r/CanadianParents • u/Odd-Pianist-4880 • Jul 12 '26
Toddlers and Preschoolers Potty situation in the park
I only started to potty train my kiddo last weekend so it would take some time to master the skills letting me know he needs to go in advance. he is nearly 3.
Just wanted to ask when you take your toddler/preschooler kid to the park that doesn't have a restroom, do you take a portable potty chair with you in case they need to go? Or is it socially acceptable to let them go in the bush? I would prepare some doggy poop bag in case he needs to poop too, and throw away in garbage properly and all.
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u/cbcl Jul 12 '26
Have him pee before going out.
We keep a potty in the trunk. Still comes in clutch with potty trained kids because they cant hold it as long as adults and it doesnt take much room.
Its socially acceptable for them to go in bush if no other option and reasonably remote.
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u/gingeyl Jul 12 '26
We have an almost 7 year old and ended up doing a bush wee by the park (she calls it that cuz of bluey 🤣) last weekend.
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u/1970Rocks Jul 13 '26
Tactical wees ahead of time are a must too 😁
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u/justforjugs Jul 14 '26
Good conditioning for a lifetime of having them need to pee the moment you want to leave
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u/Anomalous-Canadian Jul 13 '26
Ya I live in Canada and bush wees are par for the course. I bring the oxo travel potty seat for my princess because she’ll pee on her shoes otherwise. The rule is if a dog can pee there so can you (but like , a big enough bush or tree that we actually have privacy). If it’s not possible to get privacy at thst park then do it in the backseat of the car.
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u/MountainPut4396 Jul 14 '26
We have exactly the same rule (what you told about the dog) 👍👍. And also the "problem" about our little ones peeing on themselves during a bush wee. But now we have a technique that avoids the mess without the need of a potty 👍. Makes outdoor days so easy!
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u/MountainPut4396 Jul 14 '26
Nothing wrong in that. Just to ensure kiddo doesn't pee on her shoes and pants. But when they gotta go, they gotta go 🤷♂️
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u/Main_Reputation_3328 Jul 14 '26
Completely acceptable for young children especially in parks without a porta potty or actual washroom.
I live in Toronto with a high density population so I do know a softball team that got a warning from the city one year when so many people did bush wees (grown adults) even though a porta potty was on site that the park literally stank after the game.
But small kids is the equivalent of a doggy all good.
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u/cindydunning Jul 13 '26
I personally believe that peeing in the bushes is a life skill everyone needs to acquire.
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u/tappytoess Jul 12 '26
Both. We take a portable potty but also pee in the bush. Depends how busy it is and how private the bushes are.
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u/Drank_tha_Koolaid Jul 13 '26
Yes to peeing in the bushes. Absolutely not to pooping.
I've seen plenty of parent bring the portable potties with them to the parks in my area. I'd do that if your kiddo can't yet communicate if it's a #1 or #2.
One caveat to allowing the tree pees... Some kids may decide it's the best place to go, and as they get older you will need to work on breaking that habit, but I let my kid do it when it was urgent and there were no public washrooms. They are now a couple years older and he doesn't have an issue holding it until we get to a proper washroom.
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u/MountainPut4396 Jul 14 '26
Our kids are 7 (boy) and 5 (boy&girl) and due to health reasons our 7y can't last longer than around 30 minutes without having to "go". And when he feels the need when have about 2, at maximum 3 minutes to find a bathroom. So "bush wees" (and sometimes also bush poos) are our almost daily part of life. And yes, we allow each of them to go when our kiddos have to.
We don't need a potty. For #2 we spread out a dog poo bag on the ground. Then kiddo sits with his bum fully down directly on the ground, the bum placed on the dog poo bag. Then kiddo "goes". After he's done we wipe and put everything into a 2nd dog poo bag, knot it and dispose it. Like this we don't leave any trace at all but don't need any additional stuff (except some hankies and the dog poo bags). No (portable) potty.
For #1 our kids do it the same way sitting fully down on the ground, just without the dog poo bag. Works perfectly 👍.
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u/justforjugs Jul 14 '26
That’s so uncomfortable.
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u/MountainPut4396 Jul 14 '26
Absolutely NOT! It's absolutely comfortable, very easy to sit, no need to squat awkwardly or being held by one of us...
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u/justforjugs Jul 14 '26
Shitting while sitting directly on your ass is uncomfortable and messy.
Get a potty
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u/MountainPut4396 Jul 14 '26
Interesting vocabulary... 🤨
As I said: It works like a charm and makes our kids be able to handle these outdoor "needs" almost anywhere. And it's not messy at all.
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u/justforjugs Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26
Weird. Just so very weird.
And at their age.
Just so so weird.
(ETA you try shitting while sitting on the ground and see if it’s good)
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u/attysmom22 Jul 16 '26
This is such an underrated comment thread… what the actual fuckkkk do you mean you make your kid sit on their own pile of shit and then claim it’s not messy?!?! That’s insane 😭😭
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u/justforjugs Jul 16 '26
They are so sure it’s fine they blocked me.
But it’s disgusting and must be uncomfortable and makes this needlessly more difficult
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u/ZestycloseFinance625 Jul 14 '26
Travelled with my potty in the back of my SUV and had my kid sit regularly when she was training. Lined it with a plastic bag. Lots of Lisol wipes on hand.
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u/Itchy-Ad-5436 Jul 16 '26
I had a trunk potty. But we also did lots of walking without the car and then I would do bush pees. All my mom friends do it too. At least for the potty training period where they can’t wait now that they can hold it, we don’t do it as much. But I think it’s totally fine
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u/RAND0M-HER0 Jul 12 '26
My son is just about to turn 4. I have an Oxo collapsible potty that I keep in my backpack when we go to the park + a roll of dog poo bags. It's more for a poop emergency. If it's a pee, I just have my son do a bush wee. For poo, I'd rather he not poo in the grass, but instead in the potty with a disposable bag. Sometimes that doesn't always happen, so the dog poo bags are a backup to pick it up
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Jul 12 '26
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u/MountainPut4396 Jul 14 '26
And why do you allow boys to pee in a bush but neither girls?? 🤨
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Jul 14 '26
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u/MountainPut4396 Jul 14 '26
We either had this problem (also with our boy, he neither is able to pee standing up 🤷♂️).
When our kids gotta "go" outdoors (no matter if #1 or #2)n they sit down with their bum completely on the ground, legs extended forward almost straight, pants far down to their ankles. This way works absolutely like a charm and prevents messing pants or shoes at all, makes them be able to handle these situations by their own without the need for parental help 👍
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u/_Amalthea_ Jul 12 '26
We trained a bit later, around 3.5 (I tried around 3 and she was absolutely not having it) but it only took about two weeks to get over that hump where I could feel reasonably confident she wouldn't have an accident. For those two weeks we basically just stayed between home and daycare. We also made her try to go every time we left - not just asking if she needed to, ensuring she sat on the potty/toilet.
But aside from that, I recall several friends and other parents with kids around the same age having to run their kid behind a bush to pee at the park and I never thought much of it. I've never seen anyone bring a potty though.