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?

Toddlers have no dignity and privacy. Those are alien concepts to them.

So you think because they don’t have a concept of it they have no right to dignity and privacy?

If you need to carry a potty on a walk your child isn’t potty trained and should be in a pull up or walking where there is regular access to toilets.

Saw a mum carrying a potty totty or something the other day bright pink and white like a lunchbox almost. Made me so glad I’m not potty training today if that’s now the done thing.

Pee in a bush or behind a tree I can completely get but potties in the middle of paths or even the edge of the path tbh is just weird.

When did parents stop even trying.

I think the dignity and privacy they need/deserve is different to what older people need/deserve. An older child or adult would feel embarrassed/undignified to be observed weeing or pooing but a toddler wouldn't. Their needs are different. I don't think they need privacy in the same way , no, and just as well because they can't have it! Given they have to be accompanied/ observed at almost all times.

True. Given that he didn’t apologise I’m inclined to think he was just doing his best. Better than ignoring the child’s request too.

Parent could easily manoeuvre child and potty to the side, but folks only think about themselves. Maybe you could've waited right there for them to finish and clear the path, but that may have been slightly petty.

Beautifully put. We wouldn’t say that dementia sufferers for example don’t deserve dignity and privacy if they reach a point they are no longer able to understand or care about it, and the same should be true of children, even young children. Where we are able to be respectful and allow our children privacy, we should. Obviously we need to assist them, but we can do almost always do that in a way that respects their privacy and bodies.

And that includes not placing them in the middle of a public path to have a shite.

I don’t think I’d have given this any thought at all, let alone been riled up by it and started a thread. 🫢

No OP you aren’t being unreasonable - some of these responses! We all managed to grow up with having to piss/poo in a potty in the middle of a public footpath, so this parent could have done the same. As you said a normal person would have moved off the path to the side.

Yes, it is.

But there's always one. Some has to say something like "I can't believe this is occupying all your thoughts" or "let it go" or "if this is your biggest problem..."

It's tiresome but not much you can do except ignore them.

Our DS had been acting whiny all day. We had just got off the tube, coming up a very long narrow pedestrian path and he was like 'i need to go now!'. He had diarrhea, luckily we had the potty. It was pretty embarrassing though, definitely not the ideal place for it, but there was no where to go.
I'm sure there's a reason for what you came across.

The path was probably flatter, than the surrounding area, and you need a stable base for an emergency potty stop. I think you are being unnecessarily critical, and are vulgar for even noticing. A lady would have walked by with eyes averted, and never mentioned it again!

I know all kids are different but when my son was potty training he was still getting used to just going in a potty, he got upset when we tried to do 'wild wees', he would cry and start weeing before I could help him aim! Then we'd have wet clothes. So sounds easy but not always an easy thing to teach to a newbie!

Really can't get worked up about this at all ...
Kid needs toilet, dad produces potty. ...

I get this as I would never wild wee as a kid, but the Dad not acknowledging he was in the way of someone trying to get by and apologising, is surely something you'd instinctively model to a young child?

Sometimes it’s NOW! And we all know toddlers can be monomaniacs. Maybe it had to be the path in case the Gruffalo got them with their pants down or whatever.

How very dare this man not allowing his child be in soiled clothes? Absolutely no dignity at all.

Give over, it's a potty training child.

While it may have been mildly inconvenient for you, you were able to witness the rare phenomenon of the male species parenting in the wild. How exciting. A once in a lifetime moment caught ungaured and unfettered, it may never be seen again. The male parenting is usually regarded as a myth.

You have been truly blessed. A wild shit in the woods. Wow.

I really wish I hadn’t have added that it was a dad rather than a mum. Genuinely to me it made absolutely no difference to my perception of the scenario but clearly has triggered a lot of you.

Now don’t come at me but it was a man ! Not always that logical . I’ll get me coat ! Just be thankful he didn’t just let the child poo on the path !

Seems like I am extremely fortunate that I have a capable DH that does his 50% of parenting.

A child sitting on a potty is less graphic than a dog shitting in the woods, and everyone seems to be fine with the latter.

#dignityfordogs

Oh, of course! That part I don't disagree with.

But I mean you have read threads on here right? You can see why it stands out in comparison to at least 80% of the posts on here. I still wouldn’t have given a crap (sorry al fresco potty humour) if it had been his Mum. And for all we know he has two dads.

I think it’s fucking grim, frankly. But people seem to have no qualms about whipping out those portable potties wherever they feel like it these days.