We were at the park yesterday when a young mom and her 3 kids (all under the age of 4 by the looks of it) walked up and started to play. They didn't have any strollers or baby carriers (though the littlest was, I'm guessing, younger than Dean), so I figure they must live pretty close. Not more than five minutes after arriving, I hear the sound of boy pee hitting the ground. The mom had taken oldest (approx. age 4) underneath the "climbing rock wall" that was connected to the slide area and had him go pee under there. SICK. I mean, I understand that there are no bathrooms there, and that she had 2 other kids, but is this normal/acceptable behavior? Would you have done the same? (If yes, I seriously want to know and you can leave an anonymous reply.) I guess I could be over reacting, but it just seemed so...gross. It's very plausible that kids walk and play under there.
On a similar note, it seems like I've been finding lots of dog poo and broken glass bottles recently on our walks. I am very, very anti dog poo. I mean, how would people like it if I let my baby poop on the ground without cleaning it up? Some dog poo is grosser and more plentiful than Dean's poo. And littering is just plain wrong to begin with, but when it's a dangerous item like glass I just want to spank someone's bottom and give them a stern talking to. Even if (especially if) they're adults.
16 comments:
Never. I am with you
.
Dog poo......
(grumblegrumblegrumblegrumble)
I'm going to play devil's advocate. I don't think there is anything wrong with LITTLE boys going pee in NATURE. I mean, what is the other alternative if there is no bathroom around. Wet their pants. Little guys aren't capable of holding it as long as adults are. I DO think there is something wrong with peeing ON the playground. I would let my boy pee at the park, BUT I would make sure he was far away from the equipment and people - like by a bush or tree or somewhere were people are not going to be walking. Obviously this is not something I would make a habit out of. You need to make sure your kids pee before going somewhere, but you never can tell with kids. If it is a public place where there are bathrooms and there are lots of people around - no way. Since I still have kids in diapers, I am curious what people do in this situation. do they let them pee their pants, just go home (what if you walked and it is at least 10 minutes back home), make them hold it, knock on a strangers door and use their bathroom or what. just curious. Having kids in diapers has its advantages:)
I would let a LITTLE boy potty in nature... (bush, tree, etc.) The sand in a playground is NOT nature and that is repulsive.
I hate dog poop too. Poop is poop whether it's a human or an animal and it shouldn't be left anywhere. Disgusting.
Les, that's sick. (funny enough, English was not this family's first language though they did speak it.)
I agree with Marzy and Him&Her. I'd rather have my LITTLE kid pee in nature (a tree far from the play area) than pee their pants. But on the play ground is just wrong!!
I agree with letting little boys pee on grass, bushes, trees FAR away from any play equipment, sidewalks or benches. I can't believe she let him pee right UNDER the play equipment!!! Ewwwwwwwww!!!
And don't get me started on the dog poop. I've been noticing a lot more in our neighborhood too on our route to school. SO gross! I'm not a dog person to begin with so it majorly irks me.
David has gone at the park, BUT NOT at the playground. I always try to go to the other side of the BIG grassy field down the hill where no one walks. he has done that twice and thought it was great going outside.
And dog poop, YUCK! I have it in my yard all the time. I don't know if there is a law that dogs have to be on a leash, but there are so many dogs that just wander. One day we will have a fence and that will hopefully stop the poop!
gotta be honest...I have let Evan go pee otside a couple times when he has to. I think both times he was 2 years old and I cant expect a 2 year old to hold it...BUT I would NEVER let him pee where kids play or anywhere people go a lot....or even where people can see him. He goes in the bushes. It's just not healthy to hold it, especially when your that little.
I agree that it's gross to pee where other kids are playing/walking/picnicking but I think up to a certain age (not sure what that age is exactly) it's fine for boys and girls to pee in the bushes. I would rather a baby pee at the park than a stinky, mangy cat or dog.
In fact just this week my friend took her little girl off to the bushes while we were at the park and I thought, "Cool! Peeing in public is not just for boys anymore."
The key is discretion. That Disneyland situation was vile.
It's actually illegal to urinate/defecate in public here. Yep, you could get fined for having your little kids pee where other people might see you. I teach my kids consequences for their actions. They know they need to use the potty before they leave the house (and are reminded every time we leave) and if they decide they don't want to use the potty at home and there's no bathroom near when they need to go, the consequence is that they get to deal with wet pants. This rule only applies to potty-trained kids, so they are well old enough to deal with the consequences. Road trips don't count, though. Side of the highway is alright as long as nobody sees them.
Hehe - there was actually a little blurb that I read in Parents magazine about this today. They suggested that, if it's really an emergency, a tree will do, but to try to avoid it. I remember plenty of roadtrips as a kid where my tiny bladder wouldn't make it any longer and we stopped and found a tree for me to hide behind. Good times.
And I hate having dog poop in my yard when I don't own a dog. I think that's just crappy. (Pun fully intended, I'm sorry.) I also think it's funny that you want to spank the glass shard spreader - feeling much like a mommy? :)
NEVER on equipment. EVER.
But we've had roadtrips and my children's bladders seem to be the size of a walnut and the nearest rest stop is always 200 miles away...you get the idea.
When we finally convinced our boy to go in some bushes for an emergency (he was 4), I then had to re-train him to use the toilet - going out in the backyard was SO much fun for him!!
Ugh.
I. Agree. Full. Heartedly. (With the peeing, with the littering, with the dog poo--I recently wrote about dog poo signs I've been finding from another sympathizer.)
And guys here in Germany have no qualms about peeing on a wall or a nearby tree. I guess that comes from the fact that their mothers take them for walks in the freezing cold and then hold them so they can pee wherever along the way.
Just want to point out that cats poo too! Lets not place all the blame on the dogs. I find more cat poop in my yard (where my kids play) than dog poop. Dog poop I usually discover on the sidewalk--either way, gross.
Humans peeing outside, acceptable in certain situations but only if they do so in a place far away from where other humans play and congregate. Anywhere on a playground is clearly wrong.
Interesting LS. I've only once seen a stray cat around and have never found cat poo in my yard. We used to, however, have a neighbor (Mormon even!) who lived 2 doors down and would walk their dog and ENCOURAGE it to go poo in our yard in front of our side walk. And they never cleaned it up. Both Matt and I witnessed that one. Grrrr.
Well it looks like you got a lot of feedback! I'm giving you mine anyway. I have seen this a few times in my playground attending years and I can't stand it! Ditto in the comments above: a sand box is not nature! I will not allowed my children to pee in public where others could see or are playing. Last year at my son's party in our backyard, my husband who was in the basement looking out the window, saw one of the boys peeing under our elevated deck. Gross! I can't look at that place the same! We have some dog in our neighborhood that marks our front door and our garage door. We suspect which one it is but have never actually caught him doing it. uggh! so gross. Come on People! I don't care if they are boys. Boys need to learn manners too!
You're awesome, have a great day!
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