# Urinating on the playground....



## nextcommercial (Nov 8, 2005)

The kids and I were at the park today. A little boy 3-ish was holding himself and running to his Mom. The bathrooms are 20 feet away. She was on a park bench halfway between the bathroom and the play structure. He obviously had to go NOW, but she told him in a chipper voice "Go pee on that purple pole". And pointed to the play structure. So, he ran back over there, and peed on the pole. My kids were playing about 10 feet away, so that wasn't an issue. But, if she and her son were exactly halfway between the bathroom and the play structure why not just get up and go to the bathroom?

Why on earth would she tell him to go pee on the structure?

Her excuse was "he's newly potty trained, and he probably wouldn't go in the toilet".

But, the structure???? Why not at LEAST a tree, or the big rock? Why the play equipment?


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## Tjej (Jan 22, 2009)

Yeah, that's weak.

Tjej


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## Laggie (Nov 2, 2005)

Weird... and I'm not one to care about little kids peeing in the bushes or whatever, but directly on the playground? Even I think that's gross. People put their hands on those poles!

Who knows... either mom is really lazy or she's one of those people who are so afraid of public bathrooms they will do anything to avoid them. Which I fear is becoming standard in our germ-obsessed culture.


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## Marissamom (Dec 17, 2009)

I don't think peeing on the actual play structure is an appropriate thing to do, but I personally wouldn't take my young child into most of our park bathrooms, they're almost never cleaned and absolutely gross. plus no doors and no soap, I avoid them whenever possible.


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## nextcommercial (Nov 8, 2005)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Marissamom*
> 
> I don't think peeing on the actual play structure is an appropriate thing to do, but I personally wouldn't take my young child into most of our park bathrooms, they're almost never cleaned and absolutely gross. plus no doors and no soap, I avoid them whenever possible.


These bathrooms are very clean, but there are no doors. (just on the stalls)

I doubt she was concerned about cleanliness or modesty though, since she suggested he hose down the play equipment in front of 50 people.


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## Dandelionkid (Mar 6, 2007)

Gross- that pee is going straight onto a kids hands and into their mouths. Very inconsiderate when there are other outdoor options that kids don't climb all over.


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## Marissamom (Dec 17, 2009)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nextcommercial*
> 
> These bathrooms are very clean, but there are no doors. (just on the stalls)
> 
> I doubt she was concerned about cleanliness or modesty though, since she suggested he hose down the play equipment in front of 50 people.


yeah, most of our parks date back to the turn of the century, the bathrooms are damp with concrete floor and brick walls, no doors on the stalls either. the joy of living in a Victorian city.

sounds like she maybe just didn't want to bother, but absolutely the playground equipment was an absolutely bad choice. I hope it rains and washes it off soon.


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## zebra15 (Oct 2, 2009)

that is incredibly gross, and a prime example of why I always make DS wash his hands WITH SOAP when we get home from the park. ewwwww


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## lookatreestar (Apr 14, 2008)

yeah my kids usually go straight into the bathtub after park play. yuck.


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## AllisonR (May 5, 2006)

Devils advocate here: I had a 3 yo who did not like using toilets. The flushing noise. Even if I said he could go out again and I would flush afterwards, he would have PREFERED using nature. So, maybe it had nothing to do with mom being either lazy or worried about germs, but wanting her DC to be comfortable and have a positive toilet experience, right when he was just learning not to wet himself.

Though, as others also posted, I would have asked my son to use a tree or off in the grassy area, not the actual play equipment.


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## D_McG (Jun 12, 2006)

That is gross, seriously. At the park we pee in the bathroom or we leave. I guess I would let a kid pee somewhere secluded if we were <> close to an accident. But otherwise? Come on now.


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## fancyoats (Jun 12, 2008)

on the playstructure? that is definitely inappropriate. but in my area, it is rare for playgrounds to actually have bathrooms at all, so peeing off in the bushes is just what you do -- the only other option is a ten minute walk to a coffee shop or something. so yeah, never on or near the actual playstructure, that is just kind of shocking.


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## sahli29 (Jan 23, 2004)

Yea,that is pretty gross. Lazy mum. Someone could record it next time and post her lame choices online for all to see. Definitely some hand sani in the pocket for public places.


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## limabean (Aug 31, 2005)

Wow, that's really inconsiderate and I would have told her so. A bush or tree would have been a much better choice if she didn't want him to use the bathroom.


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## Bellabaz (Feb 27, 2008)

Wow that is gross. I actually avoid the park bathrooms in the rare occasion I come across one here because they are usually filthy. But I take my kids to a bash or a tree or at least away from the main play traffic. Bleh.


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## MamaofLiam (Nov 20, 2010)

Yeah, that is beyond gross. It sounds to me like the Mom has issue that go well beyond just laziness. She could have said go pee in that bush, all without getting up if she was just lazy. But she told her kid to purposely pee on a piece of play equipment. Did she think it would be funny? If you ask me that sounds like some quasi-sadisitic/fetish tendencies. It kind of reminds me of the situation where a cook in a kitchen has some sick fetish where he likes to put "parts"(you get my drift) of him/herself in the food people are eating. Yuck! I mean, come on she KNOWS people touch the play equipment.

Did she know you were watching her? That is just so strange!


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## Magali (Jun 8, 2007)

Weird about peeing on the play structure, but I have a 4 year old who when first potty trained (yep, I said trained) wouldn't go in a public toilet, or outside in a bush...only our potty. We actually had a breakthrough this week that he peed behind the garbage cans at the park.


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## nextcommercial (Nov 8, 2005)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MamaofLiam*
> 
> Did she know you were watching her? That is just so strange!


Yes, there were several people watching. Even the friend she was with. Her friend looked at her with a stunned Gaping mouth, and that's when she said "he's newly potty trained", and just brushed it off.


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## MamaofLiam (Nov 20, 2010)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nextcommercial*
> 
> Yes, there were several people watching. Even the friend she was with. Her friend looked at her with a stunned Gaping mouth, and that's when she said "he's newly potty trained", and just brushed it off.


Wow! That's really odd. Maybe she likes inappropriate attention?


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## contactmaya (Feb 21, 2006)

WEIRD. I FREQUENTLY ADVISE MY 3YO TO PEE THROUGH THE FENCE ON THE GARDEN/GRASS, EXPLAINING NOT TO PEE WHERE PEOPLE MIGHT SIT OR PLAY.

ON THE PURPLE STRUCTURE? VERY STRANGE....


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## childsplay (Sep 4, 2007)

What gets me more is what she's teaching him....er...not teaching him. You know, privacy, respect for his body etc. For her to say go ahead and pee on that purple pole (in front of your peers, theirs parents/caregiver and anyone else who happens to be around) is irresponsible, to the kids who will climb all over it within two minutes but mostly to her little guy who should have been directed - or taken by her - to a nearby bush, rock or even to the edge of the playground.


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## Jaimee (Jun 7, 2007)

Very strange. When we were early potty training (20months) I would take her potty to the park with me and potty her by the trees, pouring the pee where no one would walk. When she got a bit older she started squatting next to trees. But I always tried to do it away from people so as to give her some privacy and not to offend anyone who was a little more conservative. Once dd did have an accident on the playscape and I quickly doused the area in water from my water bottle. Actually instructing your kid to pee on the playscape? Irresponsible.


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## kathteach (Jun 6, 2004)

When my four year old was potty learning (special needs child) he was attending summer school and had an accident and peed his pants on the bridge part of the play structure. Some pee dribbled down through the holes of the metal bridge. The teacher got the janitorial staff and it was like HAZMAT was at the scene. They had everyone exit the play area and scrubbed everything with cleanser and hosed in down. They were in those suit things even!

I don't know if what that mom did was an actual biohazard like the school made my son's pee seem, but at the very least it's super inconsiderate and totally gross!


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## newbymom05 (Aug 13, 2005)

Totally disgusting. I'd have loudly said something like "No honey, kids PLAY there, go to the bushes!" or similar. I don't have a prob w/ commando peeing, but not on the freaking play area itself. Ick, maybe that's why my park's bathrooms are clean, no one's using them.


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## MariesMama (Sep 26, 2008)

While I think the mom showed very poor judgment in telling him to pee on the playground, I feel bad for the little boy. He's not learning appropriate boundaries - he thinks that's okay behavior, what happens when he pulls a stunt like that at daycare or preschool?

(She'll probably be completely shocked and wonder WHERE he could have learned that!







)


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## JudiAU (Jun 29, 2008)

Very weird. I am pretty lax about where a potty learner can pee (carry a potty in car and dump pee in the street) but a play structure would be unacceptable. Rock in the corner, grass, or get-of-the-bench-lady.


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## bugmenot (May 29, 2005)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kathteach*
> 
> When my four year old was potty learning (special needs child) he was attending summer school and had an accident and peed his pants on the bridge part of the play structure. Some pee dribbled down through the holes of the metal bridge. The teacher got the janitorial staff and it was like HAZMAT was at the scene. They had everyone exit the play area and scrubbed everything with cleanser and hosed in down. They were in those suit things even!
> 
> I don't know if what that mom did was an actual biohazard like the school made my son's pee seem, but at the very least it's super inconsiderate and totally gross!


At an amusement park near my house, they'd have an occasional puking incident on one of the bigger spinning rides. When that happened, the attendant would close the ride down, summon a supervisor and the puke would be cleaned by trained employees. It would sit idle for a few minutes as the cleaning solution dried up (or whatever, I don't know), then it would re-open.

Because a rider's puke was a bodily fluid, and the amusement park staff didn'tt know what types of diseases or sicknesses the person had, extreme care was taken during the cleanup process.

I can totally understand urine being the same situation.

With that said, the original situation..yeah, totally uncalled for. If we're out and about, and there's an "emergency" stiuation, we always find a tree or a bush. If there's no bush, then he gets down on one or both knees, and then pees straight towards the ground.


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## loraxc (Aug 14, 2003)

Quote:


> I can totally understand urine being the same situation.


Actually, urine, though gross, is pretty much sterile and without germs. It's not nearly as hazardous a substance as vomit or blood or spit or...just about anything other bodily fluid, I think.

Not to defend playset peeing! Ugh.


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## lovingmommyhood (Jul 28, 2006)

My DS's pee outside all day long. We live way out in the country and it's never been an issue. They just pee on a tree. DD not so much only because she's 3 and needs help to squat.







Not to mention she needs to wipe...but I digress.

I had never had a formal discussion with them about peeing outside because honestly, it slipped my mind. The last time we were at the park my four year old pulled down his pants and started to pee on a tree fairly close to the playground... me ---->







I ran over and got him and explained that we can't just pee anywhere we get the urge...yadda yadda. I do feel it's fine for them to pee over by the lake where there are plenty of trees for privacy and it is well away from the other children playing. I'd rather they weren't flashing their genitals at the park and it's just poor manners to pee around perfect strangers.









Long story short... I find it bizarre that the mother would have him pee ON the playground. I don't find it particularly disgusting but more so rude and, yeah, bizarre.


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