To stop and let my child do a wee in a lay by?

[Treegle]

On the way home earlier my DC was desperate for the toilet and so I stopped in a lay by and let them wee there. MIL said I should have carried in until there was a toilet or wait to get home. I knew the route and it would have been at least 20 minutes before there was anywhere where there would have actually been a toilet and was v worried I would get a soaking wet car!!

Was it so terrible of my to let them wee in the lay by? Would you/have you done this??

Oh God yes I used to do this all the time!

Would do, have done!

Not me by the way, I mean my DS!!

Would do and have done. With small children, you can’t always wait until there’s a toilet. I make sure it’s not where someone will have to walk if possible -in the verge or hedge. Animals pee outside all the time. Don’t think a bit of small child pee will make much difference.

Hard shoulder - no. I think I'd rather clear up an accident. Lay by - Yes. Isn't that kind of what they are meant for? Stopping in an emergency. I think nearly everyone as a kid had a lay by wee on a long journey!

Not unreasonable at all

Your MIL sounds terribly precious. Of course YANBU.

What age of D.C ?

Depends how old they are. At five absolutely, at 18 not so much.

She's only 5! Obvs not right out of nappies but was absolutely desperate

Depends how old child is.

Ha @Steamedbadger I nearly said 18 as a joke. But no, just 5 (well...nearly 6)

MIL said her or I wouldn't have done it so we need to make her wait. I could tell she was absolutely desperate. She said would have been ok if she was a boy

Oops just seen 5. Acceptable at that age.

Absolutely fine imo.
Let my 8yo per in a lay by yesterday. Much better than an accident.

My dog goes in a lay-by sometimes, why would you not let a little child? Washes away soon enough with the amount of rain we get.

It's not like MIL would offer to clean your car if you followed her advice

As a child I did this all the time because I had a very weak bladder! Last time I had to wee outside was in a forest on holiday and there were no toilets for miles! Why is it ok for a boy but not a girl though???!

5 fine 15 hold it. Your MIL said it would be ok if she was a boy?!?!

Totally fine! God who hasn't done this with young kids.

I stopped in a lay-by recently in front of a lorry. The driver got out and walked about 6’ down the side of his lorry on the grass verge and had a slash. He was not so close I could see him in detail, but it was obvious what he was doing!

We were travelling on roadworks on the M6 recently, where it was down to two lanes and bumper to bumper! A woman got out of a car, pulled her leggings down and squatted down on the grass bank....Unfortunately for her, she was by one of those lorries with a massive street light on it to illuminate the M6.....everybody in cars on both sides of the central reservation could see her lit up!

I would not worry about a child at all!

Your mil is just being stupid. If she was desperate she had to go. I wonder of she would have said the same if it was her car.

We were travelling on roadworks on the M6 recently, where it was down to two lanes and bumper to bumper! A woman got out of a car, pulled her leggings down and squatted down on the grass bank....Unfortunately for her, she was by one of those lorries with a massive street light on it to illuminate the M6.....everybody in cars on both sides of the central reservation could see her lit up!

Ah that really made me laugh, the husband jumped

It's fine OP, obviously it's been a while since your mil had any littlies. Ask her son if he was allowed to water a leaf or 2 when he was little.

She said would have been ok if she was a boy

I'd be asking precisely why it would be more acceptable for a little boy rather than a little girl.

She is nearly 6 and not right out of nappies....why not?

:) mine have done many a lay-by wee! (Even my elderly, very well-to-do mother had to do it recently when stuck in a 2 hour traffic jam!!!) ... Better than the alternative!!