Peeing at the park

Am I the only one who has a son who will drop and pee anytime anyplace? I am constantly worried that whenever we are outside that we are going to have a "pee" problem. Then when I relax, I hear it, the quiet trickle and splash of pee. At that point, what can you do?

Yesterday we had a nice little outing, up to the library, ran into Uncle Drew, over to the post office, then down to the park. What a beautiful day with my children. Wow, I love my new double stroller. Michael is now old enough to be kind of independently playing at the park. I know that he can do all the stuff and he loves all the climbing, sliding, dangling, swinging, and all that goes into a jungle gym. Oh, another little boy, is Michael playing nice. Oh, good taking turns. Thank heaven. I'm reading my "Family Fun" (IRONIC don't you think) magazine and then I hear it. Oh, no where is he? At the top of the slide peeing off onto the bark below. "Michael" and brief interruption of the stream and then a "What?" Like why are you bothering me woman, can't you see I am busy? Up onto the thing I go and pick him up, he is of course finished, and off we go. I can't take the direct route home, what if that other mother figures out who I am and that I have the public pee - er of Mediapolis.

Almost home, and still mad. How many times does this conversation have to happen? Finally I say, "Why did we have to leave the park?"

"Because I peed"

"I can't believe you peed on the slide"

"I didn't pee on the slide, I peed on the ground"

"On, from, whatever. Is it okay to pee in public?"

"No."

"Where do we pee?"

No answer, smart kid.

"We pee at home in the bathroom and no where else. Do you understand? I don't want that penis to see the light of day. Do you understand?"

"Can I have butter jelly for lunch?"

Something that can ruin my day is just a preview to lunch for him. How does this work? Is there anything short of child abuse and giving him a bathroom complex for the rest of his life that I can do? Not to mention that I haven't done his laundry yet, so his last clean pair of play shorts are now peed on. What a cyclical world.

But here is the joy burst. I have a son who is potty trained, he is able to communicate with me, and someday I will have this story to embarass him with. What a wonderful world.