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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to use a potty in the park?

516 replies

garfieldrec · 27/07/2020 15:54

My 29 month old is a month into potty training. When he tells me 'weewee' I grab the potty from under the pram and let him use it. Is this ok?

I empty into a bush out of sight etc. Whole process takes about 20 seconds probably!

OP posts:
WaterOffADucksCrack · 27/07/2020 21:31

"garfieldrec

Jellybeansincognito

I agree @WaterOffADucksCrack

Everyone has a phone and are free to take pictures of anything these days.
It’s not appropriate to be whipping a potty out in full view.

Oh stop"

Why did you respond in that way? Don't you think privacy and dignity are good things to teach children?

Original poster
garfieldrec · 27/07/2020 21:32

@WaterOffADucksCrack

"garfieldrec

Jellybeansincognito

I agree @WaterOffADucksCrack

Everyone has a phone and are free to take pictures of anything these days.
It’s not appropriate to be whipping a potty out in full view.

Oh stop"

Why did you respond in that way? Don't you think privacy and dignity are good things to teach children?

I do, yes. But you're catastophising
OP posts:
WaterOffADucksCrack · 27/07/2020 21:34

I didn't type the part about photos. I typed the part about potty training being an ideal time to teach privacy and dignity by being as shielded from view as possible.

WaterOffADucksCrack · 27/07/2020 21:35

And it wasn't catastophising of the pp to point out cameras/phones/cctv everywhere.

sleepingpup · 27/07/2020 21:37

Omg OP you're doing grand. Potty training is a bloody pain. You're out and about and he's well on his way by the sound of it.

Etiquette wise if you're taking a potty with you I'd keep discreet if he needs it. Over by a bush or something. For his privacy and other's sensitivities.

Best thing ever is if you can teach him to wee standing up. wild wees are the way forward. Little boys can wee anywhere!

Original poster
garfieldrec · 27/07/2020 21:39

@WaterOffADucksCrack

I didn't type the part about photos. I typed the part about potty training being an ideal time to teach privacy and dignity by being as shielded from view as possible.
Agree
OP posts:
Original poster
garfieldrec · 27/07/2020 21:40

@sleepingpup

Omg OP you're doing grand. Potty training is a bloody pain. You're out and about and he's well on his way by the sound of it.

Etiquette wise if you're taking a potty with you I'd keep discreet if he needs it. Over by a bush or something. For his privacy and other's sensitivities.

Best thing ever is if you can teach him to wee standing up. wild wees are the way forward. Little boys can wee anywhere!

I'm so going to get on the whole standing wee thing!
OP posts:
itshappened · 27/07/2020 21:42

I have a 'my carry potty' for my daughter. She potty trained pretty easily and happily uses a loo at nursery and at home; but doesn't like going in public loos very much, especially if they are dirty and/or noisy from hand dryers. She has given herself an infection before from holding it in as she gets anxious in these situation, so I'd much prefer she quickly sits on a potty than risk going through that again. I see parents holding kids up trying to get them to wee by bushes and trees in the park all the time. I don't see why a potty is any worse!

WaterOffADucksCrack · 27/07/2020 21:54

AdditionalCharacter God that's awful!

yousmileyouwave · 27/07/2020 22:13

OP you are doing exactly what I'm doing at the moment.

I take the potette for my DD to use when we're out (I know what you mean about the unsteady legs - it's very convenient but not perfect).

So far I've had to use it in the park, on the way to the park in the street and on the beach ...Yes I was horrified and embarrassed whilst she was sitting on it each time, but it's the only option at the moment. She's only been training for a few weeks so still learning.

She's already getting so much better and hasn't needed it the past couple of times we've been out.

Some of the post on here are maddening! I'm very envious that some of you lot have children that took to toilet training straight away, that's not the case with all children, surely you can understand that!?

I wouldn't care at all if I saw a toddler using a potty in public. I've seen it happen a lot.

Oh, and I don't see any problem with you saying your DS is 29 months, makes perfect sense to me considering the topic we're discussing.

morefun · 27/07/2020 22:18

I don't know! My dd was older so didn't ever use a potty (too tall). It was very easy doing it when she was 3+ and accidents were really rare.

If I saw someone with a potty in the park, I wouldn't care though. Long as thy cleaned it up and let their child have a little privacy, it's all good.

Voice0fReason · 27/07/2020 22:24

I used to carry the potty liners around with me (ditched the potty) for my sons. My youngest gave very little warning and he was also terrified of hand dryers so even if there was a public toilet I often struggled to get him in there. There wasn't always a convenient bush so I had to find somewhere discrete to let him pee. I honestly couldn't give a stuff if someone noticed or objected - if they did, no-one ever said anything.
I was as discrete as I possibly could be and I was doing my best for my son.

Yumblesbumbles · 27/07/2020 22:31

Didn’t realise anyone has an issue with this? I had a portable potty with a firm lock on it so you can let them use it wherever then take contents home with you to dispose of if needs be lol...was a life saver as toddler used it in the boot of car on long journeys when no loos around and at parks and beach etc.

Ineedcoffee2345 · 27/07/2020 22:40

29 month year old 😂 i just made sure dds had peed before we went out never needed to bring a potty anywhere

SantaClaritaDiet · 27/07/2020 22:45

When you see the mess feral imbeciles have left in some touristy places, it's clear that ADULTS should carry an adult version of the potette with them, instead of leaving poop everywhere.

They exist btw, they are called portable camping toilets

SantaClaritaDiet · 27/07/2020 22:46

i just made sure dds had peed before we went out never needed to bring a potty anywhere

you do know it's very unhealthy for anyone not to pee enough when they need it...

I am always amazed at all these people who don't seem to leave their house for more than 1 hour at a time. I'd rather keep a potette with me, car included.

FlowerTink · 27/07/2020 22:48

I used to have one in the boot of my car for DD for long journeys or if we were anywhere without toilets. I'd especially have one handy at the moment if I had a toddler aged child as not all toilets are open or easily accessible in the current situation.

Ineedcoffee2345 · 27/07/2020 22:52

Where did i imply i never left the house for longer than an hour? Both have no toilet/bladder issues Confused.

They peed before we went out and if they needed ti when out they knew to hold it until we got a toilet!

Thisismytimetoshine · 27/07/2020 22:54

@SantaClaritaDiet

i just made sure dds had peed before we went out never needed to bring a potty anywhere

you do know it's very unhealthy for anyone not to pee enough when they need it...

I am always amazed at all these people who don't seem to leave their house for more than 1 hour at a time. I'd rather keep a potette with me, car included.

Like there's nothing in between not peeing at all or al fresco peeing in a potty 😂
cathcath2 · 27/07/2020 22:56

It's fine. Those saying that they never had any accidents and their children were toilet trained in a day or two are very lucky. They are not the norm!

SantaClaritaDiet · 27/07/2020 22:56

They peed before we went out and if they needed ti when out they knew to hold it until we got a toilet!

Ah! Your personal preference is to stick to places with public toilets accessible at all time! I understand. It sounds awfully restrictive, I'd rather have a potty in my bag but each to their own.

Greenmarmalade · 27/07/2020 22:57

Haven’t rtft.

I use a portapotty EVERYWHERE. I’m currently training my 4th child and have no issue taking it out wherever, whenever.

Ignore any negative feedback (and remember that dogs pee everywhere!) and do whatever you and your boy need.

Ineedcoffee2345 · 27/07/2020 22:59

@SantaClaritaDiet

They peed before we went out and if they needed ti when out they knew to hold it until we got a toilet!

Ah! Your personal preference is to stick to places with public toilets accessible at all time! I understand. It sounds awfully restrictive, I'd rather have a potty in my bag but each to their own.

No thats not the case at all. No restrictions at all. Limited water intake if to far from a toilet Wink
SantaClaritaDiet · 27/07/2020 22:59

Like there's nothing in between not peeing at all or al fresco peeing in a potty

when you are reading the thread, there's is not for some people (allegedly..)

SantaClaritaDiet · 27/07/2020 23:00

No restrictions at all. Limited water intake Confused

I am not sure you understand what the word "restriction" actually means....

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