Do you let your children pee outside??

[ilovepcot]

We have a terrace built off the back of our house high up in the trees. In fact, there is a tree actually growing up through one end of the terrace. Sometimes at night when DH and I are sitting out there having a drink, I can occasionally hear a "trickle" and that's when I see DH standing close to the railing. He can hardly stand still for this because of his snickering. He really loves it when our little dog walks over to see what's going on. Seriously, men can be such little boys sometimes!

 

[meandtheguys2]

Want a butterfly garden without the work...try urine!

My boys don't pee in public, in town. However, at our farm, it is easier on the outhouse facilities to have them use the forest edge. If we have company, it is back to the outhouse.

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

This was a fun poll. Please know my boys aren't peeing in the front lawn in front of our 70 year old neighbors......but if they do go outside they will "go" on a tree in the backyard, or by the barn. No, they aren't like the scary Supernanny boy that wouldn't go inside----that freaked me out too!!!! They are fully potty trained for indoor plumbing , but if they are outside playing there's no bringing them in for a quick "#1"..........

According to the poll results, I am raising beasts!!! Oh well, I think it could be worse.......

thanks!! This has been fun to read all the different reactions!

 

[grlpwrd]

I think you have to use common sense. On a front lawn or something (a smaller suburban property), I would never encourage this sort of thing as the location is simply too small, public, etc. Saying that, on a larger property with woods/forest/lots of land, I don't think it's all that uncommon to just 'go a little into the woods' to pee if you're far from the nearest restroom.

That's true for us, too.

In the suburbs, it is almost forbidden. In the country. it is expected.

I do not like folks relieving themselves near a water source (you know, a lake or stream) and please choose a place that is sloping away from the rivers/lakes/streams.

 

[meandtheguys2]

That's true for us, too.

In the suburbs, it is almost forbidden. In the country. it is expected.

I do not like folks relieving themselves near a water source (you know, a lake or stream) and please choose a place that is sloping away from the rivers/lakes/streams.

No kidding!

 

[LaraK]

I've been in the car when a pee pee emergency has occurred...taught my DD to squat. I've also been wilderness camping....trust me, when you've hiked 20 miles into wilderness...you hope all you have to do is #1!

 

[Mermaid02]

emergency only.

 

[U2_rocks!]

Oh, and urine is a great deterrent for rabbits, foxes, etc. for your garden. If you pee around your garden...no more deer or rabbit problems. Might be a bit embarrassing (do it under the cover of a dark night). If you are the shy type- buy some commercial "urine" products! We use fox urine in our garden (also use it in my animal learning research....but that is another story!).

Hmmmm..... wonder if it deters monkeys as well? We're trying to grow vegetables, and we lost at least one cucumber to a monkey already. DS would be very happy to pee around the vegetables!!

Urine doesn't really faze me too much. I think it's tacky to see grown men peeing on building/fences etc., but I am sympathetic to men who drive around all day for their job and sometimes have to go while driving around a rural area. It doesn't bother me if they get out and pee on a tree because they are busting! It's actually dangerous to drive with a very full bladder - if you get into an accident the seat belt could burst your bladder if it's distended.

Kids tend not to be able to hold on for as long as adults - their needs are more urgent. So I am not bothered by kids needed to pee outside because they are too far from a bathroom.

 

[Tybug]

Oh yes, son was taught how to pee on a tree. For that matter, daughter was taught how to pee next to the tree!

Kind of hard to endure a three night camping trip with the scouts as a family without going at some point...

We also live in a country setting and if the DS had to go by a tree... so be it.

Just another in a long list that makes me a bad mom!

 

[julsmom]

Camping, I understand of course.

But I have had the unexpected shock of watching a mother send her little boy to pee on a tree near the school playground. We were all waiting for our children to be released from school and I guess she figured either no one would notice or no one would care. I personally would have just went INTO the school, but thats just me.

Having a girl, I know how insane it can be to find a restroom with no notice, but you still do it.

 

[ilovejack02]

My DS4 was taught to use the potty, but we were out soon afterwards and stopped at my mom's for him to potty and she wasnt home and i had forgotten my key. I tried to make him go on a tree and he was having NONE of it. He had a tantrum and I took him home, which was a 15 min ride and he held it the whole way.

BUT since then he has learned trees are ok sometimes and if he is playing hard then he will stay outside and hit a tree, but his daddy gets fired up so Im trying to curb it, esp when he whipped it out at a Mardi Gras parade and I had to scoop him up and drag him to the potty. I have seen some really gross bathrooms and in that case, he is gonna pee outside, but for the most part im trying to keep it indoors.

Its not that big a deal and I dont think anyone kids are beasts.

 

[mickeyboat]

I have girls. We let them go outside when camping, or in an emergency, but not on a regular basis. I pretty much had to force my kids to learn to go outside when we went hiking or four-wheeling. They weren't allowed to go until they had agreed to do it. Personally I don't think it is appropriate past the potty training stage.

Denae

 

[Sir Real]

Why is it any more disgusting than your dog peeing when you take it out for a walk?

Sir "the world is our urinal" Real

 

[wendy46001]

Oh this reminds me of my nephew...SIL (being lazy) would just let the kid drop trou anywhere...Front yard backyard (hello toilet inside, talking subdivision not wooded lot) ...beach, parking lot etc....We were always appalled...

You guessed it she was shocked and cried when Junior was sent home from kindergarten for peeing at recess....

I get emergencies and little kids ..but teach the kid to hold it for 2.5 seconds until he gets to the pot

 

[freckles and boo]

Why is it any more disgusting than your dog peeing when you take it out for a walk?

Sir "the world is our urinal" Real

There is nothing wrong with dogs, but as a person I have other options.

 

[Sir Real]

I understand having other options, and I'm not saying it isn't tacky, but I'm just questioning the "that's gross" posts.

 

[KristiKelly]

I voted sure. Now, keep in mind it's only on our property and now that he's getting older we're making him stop. I think it depends on the age (ok, when they're little) but DS had a specific tree in our yard that he would peepee on when he was little. Now that he's close to 10, we don't let him anymore.

We have a friend that has a bunch of land and they go fishing or paintball, so out there, yes it's totally acceptable.

 

[freckles and boo]

I understand having other options, and I'm not saying it isn't tacky, but I'm just questioning the "that's gross" posts.

I understand what you are saying. I just like my privacy and comfort and I don't enjoy accidentally seeing other people taking care of business. It isn't the "product" that bothers me all that much. Of course animals go outside all the time and somehow we have all survived it. In the summer my van gets bombed with bird poo. Personally I think cigarette butts are much nastier than dog poop - at least poop biodegrades.

 

[Mickeyluver37]

I said no way because some examples here are not what I would consider emergencies......I can't imagine it being an emergency where one would have to pee in their own yard or on the side of the road. Newly potty trained toddlers aside, maybe, but I never taught my ds that and I'm sure he'd find it disgusting as well.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

In the woods, yes.

In a backyard, no. That's gross.