to use a potty in the park?

[garfieldrec]

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!

I have never taken a potty with me, and I have 3 kids! Due to the widespread toilet closures I have invested in a he-wee for my youngest but only needed it once in 4 months since potty training, and I think that was more for novelty reasons!

We used the porta potty things when my children were potty training. Perfectly reasonable and no ever said anything

I honestly don’t see a problem with this like other people have said as long as it’s not right next to people eating and your as discreet as can be. Not all toddlers can hold it for very long in the beginning and it’s just a stepping stone until they get better at holding it. We bought one of the pooette I think it’s called from boots it’s a little plastic frame that folds flat and you attach a bag with an absorbent strip inside. Perfectly hygienic

My DS is a month older than yours and we are a few weeks into potty training too.

I take a travel potty wherever we go.

Sometimes we need it, sometimes we don't.

We live in a village that only has one public toilet. There are 3 local parks - none of them have public loos. So we have definitely found a private corner to use the potty.

Our potty is leak proof so I just keep whatever he's done until we get home (or see another loo) and flush it.

I've tried to get him to pee standing up but he's not quite cracked it yet.

We're currently working on the transition to using the toilet, so hopefully won't need his potty for too much longer.

Honestly you know your child and what they need, everyone is different and these days you really can't rely on public facilities being open.

In my opinion it's far better to be prepared than get caught out with a public accident. Just try to be as discreet as possible.

Perfectly fine, and a good idea.

I did at first think it was you using the potty and that wouldn’t have been fine fyi!

@Tas1984

Your 2 year old.... just say 2 year old 🙄

He's not 2. He's way passed two. Months are important for milestones.

Anything useless to add?

@SugarNyx

Your child is two. Stop counting in months. My son pulled his pants down in the park and when I asked what he was doing he said ‘I’m pooping’ So in my experience a potty is a very good idea!

Are you the 'counting in months' police?

@VK456

I wouldn’t bat an eyelid if I saw you. I’d be more likely to think how well prepared you were!

So kind!

@midnightstar66

DD’s both went straight to toilet so I never did this. I do find it odd when people whip out a potty, what’re on earth do you fit it among everything else you have to carry or pile in a buggy? It’s also not very private for them sitting and seeing in a park surrounded by people. A tree or bush at least would be a bit more discreet. I guess if we were going to be out for hours with potentially no toilet access I might have put a pull up on for accidents But don’t remember it ever being an issue. Mine were both 2 as well - or 23 and 25 months if you want precision 😆

So a potty is a no, but wetting themselves in a pull up is better? Weird

Never took a potty out, couldn't be bothered. I did have a flask thing for him to wee in tho in an emergency. To be fair to him, he has such a strong bladder and can easily hold for 4+hrs, and will only poo at home. He was potty trained just shy of 2 1/2 and was dry of a night from 2, still took me 6 months to ditch the night nappy though, I just wasn't brave enough!

Using a nappy in case of emergency when you know there will be no toilets on a 2 year old who's not quite fully ready to be toilet trained is weird?? Ok then! Tbh I only remember 2 occasions I actually did that. Once on a 7 hour car journey and another time on a journey to Italy which involved a long drive, flight and train although neither turned out to be needed. As I said I've just never seen it and I've spent countless hours in parks. I've e often seen dc being snuck over to a secluded bush though.

@midnightstar66

No one is being a perfect parent! OP asked both opinion and what people did who didn't use potties and they answered. I've genuinely never seen a child use a potty in the park and I've spent hours upon hours in them in the last 10 years so it can't be that common and there are clearly other alternatives.

That's because they do it in the bushes. I see parents with travel potty's all the time. I just don't think it's fair to demoralise a parent for doing so! I for one carry one & I have 2 under 5yr olds. I would rather they felt comfortable and not had accidents.

I've seen so many people using a portable potty. I never did but my youngest dd4 always needs to go when my friend pulls hers out for her potty training little one. Can't believe there are people out there who would judge!!

I have 2 daughters. I never carried a potty (saw a lady leaving a restaurant once with one to go use it in the bathroom and thought it was weird...)

I use the diaper bags (read "doggy bags"). I know it is awkward but it works. Wee-wee as well. I've had to do it in the middle of the playground a few times.... Rule number 1: hide as well as you are able to! Even if it's just behind the pushchair on the edge of the playground. I just hold the bag in place and then tie a knot. Never got my hands dirty!

No I don't think it's ok to take a potty. Take spare underwear with you instead. They need to learn that sometimes they have to wait. I've had 4 children, all of them trained at different ages. Sometimes we tried and gave up. One of my twins had turned 3 before she got it. Underwear on, nappies off, and deal with it ! Not the end of the world if he wets his pants. Just change them.

I think the people saying a potty is too big to carry around are imagining something like this, when those of us who take potties out with us mean something like this, which folds up to fit in your bag.

Not exactly onerous or heavy to carry, and means that when there actually is a public toilet available he can sit on it comfortably without risking falling in.

tigerlilly22 You seriously think it's better to make a child wet themselves than to let them pee behind a bush when there is no public toilet available? Because "they need to learn they have to wait"?

Honestly, that sounds pretty abusive to me. Do you rub their noses in it as well?

No I don't think it's ok to take a potty. Take spare underwear with you instead. They need to learn that sometimes they have to wait.

You would rather a toddler messed/wet themself as a lesson than use a potty? Then carry round dirty/wet clothes?

No I don't think it's ok to take a potty. Take spare underwear with you instead. They need to learn that sometimes they have to wait.

Oh for goodness sake. potty training is a right old pain in the bum and how you get to the finish line so doesn't matter.

Potty no potty. wild weed public loos. Pull ups. Gods sake who cares. It's a pretty thankless business. just get it done whatever way suits you. They'll all get it EVENTUALLY.

I've trained 4 and it's a bit of a blur tbh. Remember thinking with the last one thank god I don't have to do these again. Don't think I took a potty with me but so what. Sounds like OP is cracking on fine. And trying to find a polite way to do it. So many people on here getting their knickers in a twist over literally nothing.

As long as they don't poop in the middle of Tesco's who cares. Actually my lovely little niece did a wee at the top of the long slope, in the main hall of the Tate Modern and and it seemed to stream down there slowly for MILES. For the whole world to see. very embarrassing for my brother trying to chase it down and wipe it up.

A potty behind a tree is a complete non event.

@garfieldrec taking a potty out is absolutely fine, some of the replies on here are bloody ridiculous avoid these parents like the plague

My first dd took ages to potty train, was a bloody nightmare going anywhere so the potty came with us.

Dd2 was just 2 when she decided she didn't want a nappy anymore and that was it, bladder of steel.

I'd never judge a parent carrying a potty (unless they let their child poo in it whilst drinking my coffee in the park cafe)

I never carried a potty around

A few times I saw parents that did

Much eye rolling just go behind a bush and a few accidents won’t harm a child

OMG, OP I can't believe some of the ridiculous replys you hsve had on here.
Here is my quick response:
"Where etiquette is concerned it is fine to produce a potty and for the child to use a potty rather than weeing on the floor/ground".
Longer response:
I just rang up the Queen and asked her advice, she said that many of her State Rooms are quite far away from the Little Throne Rooms, so would much rather any young visiters/Grandchildren used a potty in one of her rooms, than wee through their pants, down their legs, and onto her very luxurious Wilton, or if outside onto her immaculately mown and tended lawn. I think the Queen must be the Tribal Chief of etiquette, so you now have the official answer, weeing in potty's, indoors or out, is fine if the child is under, say 5 years old, (she refused to give me an exact age).
Other points:
Once again, OMG, I cannot believe people have moaned about you giving your child's exact age on something that can be very age related - even I would say that a 12 year old probably shouldn't be using a potty in a public place. I am 62, my husband is 69, our ages make no difference to us now, however if we had started sleeping together when I was 14 and he was 21, everyone would have been disgusted. Between the ages of 1 to at least 4 years old, every month can make a huge diference to abilities and expectations. I know that you are mature enough to not need any affirmation from me, but honestly OP I didn't know whether to be flabbergasted, or weeing MY pants amused at those responses!
Moving swiftly on, I cannot even remember toilet training my three boys, I just know that they were all trained by the time they sent to school, and I am reasonably sure that a potty was involved.
I do remember, however, my husband and I taking our Granddaughter put for days during her toilet training days, wow what fun we had! I am disabled so my husband had to do all the physical stuff, and I well remember us having to take her behind a bush, where my husband had to have her hanging between one of his arms on her back and the other behind her knees, she wee'd on his shoes twice that way!! So yes we then started to take a potty with us - most of you will have to cover your eyes and ears for the next bit, maybe even you OP - we were once in Boots (The Chemist, not the footware) when she announced she was bursting, so we very quickly took her behind some quiet shelves and plonked her on her potty, surely that was preferable to her weeing all over the floor, which the staff would have had to clear up? I hope all you Mum's lucky enough to still be young enough to have the pleasure of having small children (although I could make a good case out for being a Grandparent too), one day look back on the toilet training times either with slightly embarrassed amusement, or like me struggling to even remember what I was so worried about at the time

@midnightstar66

Using a nappy in case of emergency when you know there will be no toilets on a 2 year old who's not quite fully ready to be toilet trained is weird?? Ok then! Tbh I only remember 2 occasions I actually did that. Once on a 7 hour car journey and another time on a journey to Italy which involved a long drive, flight and train although neither turned out to be needed. As I said I've just never seen it and I've spent countless hours in parks. I've e often seen dc being snuck over to a secluded bush though.

I would do the same for long car journeys, but not for a visit to the park

@tigerlilly22

No I don't think it's ok to take a potty. Take spare underwear with you instead. They need to learn that sometimes they have to wait. I've had 4 children, all of them trained at different ages. Sometimes we tried and gave up. One of my twins had turned 3 before she got it. Underwear on, nappies off, and deal with it ! Not the end of the world if he wets his pants. Just change them.

Ridiculous! You'd rather make them have an accident? How is that fair to the child? Honestly.:.. I feel like that would upset my son, and damage his confidence and self esteem.

This thread is crazy in parts.

@Bl3ss3dm0m

OMG, OP I can't believe some of the ridiculous replys you hsve had on here. Here is my quick response: "Where etiquette is concerned it is fine to produce a potty and for the child to use a potty rather than weeing on the floor/ground". Longer response: I just rang up the Queen and asked her advice, she said that many of her State Rooms are quite far away from the Little Throne Rooms, so would much rather any young visiters/Grandchildren used a potty in one of her rooms, than wee through their pants, down their legs, and onto her very luxurious Wilton, or if outside onto her immaculately mown and tended lawn. I think the Queen must be the Tribal Chief of etiquette, so you now have the official answer, weeing in potty's, indoors or out, is fine if the child is under, say 5 years old, (she refused to give me an exact age). Other points: Once again, OMG, I cannot believe people have moaned about you giving your child's exact age on something that can be very age related - even I would say that a 12 year old probably shouldn't be using a potty in a public place. I am 62, my husband is 69, our ages make no difference to us now, however if we had started sleeping together when I was 14 and he was 21, everyone would have been disgusted. Between the ages of 1 to at least 4 years old, every month can make a huge diference to abilities and expectations. I know that you are mature enough to not need any affirmation from me, but honestly OP I didn't know whether to be flabbergasted, or weeing MY pants amused at those responses! Moving swiftly on, I cannot even remember toilet training my three boys, I just know that they were all trained by the time they sent to school, and I am reasonably sure that a potty was involved. I do remember, however, my husband and I taking our Granddaughter put for days during her toilet training days, wow what fun we had! I am disabled so my husband had to do all the physical stuff, and I well remember us having to take her behind a bush, where my husband had to have her hanging between one of his arms on her back and the other behind her knees, she wee'd on his shoes twice that way!! So yes we then started to take a potty with us - most of you will have to cover your eyes and ears for the next bit, maybe even you OP - we were once in Boots (The Chemist, not the footware) when she announced she was bursting, so we very quickly took her behind some quiet shelves and plonked her on her potty, surely that was preferable to her weeing all over the floor, which the staff would have had to clear up? I hope all you Mum's lucky enough to still be young enough to have the pleasure of having small children (although I could make a good case out for being a Grandparent too), one day look back on the toilet training times either with slightly embarrassed amusement, or like me struggling to even remember what I was so worried about at the time

Hahahahaha!! Wonderful post xxx