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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to think child might struggle to poop in a hole in the woods?

89 replies

wldpwr · Today 18:56

If you have a child aged 4, 5 or 6...

... full day of childcare in the woods, only option for number two is 1) notify teacher, 2) teacher digs small hole, 3) child poops in hole, 4) teacher covers hole and helps child clean up.

YABU = my kid could cope with this, no problem

YANBU = this sounds like something my kid might find weird or difficult

Thanks!

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NewGoldFox · Today 18:57

Wtf

wldpwr · Today 18:59

NewGoldFox · Today 18:57

Wtf

Is that a YANBU?

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CheeseAndSaladCreamSandwich · Today 19:02

My 7 year old would think he'd had the best day of his life

maggisimpson · Today 19:02

None of my children would have pooped in a hole.

Anothercake · Today 19:04

We do this on long dog walks (except I doggy bag it and bin it). What's the plan if loads of kids are regularly in those woods pooing all over the place while also digging around and playing? This is not somewhere I'd want my kids to spend time.

ComtesseDeSpair · Today 19:04

I think many children would find it difficult if they’d not been taken camping or hiking before, yes. I think it’s a reasonably common forest school expectation in some countries though, friends’ young children’s forest schools do this - but pupils are expected to have the capability before being allowed to enrol, rather than expecting them to deal with something they’ve never done before.

OriginalSkang · Today 19:07

My DD would not have been up for this at all at that age. I remember a long walk we went on when she was six where she became quite hysterical because that was the only option and she didn't want to

Greenfinch7 · Today 19:07

My kids all pooped in holes at that age because we went on some all day hikes.

Favouritefruits · Today 19:08

What! No… neither of my boys would do that and I wouldn’t expect them to either. Surely nobody is proposing this?

BirdLandedonmyHead · Today 19:10

And hiw dies the teacher and child properley wash their hands afterwards?

persephoneee · Today 19:10

I read somewhere that certain men shat in the golf holes as a protest at Trump's visit to his golf courses in Scotland. They could give the kids some lessons on shitting in the wild.

CombatBarbie · Today 19:10

School would be easier taking a portable potty tbh. Neither of my Dds would have had an issue with this as many african holidays when out locally, it was a hole in the floor.

ilovepixie · Today 19:12

How do they wipe? If using toilet paper where do they put it?

persephoneee · Today 19:18

I walked a stage of the Camino de Santiago many years ago and believe me, pooping in the wild was the norm. Sad to say some of the pilgrims just went and left it behind, most though bagged up the stuff and deposited at the next available bin, or dug a hole for it. Me included when caught short. It's not something anyone wants to do, but sometimes has to.

NewGoldFox · Today 19:19

Is it a one off day long hike scenario or is it being proposed as a routine solution?

MarzipanAngel · Today 19:24

One of mine pooed in the middle of a park so I’m sure a hole in the woods would have been ok.
I could never, it’s something that puts me off big long hikes tbh.

Deadleaves77 · Today 19:30

I think they would manage it but it doesnt seem very sanitary long term. Imagine 30 poos buried all over the woods? Is this just a one day thing?

I cant imagine a 6 yo being ecstatic about having to tell their teacher they need a poo and then waiting for them to dig a hole and then burying it. That seems a bit old for tolerating a teacher to help them shit.

OriginalSkang · Today 19:34

Yes, if this is a weekly or more often thing there is going to be people digging up old poo and an area of the woods that's full of buried poo

VeterinaryCareAssistant · Today 19:36

BirdLandedonmyHead · Today 19:10

And hiw dies the teacher and child properley wash their hands afterwards?

Hand sanitiser i presume.

Llamallamafruitpyjama · Today 19:40

MarzipanAngel · Today 19:24

One of mine pooed in the middle of a park so I’m sure a hole in the woods would have been ok.
I could never, it’s something that puts me off big long hikes tbh.

We hike often and just poop before we go.

beaglescurleduplikebagels · Today 19:43

Llamallamafruitpyjama · Today 19:40

We hike often and just poop before we go.

Not everyone can control their urges that much!

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · Today 19:44

Llamallamafruitpyjama · Today 19:40

We hike often and just poop before we go.

I have never felt like pooing on a long hike, and I also hike often.

Unless you’ve got diarrhoea, it’s rare that you can’t hold it in.

It’s not like wee where come a certain point you simply have to go in order to be able to put one foot in front of the other (unless you’re unwell as I said!)

wldpwr · Today 20:05

ComtesseDeSpair · Today 19:04

I think many children would find it difficult if they’d not been taken camping or hiking before, yes. I think it’s a reasonably common forest school expectation in some countries though, friends’ young children’s forest schools do this - but pupils are expected to have the capability before being allowed to enrol, rather than expecting them to deal with something they’ve never done before.

At that's interesting, child in question has actually been to forest school but there is a composting loo there.

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wldpwr · Today 20:07

persephoneee · Today 19:18

I walked a stage of the Camino de Santiago many years ago and believe me, pooping in the wild was the norm. Sad to say some of the pilgrims just went and left it behind, most though bagged up the stuff and deposited at the next available bin, or dug a hole for it. Me included when caught short. It's not something anyone wants to do, but sometimes has to.

Yes, totally understandable for an adult when travelling.

Also makes sense for families if on all day hikes as some PPs say. I actually think this would be different in our case too as it would be me or my partner asking/supporting rather than teacher.

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wldpwr · Today 20:08

ilovepixie · Today 19:12

How do they wipe? If using toilet paper where do they put it?

Edited

I have no idea!

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