My 2 year old has taken to peeing in the yard. I'll ask if she needs to go before we step outside, but something about the thrill of the outdoors seems to call to her. Today we were in the front yard and I looked over and she was peeing right as the neighbor was walking up her drive. Our neighbor thought it was funny, but I don't want to encourage this. She is newly potty trained so I am happy she is not peeing in her pants, however we still aren't hitting the mark. What do you think, is it too gross to support or just one of those things kids grow out of??
Lovemy4 is a discussion leader for North Central Phoenix, tired mother of 4 great kids and wife to one great husband.
Personally, I'm impressed
Personally, I'm impressed your girl can do it without making a mess of herself. My boys do it, and I think it's gross, but better than wet shorts.
Brooke Romney is an unbalanced mom of three young boys who constantly has too much to do, and too little time. She writes the Mom Beat column for The Gilbert Republic.
Split it down the middle.
Split it down the middle. Tell her that she can pee in the backyard if she can find a place where no one can see her, but make it clear that "big girls" don't want anyone watching them with their pants down.
My son used to be on a tree
My son used to be on a tree out back when he was swimming and didn't want to go all the way into the house dripping wet. Problem is, I don't think a 2 year old can tell when it's an appropriate time to pee outdoors and not - for example, in the median at the grocery store, on grandma's patio, at school when you're picking up the other kids. I'd just tell her no. If she starts to pull down her pants, grab her like a football and run for the nearest toilet!
Karina Bland is raising her 9-year-old son in Tempe with a lot of love, humor and support from her friends and family. A longtime journalist covering child welfare and education issues for The Arizona Republic, she blogs about raising good kids.
I have to agree with Karina
I have to agree with Karina on this one...my son was taught to pee on a tree by his gramps, who didn't see anything wrong with it having been raised on a farm in the 40s. When he first did it in the backyard at age 3 we thought it was cute and laughed, but when he did it at preschool it wasn't so funny. So I would nip it quickly!
Susan is mom to Alexander, Isabel, David and stepmom to Eric. Make sure your email address is current, we'll be giving out great prizes DAILY in September after our site makeover! Don't miss out!
I'm sure, for a kid, there
I'm sure, for a kid, there is a certain thrill to peeing outside but I'd nip it in the bud now. She needs to learn what's appropriate while you're potty training her.
Susie is a discussion leader in the east valley for arizonamoms.com. She has two sons, ages 7 and 3.
I'm uptight...I didn't allow
I'm uptight...I didn't allow my sons to pee outside. My sister allowed her son (the only boy of her four kids) to do it at age 4. The kids would all be playing in the backyard with cousins and two or three of them would come running inside to tell that their brother was peeing outside! My sister would shrug, until we got on her case and then she started to put an end to it. I guess that she thought it was a "boy thing".
I used to be really grossed out when one of the kids at my kids' old babysitter's house would pee outside when everyone was playing out there...and he was 6! The mom was embarrassed, both times that she was told about it and she apologized and explained that little Alan was told that he could only do that at home...
I suppose that I can see some merit, if you're camping, but other than that, I think that it's like picking your nose...just bad manners. I have friends, first time moms, who think that their little child is just SO precious that even his pee is adorable! Well, maybe to them! To the rest of us, her son looks like a dog!
"Only a life lived for others, is the life worthwhile" - Albert Einstein