please tell me it'll be okay (says the mom expecting a boy next month)!!!

It will be OK!! Not all boys are gross; I have two that aren't. Well, one of them might miss every now and then, but in general, I'm not having to clean up every day! Besides, usually once they are big enough to cause a mess, they are big enough to clean it up!!! Your son will be a joy!! Remember, not all girls are perfectly neat and clean, either. My stepdaughter used to leave "drops" on the toilet seat because she had to reach too far to get to the toilet paper!

 

[suejai]

standing up is just gross, it splashes! I found that out like a bazillion years ago, when wearing shorts...

Mikeeee

I have never understood why everyone thinks it should be perfectly normal for men to stand up at a device that is clearly not designed for it, especially if they go to other peoples houses. Why should someone else have to clean up your urine. Seriously. If more moms would put their foot down and insist that their sons sit down at home and in private houses we wouldn't have this problem. In a public bathroom, or at a urinal - absolutely, please stand up

DH discovered as a teenager that if he sat down he didn't have so much to clean up. His mom made him clean the bathroom. We have passed this down to DS, and I make him clean the bathroom after his friends visit - ick.

Do men think they are less manly if they sit down? I dare anyone to tell my DH he isn't manly

Sorry, it is one of my pet peeves in life, and I think it just shows such disrespect to whomever cleans the bathroom (usually Mom).

Okay rant over, I feel better now,

 

[tonilea]

Oh please tell me it'll be okay (says the mom expecting a boy next month)!!!

Oh girl! When ds was around 2 1/2 - 3 we came home one day from church. He wanted to put together his trains, so we drug it into the front room (HUGE TUB - you will probably have one too). DH is putting it together and I am sorting pieces. As I get to the bottom of the tub, I notice that there are wet pieces. Darn cats!... but it doesn't smell like cat urine..... "Thomas, did you pour water in your train tub?" "No, Mommy!" "Why is it all wet? Did something spill in it?" "No, Mommy!" Then I saw the look in his eyes.... and I knew! "Thomas did you pee in your trains?" *snicker* "Yes...." "Why?!"

I don't think even they know the answer to why.

I will say that DS is better about hitting the toilet and raising and lowering the seat than DH.

 

[Momvic5]

I have two sons, and one day I was complaining to my mom about their poor aim, and she looked at me, smiled, and informed me that it only gets worse. She reminded me that one day those handsome little boys will one day grow into handsome "hairy" teenagers. Between all the new hair growth on their arms and legs and everywhere else.... let us just say it makes for a gross bathroom. .... Even so, I can't imagine life without my boys.

 

[bellebuzzntink]

Whew! I feel much better. AND for those who suggested I handled it incorrectly, I will be making him clean up the next mess, and the one after that, et cetera and so on, until he has moved out of the house, apparently.

Now, as far as DH goes, I was blessed with an angel - he ALWAYS puts the seat down and I NEVER see drips. I know, hard to believe but it's true. I'm not sure how his mama taught him, but I might thank her for it if the subject ever comes up (which it won't!). Now if I can only get him to wash the dishes....

 

[natenapril]

It's really discouraging to read this thread!! I have a 4 year old son who has no aim. And it is always all over our guest bath. I was really hoping that he would grow out of it but now the odds aren't looking good