Bad Habits

I feel the need to preface this post by saying we are good parents. Overall, I think Mikie is a clean and well behaved child. I don't think he has any gross habits (although, like most children his age, he does like to pick his nose and eat it). So, I am embarrassed to admit to being the parents of the kid that pees in the playground.

Yes, today when I picked Mikie up at school, the teacher told me he had a good day, with the exception of an incident on the playground. I braced myself, expecting to hear that he stole a toy or pushed another child. The teacher informed me that Mikie called her over while they were playing outside, saying, "Ms. Janice. I have something cool to show you." As she approached, Mikie proceeded to pull down his pants and take aim. She ran over and told him that we could not pee outside, that if he had to use the bathroom, he had to go inside. Mikie's response: "It's okay, my dad let's me do it."

It started out innocently enough. Mike and Mikie were waiting for me in a parking garage in New York when Mikie announced he had to pee. Not having enough time to turn off the car and run into a nearby building, Mike showed Mikie how to "pee on the road" (as Mikie calls it). And, I have to admit, when we are on long trips, or even driving our 45 minute commute to work, if Mikie tells me he has to "pee on the road", I pull over to a wooded area and let him out. Each time, I try and explain that we can't pee anywhere. We have to be in the woods, not in someone's yard. And, preferably in a place where no one will see us (or catch us as the case may be). Unfortunately, this doesn't always work out (remember the post about peeing in Home Depot's parking lot under the surveillance camera?)

Obviously, I was MORTIFIED. I could picture all the toddler boys in Mikie's class running home and peeing in their backyards because "Mikie does it". I tried to explain the history to the teacher, who said not to worry about it, she didn't care what he did elsewhere, she just wanted him to know he couldn't do it at school.

I immediately called Mike. Mostly to blame him for teaching our son this bad habit, since I am not equipped to teach him (even if I haven't exactly discouraged it). His response, "I guess we need to teach him NOT to blame Daddy."

Really, we ARE good parents. I promise.

Love, The Trahans