Outdoor toilet etiquette advice?

I usually let my little DC boys (I don't have any training or trained little girls) pee behind a tree if the need arises at the park (the public bathrooms are not open when we go as we tend to go early while it's shaded and not busy at all. Most mornings we have the park to ourselves but this morning I got a weird look from a Mom when my one little guy found a tree & had a quick pee. It got me thinking about if I should even let them pee outdoors...what do you all do? Of course, they all go before we leave, but to pack everyone up at the park to come home because 1 has to go?!

I'm of two minds about this... first being I understand the need to go when they have to go. I probably would have done the same thing. But at the same time, I was on the opposite end of the coin just this weekend. We were having a picnic under the shade of one tree when a little girl just run up to the tree across from us, pulled down her pants and went. It got me to thinking aside from dog pee and all that, what else could we possibly be sitting on. And of course, my kids are playing in the grass just rolling on the ground all over the place, right? It honestly grossed me out. So I don't know. I completely empathize with your situation, too, though. So I guess I'm no help! LOL.

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Originally Posted by jazmic

I'm of two minds about this... first being I understand the need to go when they have to go. I probably would have done the same thing. But at the same time, I was on the opposite end of the coin just this weekend. We were having a picnic under the shade of one tree when a little girl just run up to the tree across from us, pulled down her pants and went. It got me to thinking aside from dog pee and all that, what else could we possibly be sitting on. And of course, my kids are playing in the grass just rolling on the ground all over the place, right? It honestly grossed me out. So I don't know. I completely empathize with your situation, too, though. So I guess I'm no help! LOL.

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Exactly! I totally understand both sides too :)

I let my kids pee on trees too, but I always make them go away from the main play area, still close enough for me to see them, but not so close that anyone is so likely to run through it. I have been actually considering buying a fold-up potty for this though. I read a great idea (through CCPRN newsletter) of putting a diaper or sanitary napkin in a bag inside the potty to absorb the pee and then you can throw the whole thing in the garbage (not exactly environemental though!).

This has happened with me before, and my best advice would be to make it as discreet as possible. Take him to a farther away tree/bush from the play area and have him go on the other side so people don't have to see. I agree, when they have to go they have to go, but people shouldn't have to see if it can be helped :)

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Originally Posted by Lou

and my best advice would be to make it as discreet as possible. Take him to a farther away tree/bush from the play area and have him go on the other side so people don't have to see. I agree, when they have to go they have to go, but people shouldn't have to see if it can be helped :)

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Exactly. I don't agree with it personally, but if 'you' HAVE too then make it far away from any play areas and not visible.

We pee right before leaving the house but sometimes the need arises wile we are out too. I let my guys go at the park. But I do make sure that I take them to a private and discreet area so they are not seen. i have been at the park several times when a little boy has dropped their pants and pee'd on one of the support pole of the climbing structure or the swings!!

I agree that when they are new to training you gotta go you gotta go and better with 'dignity' than in their pants if they cannot hold it ~ however IMO typically trained children should be able to hold their bladder control for up to 2 hours which is lots of time for a trip to the park and back so it should be a RARE thing to need to go while we are out and about and I explain that belief to my crew .... peeing or pooing in public is not something we should do unless it is a REAL emergency for our body because well it is technically ILLEGAL and you can be fined if you get caught doing it ... although my guess they are inclined to only fine adults but technically there is no age 'exception' for public urination/deification as far as I know ;)

So that said yes I will let them if they REALLY need to ... I carry one of those IKEA potties and a big towel and if someone REALLY needs to pee that can use the potty and I will than dump it well out of the beaten path where no one would accidentally be 'sitting in it' at some point and I rinse the potty with some water from our stash and dry it and put it back under the stroller. If it is something that becomes a HABIT for a child where I am thinking it is more 'behavior' than an actual NEED to go than before we left I would remind them to empty ALL their bladder because they are not suppose to pee at the park and if they asked at the park again I would make them hold it for a while longer to increase that bladder control cause more often to not they are asking cause they get 'bored' and it is habit to ask at that time frame :rolleyes:

We've all done this! Don't worry about a thing. It's so much easier for boys to point and shoot but I've even had little girls who all of a sudden have to pee. Thankfully, I have a friend who we usually meet at a park who has a portable pot and my little girl was able to use it a few times. I've never invested in one.

I always make them pee before we leave the house and we return within 2-3 hours and I'm usually the first one into the bathroom. 3 hours is my max!