So...my 2.5 yr old son has been doing a good job at potty training, but it seems to be a slow going process so I'm trying not to go too fast too soon. We have only recently started doing outings with only big boy undies and no diaper. Today it was to the running track down the street from our house where we frequent, where mama sometimes runs and my son sometimes gets to play with friends (and runs too!) We had our usual talk about how he should tell me if he had to make a peepee so that his new underwear didn't get all wet. Before we got there, he was saying that he wanted to pee in the grass. Fine with me, I thought. There was a football practice going on in the middle of the field, my son was playing with some kids on the sideline and I was running next to this side of the track when suddenly, I look over and my son has pulled down his pants, whipped it out and facing the football team, is peeing right there in broad daylight! Some women who were on the bench near by were cracking up and so was I. I just couldn't believe it, I've never seen him pee standing up, let alone in the middle of such a public place.
As for my question: I was very proud of him today, and just glad this happened "in the grass." I gave him a lot of praise. However, I also don't want to encourage him to pee anywhere outdoors he wants, or think it's ok to go in public like that. It is delicate time in the potty training - I've noticed he responds really well to praise. Any women have ideas on how to discourage this if it happens again without discouraging him? Thanks!
My boys are 4-1/2 and 6-1/2, and personally I'd just keep praising him. Just tell him to find a bush/tree/place where nobody can see his butt. Besides, in a few weeks it'll be too cold to pee outside and by the time it's spring again you can have a more grown-up conversation about it.
Continue to tell him how proud you are of him and that he is doing such a good job. That he is a big boy and while doing that, remind him that he needs to let you know so you can take him to the restroom or direct him where no people are watching. Just let him know what your rules are, where he should and shouldn't go. That type of stuff, and keep telling him, keep reminding him, and he will get it. Practice makes perfect lol.
And tell him to keep up the good work!
Thats funny! We just went through something similar. We have a cabin up north and we were there a couple weekends ago. We were hanging out down the hill from the cabin (In the woods) and I told him it was ok to pee outside when he had to go.
So, fast forward to the next weekend we had a bbq at our house, my friend said "Uh Molly, look at your son." Standing in the middle on the front yard pants around his ankles peeing.
I just laughed and told him we should go inside to pee. He hasnt quite got that he can pee in the woods but not in the front yard.
Funny little boys. ;)
I think we will just encourage peeing on the potty until he understands what is ok and not is not when it comes to peeing outside.
My mom told my that when I was little and she was potty training me, that she caught me peeing in one of those display toilets in a home improvement store! My kids have never embarassed me that much :-)
Too funny!! Was there not too long ago myself!! Definitely keep up the praise and encouragement but tell him that it's good to have a little privacy too. Next time show him to the nearest bush or tree!! My son used to love to "water the trees!". Good luck and keep laughing!!!
my sister and i were outside "running our toddlers" when they were both potty training. Her daughter and my son were about about 22 months at the time and they ran a bit ahead of us. My sister and I were surprised to look up ahead at them and see my niece with her panties around her ankles and her dress pulled up, peeing on a flowerbed! My boy was crouched down watching the stream hit the flower petals and they were both laughing SO hard! Crazy kids
I don't think you'll have much of a problem with him doing this often, just talk to him about it and make sure you're always close enough to him to hear him/get him to a potty quickly (or at least a private quiet spot in the outdoors for him to go). Too funny momma!
My little brother always "hid" behind the no parking sign at the edge of our yard when we were little kids. More than a few drivers almost crashed they were laughing so hard!
I got lucky. My son would never pee in public. One time he saw his friend peeing behind a tree on a local trail that when around the playground. Of course he politely ask his friend's mom about it and she was ok with. He asked me and told me he just felt it wasn't right. I told him that some people do that and see nothing wrong with it just like my dad, but I'm not comfortable with it either. My son just felt they could have easily left the trail to go to the playground bathroom instead and I wasn't going to tell him other wise. The funny thing is that in the local paper about 2 days later...more kids must have been doing the same thing, because there was a complaint about it and the borough made a ruling that there would be a fine for peeing on the trail. As funny as it can be, you'll want to make sure no one else feels grossed out about it.
I'm way past this point in parenting - my kids are 16 and 12, the 12 is a boy. I would not praise him for peeing right out in the open in front of a bunch of people. I think it's important to teach proper social behaviors, and peeing in front of a bunch of people is not okay behavior. It's time to teach him about modesty and that now he's past the point of diaper changes, we don't show our privates to others. Don't praise him for doing this. You told him to come tell you if he had to, and he didn't do what you asked.
