It begins with a fidget. The boy starts to shift his weight back and forth, back and forth. The fidget progresses to a hop and the boy starts to hold himself and crouch down. By now you are scanning the environment, vainly searching for a nearby public restroom. Your home is about a 10 minute quick walk away; but with the boy in tow make that 20 minutes. You assess the rate of hopping…he won’t make it.
To left is a nice boutique shop…with no public restroom. The train station is two blocks in the other direction…there is a chance; but, you look at his face and know that time is almost up. Nearby are a couple of bushes put up on this public square to provide additional greenery. There are not too many people around, an elderly couple on the bench by the statue, a few kids playing on the cobblestone well, and the normal flow of Saturday morning shoppers going about the plaza.
What do you do?
As I am now fully into the potty-training process for my eldest son, the question of peeing in public is one I need to find an answer to. In Asia, grown men would squat down and take a leak on the side of the road, no problems. But here in Europe, I feel things might be a bit more…refined. Since arriving, I have only seen two cases of children peeing in public. Once on a train platform and another in the public square of a town.
So, my question to you (and please do reply) is it okay to let your children pee in public? If it is appropriate, under what circumstances and are there any circumstances that it should never happen?
Thank you for your support and responses.
family nomadic 
Ha! I feel for you and will be checking back to see what others say from um… more refined parts of the world than Myanmar. Great post
Thanks Erica!! I am sure you will be taking notes for when your little guy reaches of age; though, you have to admit the Burmese approach is pretty efficient.
Oh, yes, we’ve peed in public. Generally in places much more secluded than what you’ve described but … especially when potty training, when you gotta go, you gotta go. Taught me the VERY valuable lesson, though, to always always always force the preemptive pee when/if a potty is accessible, no matter what. For all three.
When having to do the emergency pee, we try to do the most secluded corner we can find and, if at all possible, be quick about it. Thank goodness for little boys and the ability to stand and pee!
Thanks Susie! Now, how do you force the preemptive pee? K has been incredibly stubborn about “not needing to go”…and then he goes and I am cleaning up a puddle.
If you gotta go, you gotta go.
So true, even if its in their pants.
When you have to go you find the most secluded place if a restroom is not available. Sometimes if you go into a store and explain the situation they will let the kids use their bathroom. Good Luck.
Thanks mom…and thanks for not sharing any of my peeing in public stories. Very much appreciated.
Paul would DEFINITELY tell you- when you gotta go, you gotta go, no matter what age you are!! Sometime ask him about trying to find a restroom (unsuccessfully) near the Eiffel Tower on a busy Sunday afternoon…
That is definitely a story I would like to hear!!
Wizz away, my boy. Obviously you want to be as discreet as possible – don’t mark your territory on the old folks’ bench – but I think pretty much everyone understands that with little kids you gotta do what you gotta do.
Thanks. As the weeks have passed we have become pretty good at dropping pants and going at a moment’s notice. But now, we are starting to contend with snowsuits…they add another dimension to this process all together.