Is this ok or have I started on the wrong path?

[Nightfall1983]

DS is 2.7, he's not ready to potty train yet and I'm in no rush. He's had access to a potty, or a seat for the toilet and has done very occasional wees on them (duly rewarded with choc buttons) but generally he doesn't like sitting on either.

No problems but I thought as the weather gets nicer I'd encourage him to spend time bare-bummed in the garden etc - he loves it! When were in the garden he now asks for nappy off in order to wee on the ground, he exclaims in delight over each one :) but he still won't entertain the idea of doing it in the potty (which is also outside) or even doing it in any place that I ask him to - he just likes to decorate the patio. I don't mind, I'm still happy that he's in nappies and not ready to train but I don't want to make it harder when he IS ready - what do you think?

I think even at 2.7 teaching him that weeing on the floor is funny is wrong tbh.

There was a post on here the other day from someone whose daughter had been pissed on at pre-school by a little boy who thought it was funny. Unsurprisingly, she wasn't all that happy about it, nor was her wee-covered child. Look at the messages you're sending your son. Wee is not something to be played with. If he wants to decorate the patio get him a water pistol or a paintbrush and pot of water.

Hmm, ok, thank you for your viewpoint Outraged, I'll admit I hadn't thought of it in that way. However I'm a little confused because I've heard time and time again (mostly on here) about people waiting for the summer to potty train so that LOs can run around bottomless outside and wee in the garden. I thought it was part of teaching them to understand what it feels like when they go, without making a big deal of it?
Also, I do hear what you are saying but I don't think weeing alfresco at the beginning of potty training is the same as learning that he can wee anywhere he likes or that weeing on someone is funny or acceptable; he's only 2.7 but already he understands that its not ok to wee on the floor inside, only in the garden (because I've told him - not to say he'll never have an accident but he does understand the difference) AND he already understands at least somewhat that he's not to pee on people - because I asked him to move away from my foot when he was getting worryingly close and he's checked that he's far enough away since then.

The being outside bare bottomed thing is to avoid having gazillions of pants and clothes to wash when there are accidents; saving your carpet from spills; and being able to get to the potty on time (as their signals can be pretty short before they have to go). Not so they can wee on the floor!

'I thought it was part of teaching them to understand what it feels like when they go, without making a big deal of it?'

No. It's so that if they have an accident there isn't a load of mess to clear up. They're in the garden so you don't need to mop the floor. They're bottomless so you don't need to change pants, trousers and socks when they have an accident. It's not about encouraging them to piss on the floor.

'I don't think weeing alfresco at the beginning of potty training'

He isn't potty training though is he? You said in your OP he isn't ready. What he is doing is pissing on the floor. Potty training means you are attempting to get the wee in the potty (but inevitably it goes on the floor sometimes). That's not what you're doing.

Little boys, in general, find weeing on things funny! The last thing you should do is encourage this. He may well be following the rules of 'you can piss on the floor in the garden, but not the house. You can piss on the floor, but not on my foot' at the moment, but unless you are in possession of the only child on earth who ALWAYS follows the rules, a time will come when the fun of pissing on his friend/the carpet/your foot will become too much for him and he'll do it anyway. You're just complicating it and blurring the lines of acceptable behaviour for absolutely no reason. The kids who don't piss on the floor are still in the garden squealing with delight, they're just using a water pistol or blowing bubbles or something more appropriate.

Ok, thanks for your thoughts both, that's why I asked. I obviously misunderstood - it was described to me (by a friend) as "letting them water the plants". I will put a stop to it.

Out of interest (I'm not arguing, what you are saying makes sense), other friends with older children (boys, inevitably) always allow them to wee pretty freely when we are off for walks in the woods - I mean the kids ask and are told they are allowed, either solo or with help dependant on age to step off the path and pee into the bushes. Is this to be encouraged? I mean obviously its ok to go in the woods if you need to go but in this case they just WANT to go up against a tree or whatever and do it as much as possible - thoughts?

PS don't worry Outraged I'm not worried that stopping him from weeing outside will affect his enjoyment of the garden - he adores being outside no matter what :)

I don't let my boys (or girl) wee outside unless necessary. I think up to about 4/5 you can let them go up a tree if they get caught short. Older than that they can hold it until they find a toilet. Obviously, if you're somewhere very remote for the day or something then it is necessary to wee in the woods and that's ok.

You must mix with a very odd group of people if they all regularly let (and sometimes help!!) kids who don't need to, just want to, wee anywhere other than a toilet. I don't know anyone who wees unless they need to? Does anyone just 'want' to wee, but not need to? Is it a hobby that has completely passed me by?