Children peeing in public

[3DisneyBuggs]

Never thought I'd be posting this. Our neighbor has a Nanny for her 2 kids 3 and 10. My DH just went out and called to tell me the nanny had the little girl pee outside next to their car parked on the street. I know there is a bathroom on the first floor of the house so why have her pee outside? The nanny was next to her so it's not like the girl just did it on her own. Is this normal behavior, am I out if touch with preschoolers? I know last fall she was starting potty training so she should be good by now. It's very bizarre to me and I feel bad for the little girl.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

I would guess the kid was having an emergency and couldn't make it to the house.

 

[Magpie]

Back in the 1970's, my babysitter was a long-haired hippie. She always let us pee outside. I guess it was easier than hustling all us kids back indoors, just so one of us could use the potty.

I've also, on occasion, seen people with young kids let them pee up against a tree.

And (my favourite story):

A friend of our family was driving us up north one winter, so we could attend my father-in-law's funeral. My children were about 4 and 6. He was speeding, and a cop pulled us over. My friend (lying, like a rug!) told the cop that he was just in a hurry to get to the next rest station because my little boy had to pee. The cop said, quite reasonably, "Just let him pee on the side of the road. It's fine!"

So, my poor wee boy (who didn't have to pee at all) was hustled out of the car and made to stand in a snowbank and told to pee. Of course he couldn't. My friend says, "He's shy!" The cop looks like he's not at all fooled, and is trying not to laugh.

Anyway, he was good guy and let us go with a warning about speeding.

(Which didn't work, because my friend got pulled over again with us in the back. This time he told the cop he was late for the funeral - which he wasn't. Honestly, those cops were WAY nicer than my friend deserved!)

Needs must, when it comes to young kids. Wet pavement is better than wet clothes. Some people are quite casual about little kids peeing in public.

I wouldn't feel bad for the little girl, but I would mention it to my neighbour, since she might not want to have urine soaking into her driveway. And if she has strong feelings about children peeing in public, then she will want to clarify that with her nanny.

 

[pocomom]

I would imagine it was an emergency, unless it is a pattern of behavior.
I went to a gas station once with my son who was 4 or 5. My older daughter ran in to use the restroom with him while I pumped gas. The guy behind the counter insisted it was for customers only , and my daughter was too intimidated to argue. By the time my son got back there was no waiting.. he peed right on the outside wall of the gas station.
Oh, well.

 

[mom2rtk]

So I'm curious how that works with a little girl. Does she just let it run down the side of her leg? Does she let her underwear serve as emergency TP?

I suppose I should be happy she wasn't peeing ON my car, but I still wouldn't be happy to step in it next to my car.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Never thought I'd be posting this. Our neighbor has a Nanny for her 2 kids 3 and 10. My DH just went out and called to tell me the nanny had the little girl pee outside next to their car parked on the street. I know there is a bathroom on the first floor of the house so why have her pee outside? The nanny was next to her so it's not like the girl just did it on her own. Is this normal behavior, am I out if touch with preschoolers? I know last fall she was starting potty training so she should be good by now. It's very bizarre to me and I feel bad for the little girl.

I don't think it is particularly normal as a regular thing, but also not very noteworthy---I find it odder that your husband called you to tell you about it.

 

[Hikergirl]

The little girl was peeing outside of her own home next to her parent's car? I would have though it was odd but I wouldn't have called dh to tell him. I would assume its a kid peeing outside because she had to go right then and there. Its not normal but would not have registered on my radar at all.

 

[bcla]

It's traditional in parts of Asia. I remember my first trip to China back in the 80s, I noticed a mother directing her kid to just pee right on a stone carving in the Forbidden City. The kid was wearing split pants without underwear to facilitate it. It's becoming less common, but still in use.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-crotch_pants

 

[PrncessA]

I guess I am the odd one out, I think it is very weird and if I had seen it I would have probably made a note to tell my husband.

My kids have never peed outside, except my son while camping, as far as I know. BUT, my neighbor did call to let me know my kids were running around in the backyard naked in the sprinkler. I wasn't home, my husband was and he thought they were just outside playing. Why were the naked? They didn't want to get their clothes wet. LOL

 

[NHdisneylover]

I guess I am the odd one out, I think it is very weird and if I had seen it I would have probably made a note to tell my husband.

My kids have never peed outside, except my son while camping, as far as I know. BUT, my neighbor did call to let me know my kids were running around in the backyard naked in the sprinkler. I wasn't home, my husband was and he thought they were just outside playing. Why were the naked? They didn't want to get their clothes wet. LOL

Whereas I wouldn't even think twice at all about the sprinkler thing with little kids. I cannot imaigne calling a neighbor over that. How odd (and your kids' reasoning seem valid to me!)

 

[mickeyboat]

Our neighbors used the outside method to help potty train their kids. The problem was that the kids would regularly strip, squat and go on their front walkway - #1 and #2. It was not pleasant to see. That being said, I suspect that if it is not a regular thing, the little girl in the OP could not make it into the house in time. It happens.

 

[BadgerGirl84]

Whereas I wouldn't even think twice at all about the sprinkler thing with little kids. I cannot imaigne calling a neighbor over that. How odd (and your kids' reasoning seem valid to me!)

Assuming it's an open backyard (which it would have to be for the neighbor to see), I would be grateful for this call! I wouldn't want my children parading around naked in the backyard for the neighborhood to see--nope, I would not be comfortable with that.

Seeing a kid peeing in the front yard would strike me as odd. I would probably mention it to my DH at some point during the day if I saw it.

 

[AppleDumpling]

A 3-year-old doing that wouldn't faze me in the least. Many kids that age, even if fully potty trained, have occasional accidents. Maybe they were coming home from somewhere and the little girl had been holding it in for some time while in the car, had to go right away and couldn't wait to get inside.

If it was an older child who made a habit of it, I might tell the neighbor, but otherwise I'd mind my own business.

 

[jaiminee krikit]

What impeccable timing! I have a niece who is now 7. When she was first potty training, she refused to use a toilet. Her family has several dogs and she wanted to pee outside like the dogs. That was the only way she would not pee in a diaper. Both of her parents allowed it and thought it was the cutest thing. I found it disgusting. I found it even more disgusting many months later while we were having a bonfire at our house. While several of us were eating at a picnic table (said niece included), she decided she needed to go to the bathroom. She stood up, pulled down her pants, and starting peeing right there next to the table. I was FUMING!!! Her mother wasn't around, so I got up and told my DH to tell his sister that is not appropriate here. Our bathroom is easily accessible in the house. Fast forward a couple of years. I was on a WDW vacation with my MIL, 2 SILs, and their children - including the finally-peeing-on-a-toilet-most-of-the-time niece. Our party was split up most of the time because of big age gaps and inability to get along for extended periods of time, so my niece, her mother, sister, and my MIL left early one day. I get back to our resort later that night and my MIL informs me that while they were waiting for the bus to go back to POFQ, my niece had to go potty badly. So my SIL let her pee in the bushes right by the bus stop. My MIL thought it was the funniest, cutest thing. I told her that was disgusting and if I would have been with them I would not have allowed it. This past weekend, we went out for dinner with my husband's parents. My MIL once again tells me this story of my SIL allowing my niece to pee in a public area and how cute that is. I told her again that I think that is disgusting and she's now much too old to be doing that. Subject was quickly changed by my DH. I get it if you're at home playing outside in the privacy of your own backyard, sure pee wherever you want. But when it comes to public places, or other people's property, I find it disgusting and rude. My nephews are just as bad. We were at a birthday party a couple of months ago and I look up and see naked boy butt. I was surprised and said something to my DH and my MIL overhead and said, "They're outside, that's what there supposed to do". I told her he should be using a toilet. Or at least find a place where no one can see what you're doing. Geez.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I prefer the second story balcony myself.

MG

 

[Klayfish]

I prefer the second story balcony myself.

Just make sure the wind isn't blowing in...

I'm sorry, but as the father of 3, who also had live in nannies for 5 years, I have to laugh. Yep, kids may have emergencies. No, I would never encourage our nanny to let the kids pee in the driveway, but accidents have happened.

Heck, my boys both play football, they're ages 12 and 9. If you have to pee in the middle of practice, the coaches' answer is "The bushes are over there, don't pee on your cleats"

 

[mi*vida*loca]

So I'm curious how that works with a little girl. Does she just let it run down the side of her leg? Does she let her underwear serve as emergency TP?

I suppose I should be happy she wasn't peeing ON my car, but I still wouldn't be happy to step in it next to my car.

If you pull your pants all the way down to your ankles and squat down really low you can pee without it getting on your legs or clothes. I know this from my drunken 20 year old nights. I always carried tissues in my car so we were good on TP.

As for TP, maybe the nannie had a tissue or a wipe? maybe she grabbed it from the car?

 

[LJSquishy]

If it only happens once I wouldn't say anything. A 3 year old sometimes just has to go right away... maybe she hasn't honed in on her skills as far as listening to her body of when she first realizes she should go potty until it's almost too late. If you see it again I would inform the parent of the incidents, not in a complaint manner but in a more concerned manner that it has occurred several times and perhaps the nanny isn't reminding the girl to go potty before leaving, etc.

 

[ImDMous]

We were out for a walk in our neighborhood one morning and one of the houses had the front door open and a dog ran out to greet us and sniff around and do his business. He was cute and harmless just watched us walk along. A minute later a kid comes running out of the house, probably 7ish, we thought he was trying to get the dog back in. He runs to the street side of the house (it was on a corner) and drops his pants and pees in the bushes, looks up and calls the dog, and they both go back in. O....K... It has been known forever since as "the house of the peeing kid", even though they've moved.

 

[Dinohood]

I would not feel bad when you have to go you have to go but also if you see it again tell the parent of the child yes some people let their kids pee outside during potty training but that is also in their own backyard were no one can see them.