Dad blocking path with toddler on the potty

[WTDress]

I was in a local woods today, having a nice walk. It’s mostly paths but can be a bit narrow in places and overgrown.

Turned a corner and there, smack bang in the middle of the path was a child sat on a potty. With the dad hovering over with a baby wipe.

It wasn’t a massive inconvenience but we had to veer off the path into bushes to get past. There were plenty of clearings off the path the dad could have taken the child so 1, they were not in the bloody way, and 2 to provide a bit of privacy and dignity to the child.

AIBU or is this just utterly bizarre and entitled behaviour?

Oh and to add, it is a busy place, lots of walkers, so it’s not like he would have not expected people to be passing.

That does sound a daft place to stop but I guess if the child needed to go he just wanted to get him on the potty before he has an accident. I doubt it was a well planned stop, more of an emergency.

They could have walked 2 meters to a place less inconvenient

Sounds like an emergency to me and if he was by himself he just reacted in the moment. I am sure if he had more warning he would have sought a more convenient and private space. Quite heartened to hear of a dad doing potty training too because based on other posts on MN there don't seem to be many!

It was probably clear when he started and he thought would only take a minute. I couldn't get so riled up about it tbh

Sometimes kids can't though... they hold it in, they don't say what's happening until it has actually started. So parents have to react in the moment - alternative is to walk the two metres and by then their clothes are soiled and they aren't anywhere near their home. So kid has to squelch home and it can set back training further because the whole idea now has additional anxiety attached to it.

Sometimes kids hold till it they have to go right away. I wouldn't be bothered at all.

I’ve potty trained 2 myself I know how it works. But he could have even moved to the side of the path rather than smack bang in the middle of it.

I guess I am being U, though.

I imagine he was doing his best. I would have felt a bit of sympathy for the chap.

Did he at least apologise for blocking the path?

Ok fair enough. I guess I’m just being grumpy. He wasn’t the only oblivious path blocker we came across today but just the most bizarre one.

No!

Crikey op, I reckon you got out of the wrong side of bed today.

Sounds quite entitled then, if he had a momentary lapse of judgment through panic, but realised he'd been daft that would be one thing. If you were having a walk in the woods, I'm not sure why a potty would be necessary. Wouldn't you just go behind a tree and teach the kid in an emergency to be discreet and not just go in the middle of a path.

I think it’s a bit grotty honestly in the middle of a public path. It’s also doesn’t really respect his child’s privacy. Some people seem happy for their kids to be in full view while they’re having a shit, and I think it’s a bit icky really.

I have potty trained two kids and never had them sitting on a potty in full view of random people going around.

Same. I’m glad someone gets me.

Did he bring an actual potty? I think carrying a plastic potty into the woods is more odd!

Would you have started a post if it had been the child’s mother doing so?

Yes

Yes of course

I would assume it was an emergency and not think any more about it. Congratulations if you had children who always gave you warning when they needed the toilet, one of mine regularly waited until the very last second and in the early weeks we sat him on the potty immediately so that he didn't have an accident (and kept outings to places like parks and woods for that reason).

Meh! 🤷‍♂️

It's bizarre that you're still even thinking about it to be honest.

Something mildly inconvenient happened.

The end.

Isn’t that what AIBU is for?

Of course you’re not being unreasonable! He could of easily set the potty up to one side.

I would sit kid on potty and then lift and move kid and potty as one unit to the side of the path