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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be completey and utterly sick of cleaning up bodily fluids of all descriptions and species?

28 replies

SmugColditz · 08/06/2008 11:22

The cat has sh*t in the garden, the kids have got into it and plastered it everytwhere. So they have been washed in antibac handwash, but the gardn is still stinking and plastered - I don't care what people say it IS my cat, I've seen her at it.

I am having to wash ds1s duvet and bedding every single day because he is flooding the bed several t6imes a night.

The mattress stinks in his room and so does the carpet, so I have to go and scrub those with carpet shampoo in a minute.

I can't put his in nappies, he is five and would blurt it at school and get teased. I can't use a duvet protector, they play his eczema up.

I have had my fill of sht and pss!

OP posts:
Original poster
SmugColditz · 08/06/2008 11:25

I do not know where to start in the garden, to be honest - how do you get rid of cat poo and how do you stop them reoffending?

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sweetkitty · 08/06/2008 11:30

Aww you have my sympathies I feel the exact same way.

Most days I clean the cat litter tray out in the morning then every 2 hours for the rest of the day one of them goes in it so I have to go clean it up, two of them are completely incapable of covering it over so it stinks the house out even though it's in the back of a huge cupboard in the kitchen. (oh am 36 weeks pregnant and I know I shouldn't even be near it but it's either that or live in a house stinking of cat poo). One of the cats can't actually pee in the litter tray either, even though it has a hood she will hang her bum over the end and pee on the floor cue cleaning that up. I have cat sick/fur balls most days too.

Yes most days there is a poo in the garden too (don't know if it's mine though) so got to go antibac that.

Only have one (just now) still in nappies who refuses to be potty trained so at least I can put her in pull ups as she's only 2. DD1 is almost 4 and still in pull ups at night or I would have pee all over the bed too.

Yes my life is s* too

ILikeToMoveItMoveIt · 08/06/2008 11:30

Cat poo - do you keep your grass short? I think they are less likely to poo in it if it's short.

They also love freshly dug earth and bark chips. Can you provide them with this in an area that is away from the kids?

notnowbernard · 08/06/2008 11:31

They don't like citrus, apparently. Could you squeeze some jif lemon everywhere?

Can't you get those pull-ups designed for the older child?

I have opposite problem, dd1 (4.6) deffo still needs a night-time nappy but is proud to wear one

sweetkitty · 08/06/2008 11:32

To get rid pick up as much as you can (I find nappy bags and kitchen roll good) then use antibac spray and spray entire area then wipe again with kitchen roll.

I think there is sprays you can buy to stop them going again as once they have been once they think of it as a toilet IYSWIM. Bicarbonate of soda is good for getting rid of the smell (kills your grass though).

Flamesparrow · 08/06/2008 11:32

Do all mattress protectors play up his eczema? We have one of those incontinent things that you just shove on the top and whip off.

Ooh or a moon pad - hang on...

No idea w/r cats.

Flamesparrow · 08/06/2008 11:33

here

Flamesparrow · 08/06/2008 11:33

(she hand makes the pads, so it wouldn't need to be pink!!)

Sidge · 08/06/2008 11:39

I sympathise.

I seem to have spent all weekend washing the carpet in the lounge, as well as the sofa cushion covers. DD2 is learning to use the potty but pees over the top of it as she's too big, DD3 has developed a habit of taking her clothes and nappy off and running around weeing everywhere, DD1 seems to have viral clumsiness this weekend and has spilled orange juice on the carpet (a whole glass) and all three of them seem to be waving their cups around so there is water and juice everywhere.

I have used nearly a whole bottle of Vanish and am slowly losing the will to live. I've sent them in the garden as the sun is shining and it doesn't matter if they spill/wee out there but they keep coming back in.

How many hours until bedtime?

RandZsMummy · 08/06/2008 11:41

My ds has only been dry at night for about 2 months, he is 5. when he was still going through the bed wetting stage I used pampers bed mats they go under the bed sheet so they don?t get into contact with their skin and you just throw it away in the morning. It doesn?t help with the amount of washing but at least you don?t have to try and clean the mattress every morning. They are about £4 for 7 mats.

Hassled · 08/06/2008 11:44

Firstly you'd be surprised how many 5 year olds are in pull-ups at night. The thing to remember (and say) is that they are NOT nappies - they're just a special sort of pants . It has to be better than a stinking mattress (bicarb will sort the smell out).

Re the garden - as much ground pepper as you can find, spread liberally around the chosen area of mud, should put the cat off. Bury the turds as deep as you can because if the cat can smell it, it will see that as a sign that it's OK to go there again.

Original poster
SmugColditz · 08/06/2008 22:29

No, he knows pull ups are like nappies, he's seen the babies on the advert wandering around in pull ups and if I try to tell him they are pants he just points to the label on the packet that says "Pull ups"!

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MarmadukeScarlet · 08/06/2008 22:32

What about the 'pajama pants' I have seen advertised, like shorty things?

ChasingSquirrels · 08/06/2008 22:34

I dont think he would get teased at school would he? I was under the impression that quite a number were still in nightime nappies.
tbh I wouldn't care if he knew they were nappies or not, if he was flooding the bed several times a night I would be duct-taping a nappy to him.
No idea on cat poo, why do the kids plaster it? Can you not pick it up before they go in the garden?

retiredgoth · 08/06/2008 22:38

.....one of my twins was in night pull ups until 6 1/2. I am aware of others wearing them until much older. They will not be teased, as this is not a topic of playground conversation (unless sleeping at a friends. When this happened he was delighted to find that his little friends also wore pull ups..)

...but cleaning bodily fluids is unpleasant. I am a nurse, so in theory should do this as part of my job. However, I am now senior enough to, er, delegate when a "code brown" occurs....

eekamoose · 08/06/2008 22:45

There is a cat deterrent called "Get Off My Garden!!!!" has hideous weirdy smell (sort of minty but overpowering) and it works well. Clean the poo up as soon as you can, otherwise the area is seen by all felines as some sort of communal latrine. Short grass also good idea as posted earlier.

I have a pack of pyjama pants (opened but lots still left in it) for 5 to 7 year olds which you are welcome to have. How would anyone at school know DS wears one of those at night?

Original poster
SmugColditz · 08/06/2008 23:09

Because he would tell them. He hasn't got the social savvy not to. He's really struggling with the social side of school at the moment, and he doesn't bedwet all the time, but he is a bit miserable at school as he has gone from a tiny preschool-like reception playground to the huge KS1 playground to prepare him for year one - well, he's not being prepared, he's terrified and lonely. He hates it.

He's also not very well, and the only paracetamol based product that doesn't keep him flying on Es all night is medised! And Medised makes him wet the bed - as does blackcurrant squash, being poorly, being tired, drinking a lot and being stressed!

Poor little thing is going through a lot at the minute actually.

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MarmadukeScarlet · 08/06/2008 23:16

That sounds tough, poor lad.

Can you 'lift' him, well not physically but we used to get DD up and sit her on the loo because she could be a little unreliable - she could chat and everything and in the morning knew nothing about it.

DD can also not keep secrets and would tell too, but would start by saying "I'm not supposed to tell you this secret but..."

Are his teachers aware of how sad and scared he is feeling? Perhaps the playgroung helper could be asked to keep an extra eye?

I hope things improve soon.

Original poster
SmugColditz · 08/06/2008 23:47

I've asked the teacher to keep and eye, they know he is struggling, but you can't FORCE other children to play with him - he said he asked everyone in the playground to play with him and they all said no, and I instantly decided that my son is far too precious to turn over to the imbeciles prowling his school playground, so we are moving to somewhere where he's not the only boy in his class who can read and add up.

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Original poster
SmugColditz · 08/06/2008 23:48

I don't think 5 year olds who don't read and add up are imbeciles, BTW, I mean they are imbeciles for not wanting to play with probably the nicest little boy in the whole fucking world.

He cried all the way home on Thursday and Friday. They need to sort it out before I firebomb the head master's office.

ie, Tuesday.

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MarmadukeScarlet · 08/06/2008 23:54

That is so sad.

I had similar with my DD, sweetest poppet going and on her own every break. Once in the bath aged 6 she said, "Mummy, maybe I'm just the sort of girl who doesn't have any friends." Makes me well up just thinking of it now.

So I understand the imbecile comment completely. Are the school being crap ? < passes molotov cocktail>

Do you have to move house or can he move schools?

My DD would regularly wet when under this sort of stress at school.

MarmadukeScarlet · 08/06/2008 23:55

and walk in her sleep and have nightmares.

Children (other, playground imbeciles not our own pfb) can be really vile.

Original poster
SmugColditz · 09/06/2008 00:01

I can't move house, and really, the problem is his lack of social skills, verbal speed (speech delay) and streetwise. It's going to follow him wherever we go but the only solution is to let him play with children as much as possible, it's not something an adult can teach.

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Original poster
SmugColditz · 09/06/2008 00:03

Ohhh that's sad, did you cry? I have cried every time ds1 has mentioned it, and reassured him that people do want to play with him, he just hasn't found the best people yet....

I'm sure your dd is the sort of little girl who has lots of friends, but just doesn't quite get the "HUr hur hurrrr" mentality of the popular ones

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MarmadukeScarlet · 09/06/2008 09:03

DD does have lots of friends now, yr3, but not a 'best' friend. She sort of hovers around and plays with different groups, sometimes she enjoys being on her own (she says). Not having a best friend, along with being a bit 'different' (non-streetwise, daydreamy, non-sporty and dyspraxic) did leave her open to some pretty unkind behaviour (schools don't like to call it bullying, do they?) We did consider moving her to the school her brother attends (tiny independent school where everyone is valued) but she said, "I'm not good or clever enough to be here (current) so will I have to go to X school" and although I wanted her to go to a more nurturing school, I didn't want her to feel she hadn't reached the required 'standard'.

She still gets a little upset when X won't let her play, but I think I get more upset!

When I had some help with DS I used to have lots of her classmates to play, as this can form (temporary) friendship 'glue'. I had to do a good impression of 'fun mummy' though and I'm not a natural child lover!

Oh good luck, I really feel for you having been through this myself.