Reefgazer Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 DH and I were sitting out on our porch last night, handing out candy to trick or treaters, when a mom and her (looked to about 3) son came along. Apparently, the little tyke had to go pee, because mom helped him open his fly right in front of our house, facing us, and he peed right onto our lawn! They didn't acknowledge our presence or apologize in any way, even though our lawn is rather small and we were sitting not too far from them! Now I don't really care that there's a little bit of kid pee on our lawn, but I actually thought it was kind of rude. If he had to go, she could have walked the 60 second walk to the more isolated park, don'tcha think? Weird.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 When you gotta go, you gotta go. It could be the tike told mom he wasn't going to make it to the park. Maybe the mom thought you were lawn decoration? It is a bit odd that she did not at least have him use a tree. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 How crude, and she is doing her kid no favors. I imagine if she had asked, you would have let him in to use a proper bathroom (we have had trick-or-treaters do so more than once). There really is no excuse for such behavior. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Maybe she is potty training and she was just glad he told her in time to avoid wetting in his costume. In general it may not be the best idea, and may be rude, but I try to extend leeway to small children and understanding to their parents. Some people don't have a neighborhood in which to TorT. I'd be grateful they were at least walking and not driving the kid from door to door. 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in FL. Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I wouldn't appreciate that either! I have 5 boys and peeing in someone's yard like that was never a necessity or option for them. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 She could have provided the little guy some privacy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El... Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Once when we were swimming at the neighbor's pool this summer, Ds (then 3) got out of the pool, walked to the edge of the sidewalk, and promptly wet on their lawn!! I jumped out and ran him to our yard. He's still learning. I don't think he'd do that now. I wouldn't have HELPED my son pee on your yard, but I could see it happening. I'd be the one behind him, running and blushing. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoJosMom Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I can understand a 3 year-old having an emergency. I cannot understand the parent's silence. I think she should at least have explained the necessity and apologized to you. On the upside, you have quite the Halloween story! 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I can understand a 3 year-old having an emergency. I cannot understand the parent's silence. I think she should at least have explained the necessity and apologized to you. On the upside, you have quite the Halloween story! Yes, this! I'm potty training my fourth little boy, and we have never peed on someone else's lawn. It could happen, though; you never know with little guys (and peeing in their yard would beat peeing on their carpet while trying to make it to their bathroom!). But I'd be mortified even if were necessary, and I'd certainly be apologetic to the yard's owners! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 the mom has alot to learn about manners. (she *helped* him!) pity her child. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Maybe she thinks you couldn't see it? I don't have a problem with 'potty learners' peeing in unexpected places. Weird story, but, from the thread title I imagined worse! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Weird story, but, from the thread title I imagined worse! LOL, yes. I was expecting to hear a grown man peed in her yard. I would be a bit surprised to see a child pee in my yard -- but my yard is covered in dog pee so it's not like it'd harm anything. However... if I were the parent of the pee-er, I would be profuse in my apologies! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I was pretty put off when the younger mom of a sweet trick-or-treating toddler was smoking on our porch, but she was otherwise very polite. I just figured we have different ideas about where it's acceptable to smoke. It's odd that the mom wasn't at all apologetic about "nature's call," but she obviously doesn't see a little boy needing to pee on someone's lawn as a big deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 People are a little strange. I have a friend whose child had to pee very badly when they were at Walmart in the lawn and garden section. He was about 3 or so. She didn't think he could make it to the bathroom in time. They were in the outdoor part of lawn and garden, so she told him to pee right there at the edge of the L&G section into a grassy section. Another woman in the store saw this happen and was horrified and pointed out my friend to a worker. My friend was seriously irritated that the "interfering" woman in the store didn't "mind her own business." She said, "The clerk just rolled her eyes. She knew that that other woman was being unreasonable." I personally, was horrified at the story. I don't think it's ok for human urine to be at Walmart, even if it's in the L&G section and into a grassy area. I might not have called over a worker, but I would NOT have been supportive of a mom letting her kid pee there. My friend still maintains that she was right to allow her kid to pee there. I don't argue the issue with her. There's really no point anymore. I guess people have different ideas about bathroom issues. ETA: I sort of understand the above story and the Trick of Treat story. Little ones wait until they're bursting to tell you they have to go, and they might possibly end up peeing right in the middle of Walmart (instead of outside at the edge) or right on someone's porch while Trick or Treating. I just think that when it happens, that a kid has to go somewhere unusual, that the adults should try to smooth it over and not act like it's not a big deal. They shouldn't be surprised if someone in the area is upset about the pee puddle that's left behind. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChocolateReignRemix Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I believe that is a consequence of the decision to not TorT in their own neighborhood. Had they known you, they would be comfortable asking to use your bathroom if they couldnt get back to their home in time, and they wouldnt be using your lawn for a toilet. Well bless your heart. :) 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Rude and gross, but I have to admit I worried the entire time I was out with my 4yo. Half a mile from my car and up to 2 miles away from my house? Dangerous territory! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChocolateReignRemix Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 A 3yo? No harm, no foul. Move on. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Looking back, I'm sure let the girls do a lot of stuff at that age that I'd tsk about now. I've just worked hard to block most of it from my memory! (And yeah, nearly all of it was potty related.) Maybe she was too embarrassed to speak to you about it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertBlossom Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I have no problem with real little kids peeing outside. Though I try to steer then towards private places where people aren't likely to walk. That mom was weird. I travelled to Guatemala as a teenager and was shocked when walking through a very crowded market (with cement or asphalt floors) a woman bent down to help her daughter squat right in the walkway and pee. Of course that was probably the least shocking thing I saw. :-) So peeing in the grass seems pretty tame. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 All children 3 and under get a total pass for all peeing in my book. It would have been better for the mom to say something, but... I can't get fussed about it. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Okay, I'll admit my first reaction was "tacky, tacky, tacky." However, I remembered that I once lifted my little dog into a HUGE potted plant (as tall as a person and much wider) while rushing through an airport. As far as we could see, the only option outside was bare cement, and I didn't want him to have a full bladder on a long flight. Desperate times call for desperate measures, sometimes. :o I still think the mom in your story should have kept going to the nearby park. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I believe that is a consequence of the decision to not TorT in their own neighborhood. Had they known you, they would be comfortable asking to use your bathroom if they couldnt get back to their home in time, and they wouldnt be using your lawn for a toilet. :huh: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 So I'm curious for all those who thinks is okay (at least somewhat) for a little boy to pee on the yard, what about if it was a little girl. Would you still be feeling the same way, if she squated down and went right there? Because I can't imagine letting any of my kids just pee where they are boy are girl. We've always managed to get them to the toilet (or deal with the mess if we didn't make it) with boys or girls. I've never in my life felt things were so desperate to just let them go wherever we happen to be. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 And then what happened? Did the mom have some hand sanitizer or wipes? :eek: I don't even like thinking about this...but there's a good reason not to let kids dig into the treat bowls themselves! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkyandtheBrains. Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Boy or girl, when potty training or recently potty trained, sometimes you just got to go. Sure, ideally a bit more privacy would be nice, or a bathroom, but really at that age/stage you do what you gotta do. Empathy and compassion. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I don't let my dog pee in lawns on his walk. He takes care of business only on common property, park areas, ect. If I don't let him do it why would I let my kid? I trained two boys (one with intellectual disabilities and one with a variety of other issues) and never needed to pee on someone's lawn. If I had been in the situation of small boy announcing needing to go NOW, I would have pushed the child down the sidewalk towards a more secluded spot with trees and bushes. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I did post above about privacy... I have girls and the oldest has peed in a yard, I try to block any view and apologize if it's not my yard. I'm sure I will need to do this again next year as youngest dd is beginning to potty train. You have no control over a little ones potty time but you can have control over at least privacy and apologies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Okay, I'll admit my first reaction was "tacky, tacky, tacky." However, I remembered that I once lifted my little dog into a HUGE potted plant (as tall as a person and much wider) while rushing through an airport. As far as we could see, the only option outside was bare cement, and I didn't want him to have a full bladder on a long flight. Desperate times call for desperate measures, sometimes. :o I still think the mom in your story should have kept going to the nearby park. That is truly disgusting. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 We hosted a family once from Russia-- the little girl would often use the rest room in our front yard. I have no idea if it was cultural or her own needs. Later we had several small Vietnamese boys live with us. Once again, they were all yard pee-ers. I'd give a little grace to a mom and toddler. What about "When in Rome..."? Maybe I'm weird or something, but my reaction would be to say something like, it might be okay to go in your yard in Russia, Vietnam, etc. but when you're in America please use the restroom. If part of American "culture" (which some people think we lack) is doing our business indoors, with decent toilets and soft TP then that's fine with me! I don't think we need to lower our standards of hygiene, etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nart Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I give little kids passes on peeing, because urine is sterile and it doesn't happen very often. I am more annoyed when dogs pee or poop on my yard and the owners do nothing. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I definitely think the mom should have said something (or better yet, asked to use your bathroom), but who knows...she was probably dying of embarrassment. We did much stranger things when DS was little and really had to go. I agree with a pp about compassion and grace. We've all found ourselves in weird positions as parents. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 ... because urine is sterile...No, it isn't. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/turns-out-urine-isnt-actually-sterile-180954809/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 lol kids! Whoever asked, yes it's still be funny if it was a girl. Obviously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Why would it be different if it was a girl? I don't even get the question. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 That is truly disgusting. Come on, Moxie, tell me how you really feel! :) I'm curious...what do you think it hurt? There had to be about 500 pounds of dirt in the pot. A tiny bit of Chihuahua pee would soak right in and wouldn't smell. Do you think someone was going to climb up in the pot and eat their lunch in the dirt or something? Admittedly, it probably wasn't the best idea I've ever had, but I guarantee that if he had peed in his carrier on the plane, it would have disturbed people much more. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Also, I'm pretty sure American toddlers have been peeing on lawns and park corners since time immemorial. This is no foreign custom. People were doing this back in the day. And even when we're all cyborgs they'll probably still be doing it. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 MercyA, I can't help thinking that it's not so much your little dog, but a what-if. What if everybody took their dog and let them do that? And their toddlers. And occasionally some drunks when there aren't many people around. It rapidly goes from "not a big deal" to "OMG this place reeks of urine". I can see that maybe you were in a situation where you'd run out of acceptable choices. We've all been in situations like that - okay, maybe not exactly like that, but where we have to do something we'd rather not do because we have no more options left. But that doesn't mean it's magically not gross just because you were ruled by necessity. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 All I can add is that I'm glad I don't have toddlers any more. And that I have a dog who will pee on concrete. Or a pee pad. :laugh: :laugh: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in FL. Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I'm not saying that my boys never answered the call of nature when they were out in... nature, but discretion makes a world of difference. After reading the op again, it is obvious that the mom did nothing to try to be discreet. I am sure there were options other than peeing facing Reefgazer and her dh in such proximity. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 This reminds me of when my boys were just a little older... maybe not quite 5 yo? And we went to the beach for the day. They needed to pee. I was like, pee in the ocean. They were like, what? No way! But we had driven - there were no bathrooms. To use one, we were going to have to get in the car or walk a really long way and ask to use one in a business. It seemed crazy. I was like, look, here's what you do. Go get in the water at the edge where you've been playing. Sit down. Pee. Get up. We went over it like ten times. Finally, they go down to the edge, drop pants, and pee into the ocean from the edge. Sigh. 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I wouldn't advise my child to do it but a little boy doing a jungle pee is about the least shocking thing I have heard all month. Same with little girls--I've seen them go behind a bush in my yard. Little ones of course. I'm a bit surprised the mother helped and did not encourage the child to find a bush, though! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebeccaS Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 This reminds me of when my boys were just a little older... maybe not quite 5 yo? And we went to the beach for the day. They needed to pee. I was like, pee in the ocean. They were like, what? No way! But we had driven - there were no bathrooms. To use one, we were going to have to get in the car or walk a really long way and ask to use one in a business. It seemed crazy. I was like, look, here's what you do. Go get in the water at the edge where you've been playing. Sit down. Pee. Get up. We went over it like ten times. Finally, they go down to the edge, drop pants, and pee into the ocean from the edge. Sigh. Mine did the exact same thing around that age! lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 No, it isn't. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/turns-out-urine-isnt-actually-sterile-180954809/ I was just about to post this very article :) Pee has bacteria before it leaves the body. It is not at all sterile like they used to think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I would most likely have sought out a square of semi-privacy before just having a kid pee on someone's lawn, howver, I have had kids pee in places I didn't wish because I was out of better options. Once, we were on a field trip at a maple sugaring...orchard? Not sure what you call it. But anyway, DS had to go, we were just getting over the hump of potty-training, and we were in the middle of a walking tour. I found a tree, hung back from the group, and had him take his relief there. Not to my preference, but I was out of options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 This reminds me of when my boys were just a little older... maybe not quite 5 yo? And we went to the beach for the day. They needed to pee. I was like, pee in the ocean. They were like, what? No way! But we had driven - there were no bathrooms. To use one, we were going to have to get in the car or walk a really long way and ask to use one in a business. It seemed crazy. I was like, look, here's what you do. Go get in the water at the edge where you've been playing. Sit down. Pee. Get up. We went over it like ten times. Finally, they go down to the edge, drop pants, and pee into the ocean from the edge. Sigh. Yeah, I've seen that scenario a dozen times. I don't think it's ideal, but...meh. The ocean has worse problems. I remember once when we were at a soccer game, one of the little boys came up to his dad and said he needed to go potty. Dad pointed to the clump of trees nearby and instructed the boy to go up to the trees to take care of the problem. Only when the boy went up there, urine was not the need that required attention... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Yeah, I've seen that scenario a dozen times. I don't think it's ideal, but...meh. The ocean has worse problems. I remember once when we were at a soccer game, one of the little boys came up to his dad and said he needed to go potty. Dad pointed to the clump of trees nearby and instructed the boy to go up to the trees to take care of the problem. Only when the boy went up there, urine was not the need that required attention... Oh gosh, I was once on a hike with kids who weren't mine. It was a well traveled park but we were a good half hour away from the base where the portapotties were. The 5 yo had a sudden need to go. We went back and forth about it and finally I just had to take her out way off the path and do my best to bury it a little. Ack. I felt bad, but what can you do? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Lulu* Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Oh gosh, I was once on a hike with kids who weren't mine. It was a well traveled park but we were a good half hour away from the base where the portapotties were. The 5 yo had a sudden need to go. We went back and forth about it and finally I just had to take her out way off the path and do my best to bury it a little. Ack. I felt bad, but what can you do? Nothing. And that is why people who are offended that children, who are in fact tiny humans, need to handle their human business should be given a complementary copy of "Poop Happened" and "Everybody Poops". 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in FL. Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Oh gosh, I was once on a hike with kids who weren't mine. It was a well traveled park but we were a good half hour away from the base where the portapotties were. The 5 yo had a sudden need to go. We went back and forth about it and finally I just had to take her out way off the path and do my best to bury it a little. Ack. I felt bad, but what can you do? Nothing wrong with this, imo! You did what you could to minimize the effect on others and give the child privacy. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Imagine how often it happens when you aren't looking!!!!! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 MercyA, I can't help thinking that it's not so much your little dog, but a what-if. What if everybody took their dog and let them do that? And their toddlers. And occasionally some drunks when there aren't many people around. It rapidly goes from "not a big deal" to "OMG this place reeks of urine". I can see that maybe you were in a situation where you'd run out of acceptable choices. We've all been in situations like that - okay, maybe not exactly like that, but where we have to do something we'd rather not do because we have no more options left. But that doesn't mean it's magically not gross just because you were ruled by necessity. I see your point, although the odds of anyone else even thinking about doing the same thing are probably (and thankfully) exceedingly low. :D I freely admit to finding dog pee less gross than human pee. That's probably just me, though. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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