Page 4 | AIBU to think child might struggle to poop in a hole in the woods?

wldpwr · 2026-09-15T17:56:22+00:00

If you have a child aged 4, 5 or 6... ... full day of childcare in the woods, only option for number two is 1) notify teacher, 2) teacher digs small hole, 3) child poops in hole, 4) teacher covers hole and helps child clean up. YABU = my kid could cope with this, no problem YANBU = this sounds like something my kid might find weird or difficult Thanks!

godmum56 · 15/09/2026 22:40

Lararoft · 15/09/2026 22:15

I just know that as a 5 year old pooing in the woods would have been my worst nightmare!

Even the actual school toilets were grim in my primary school the 80s as many were in blocks outdoors, complete with top flush chains, spiders & the infamous Izal ‘tracing paper’ loo roll (so which absolute numpty back in the day invented a type of toilet paper that doesn’t even do the job properly??).

I remember those toilets!!! My mother used to give me soft toilet paper to take to school. It was neatly folded in strips of three squares and tucked in a plastic bag. It was a thing then (50's) for girls to have a bag on a cross body strap fastened with a zip or a popper and known as a "purse" to carry bits and pieces for primary school....a handkerchief, sweets, dinner money, money to spend in the sweetshop and so on.

MarzipanAngel · 15/09/2026 22:41

Llamallamafruitpyjama · 15/09/2026 19:40

We hike often and just poop before we go.

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I can’t just go because it’s a convenient time!

MarzipanAngel · 15/09/2026 22:43

godmum56 · 15/09/2026 22:40

I remember those toilets!!! My mother used to give me soft toilet paper to take to school. It was neatly folded in strips of three squares and tucked in a plastic bag. It was a thing then (50's) for girls to have a bag on a cross body strap fastened with a zip or a popper and known as a "purse" to carry bits and pieces for primary school....a handkerchief, sweets, dinner money, money to spend in the sweetshop and so on.

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We had those toilets!
I’d forgotten about those little school purses, they came with the pinafores. I used to keep all sorts in mine!

godmum56 · 15/09/2026 22:43

NameChangeScot · 15/09/2026 21:02

How are girls expected to go for a wee? I've never mastered the art of a wild wee yet!

oh wild wees are easy. I can still do that even with a bad back and a duff knee.

MrsAutumns · 15/09/2026 22:45

BirdLandedonmyHead · 15/09/2026 19:10

And hiw dies the teacher and child properley wash their hands afterwards?

This 🤮

Alittlefrustrated · 15/09/2026 22:45

My child wouldn't of done that at 3,5,6 or even now at 15,with his own spade.
It does remind me of an episode, when he was little, where he had to wee in a bush. I watched from a distance and saw him tear off a leaf to dry his bits. I nearly wet my self laughing. Good job there were no nettles.

Shatenoeuf · 15/09/2026 22:46

My kids would manage this but we've camped and hiked in remote places.

You cant just "poo before you go". Its not like you can force one out before you are ready, the body doesnt work like that. Most people have a predictable cycle, given a healthy diet with plenty of fibre and fluid, they will defecate in the morning or after meals due to gastrocolic reflex.

You can wipe with loo roll & simply bury it with the stool. Most people pee when they poo & the liquid helps the loo roll break down or you can pour some water over. Or you can bag it and move on.

Do people realise all animals poo & pee outdoors, all the time?

OttersOnAPlane · 15/09/2026 22:46

This was expected when my brother was a Beaver/Cub/Scout. He'd go on weekend camps and not crap once, then be doubled up on the toilet when he got home.

Some people are ok, some people just can't.

Shatenoeuf · 15/09/2026 22:50

helpfulperson · 15/09/2026 20:27

Surely at that age the number of emergency poos would be limited. I take Beavers out and about for a few hours at a time and I don't ever remember any of them needing a poo. Wee yes but never a poo, unless SEN and then we had a bespoke plan.

This as well, it wont happen often. Most kids will poo in the mornings, and wont need to go while out & about.

godmum56 · 15/09/2026 22:50

Shatenoeuf · 15/09/2026 22:46

My kids would manage this but we've camped and hiked in remote places.

You cant just "poo before you go". Its not like you can force one out before you are ready, the body doesnt work like that. Most people have a predictable cycle, given a healthy diet with plenty of fibre and fluid, they will defecate in the morning or after meals due to gastrocolic reflex.

You can wipe with loo roll & simply bury it with the stool. Most people pee when they poo & the liquid helps the loo roll break down or you can pour some water over. Or you can bag it and move on.

Do people realise all animals poo & pee outdoors, all the time?

yup and its vile when you tread in it.

Livpool · 15/09/2026 22:52

DS is 10 and no chance he would do this.

Shatenoeuf · 15/09/2026 22:52

The natural/biological start point is that young children will not mind this (human beings have evolved defecating outside for millennia). Young children who aren't ok doing it have often had that instinct trained out by obsessive hygiene practices at home, parents who tell them its disgusting or who punish them if it happens.

SeaToSki · 15/09/2026 22:57

If its a regular occurring activity in the same part of the forrest, its a significant health issue.

the reason we have modern sewage solutions as required in every house, commercial building etc is because human feces is a significant vector of disease.

random holes dug at random depths containing (or not fully containing) human feces in an area where small children are playing, falling over etc is imho a huge red flag

my dc would not be going anywhere near that childcare setting whether they were happy pooing al fresco or not

maggisimpson · 15/09/2026 23:00

Shatenoeuf · 15/09/2026 22:52

The natural/biological start point is that young children will not mind this (human beings have evolved defecating outside for millennia). Young children who aren't ok doing it have often had that instinct trained out by obsessive hygiene practices at home, parents who tell them its disgusting or who punish them if it happens.

Even children of 12-18 months will often find a private place to poo in!
The 'natural' start point is irrelevant to modern humans, we're not living natural lives.

bridgetreilly · 15/09/2026 23:48

It’s obviously a bit weird, but I don’t see why it would be difficult.

maxslice · 16/09/2026 04:36

It’s odd, but if my kid liked and trusted the teacher, he might find it funny. Anything related to poo, farts, wee leaves him laughing til he’s breathless. But I can understand why other children could find it difficult or get upset about it.

maxslice · 16/09/2026 04:39

BirdLandedonmyHead · 15/09/2026 19:10

And hiw dies the teacher and child properley wash their hands afterwards?

Hand sanitizer probably.

maxslice · 16/09/2026 04:41

ilovepixie · 15/09/2026 19:12

How do they wipe? If using toilet paper where do they put it?

Edited

In the hole to biodegrade?

ArcticBells · 16/09/2026 06:17

Sinuhe · 15/09/2026 20:19

As someone who has done lots of hiking and wild camping, this isn't as alien as it sounds.

Knowing where & how to do a No2 safely in the great outdoors is a basic skill.

Leave no trace!

Do you carry a spade on hikes? 😯

Anothercake · 16/09/2026 06:34

PollyBell · 15/09/2026 21:54

How on earth did people manage in history, why are we all so precious now

They would just get on with it like every other child that has done in previous years there i suppose

Mostly they got horrible diseases and died.

Original poster

wldpwr · 16/09/2026 07:15

maxslice · 16/09/2026 04:36

It’s odd, but if my kid liked and trusted the teacher, he might find it funny. Anything related to poo, farts, wee leaves him laughing til he’s breathless. But I can understand why other children could find it difficult or get upset about it.

I think perhaps this is the missing piece - child needs to really know and trust the teacher.

OP posts:

Imaginingdragonsagain · 16/09/2026 07:22

How do they wash their hands properly. Mine couldn’t do this, I’d look for alternative childcare.

SALaw · 16/09/2026 07:50

PlaneOverhead · 15/09/2026 20:15

I genuinely think this is a life skill that every child should have, just like being able to wee outside. It's limiting to only be able to conceive of toilets and cuts out lots of fun places to travel and proper camping.

Really?! I’m 47, have travelled a fair bit, camped etc and never pooed in a hole. I did once wee behind a bush half way up a mountain when I was about 19 but other than that I have never needed such a life skill.

Sinuhe · 16/09/2026 08:33

ArcticBells · 16/09/2026 06:17

Do you carry a spade on hikes? 😯

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Yeah & 2 wet bag bags for wiping cloths. All needly stored in a special box. It's my crap so I deal with it.
Leave no trace. - I take that seriously... nothing worse than coming across some human shit!

lockinsideout · 16/09/2026 11:27

SALaw · 16/09/2026 07:50

Really?! I’m 47, have travelled a fair bit, camped etc and never pooed in a hole. I did once wee behind a bush half way up a mountain when I was about 19 but other than that I have never needed such a life skill.

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Surely anyone who has camped outside of a campsite has needed to poo in a hole?? And anyone who does a lot of walking or hill climbing will occasionally need a poo too. It's not the end of the world. Dig a hole, have a poo, bury it. Bury the toilet paper too or bring some wet wipes put in a bag and bring home. I wonder about a world where people have only peed or posed in pristine toilets. Or so many people whose children can't poo outside their own house. That is an anxiety disorder actually.