Here's a story that will totally piss off anyone who has tried to potty train a toddler (pun totally intended). Philadelphia mom Caroline Robboy was given both a ticket and a lecture by a police officer this past Sunday evening because her 2-year-old potty-training son, Nathaniel, couldn't hold it.
I kid you not. She told NBC10 that they were in a store with her two other children and elderly in-laws when the toddler said he needed to go. She asked if they could use the restroom, and they were "told no." Upon exiting the store the boy couldn't hold it and ran over to a pole on the sidewalk to get some relief.
When she saw what was happening, she tried to at least get him to move to a grassy patch, but it was too late. A police officer saw it and busted them, issuing her a $50 ticket for public urination.
She told the station, “He said, ‘I’m doing this for your own protection' because God forbid there might have been a pervert out there looking at my son."
Unbelievable, right?
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When a 2-year-old needs to go, a 2-year-old needs to go, and while outside on a public street isn't ideal, sometimes that's what needs to happen. Dogs do it all the time, so it's not that big of a deal. I wouldn't encourage my son to do so except in an emergency, but there were plenty of times that we had no other choice than to go in a corner of a parking garage or at a park. It happens.
As for any perverts, in the heat of the moment, I'd be pretty willing to take my chances that one didn't just happen to be standing there for the two seconds it takes for a kid to go. Talk about paranoia. Besides, the street seems a lot less sketchy than public restrooms in that regard.
Robboy says she plans to fight the ticket, as she should.
It’s not about the $50. I want a place that feels friendly to me where my children feel safe and have positive experiences with police officers.
Hopefully she'll get some justice. Here she is talking more about the incident.
Do find it outrageous that this mother was ticketed because her 2-year-old peed on the street?
Image via NBC Philadelphia
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Comments 120
Poor kid. I understand the difficulties of training a two year old; my son just turned two and cannot seem to get the concept down that the potty is more than just a chair. That police officer obviously doesn't have children of his own or if he does he missed something during the potty training stage. The most that mom could have done was let the poor kid pee his pants (which would embarrass him and probably set him back in potty training) or block him from sight of other people and maybe get peed on herself. People should quit being so sensative about this stuff. No, I will not encourage my child to pee in public, because I believe it is a private thing, but if it happens when he's two, it happens. I hope this mom wins her appeal!
I get the law and am in full agreement that as human beings we should not be urinating all over creation but a 2 yr old should fall under a different standard. No, I am not saying lets all let our 2 yr olds pee everywhere nor am I saying she shouldn't pay the ticket but how many of us have done it... I've had 4 children and a stepchild and have been at the park that did not have a restroom so we snuck behind a bush and held up a blanket or hit every gas station that does not allow the public to use the restroom so you, again, duck behind something. As a mom and someone who used to be a child, it happens. I've peed in my fair share of fields, parking lots, and bushes. I think the mom should've rushed the child to a more private location and covered him up or demanded the store allow him to use the restroom. I think the store should be responsible.. what kind of store does not allow a child to use the restroom?! The officer was not in the wrong but not sure the mom or child was either. My question is.. what would have happened if the child had an accident in the store, would they have called the police then?
I wonder how many tickets I should have gotten by now if we were caught lol. I have two boys ages 5 and 3 they are both potty trained but my youngest won't always tell you when he has to go. Case in point a few weeks ago we were at church we were all outside and the next thing I know someone laughed and pointed at my son. I turned around and to my horror his pants were around his ankle and he was peeing. Everyone thought it was funny of course after all he's only 3 and doesn't know anybetter. Of course I told him we don't do that you tell Mommy and I will take you potty or tell big brother or any of our other friends at church. I wonder what a cop would have said if he saw my son relieving himself outside of church on a Sunday morning lol
Jesus H Roosevelt Christ. 2 years old is not old enough to know the consequences- and when did you ever develop the ability to hold someone elses pee? Bad cop. I'm a very tolerant, cop loving mom and I wouldnt pay that fine. Now I wouldn't have a pitcure of my kid holding the ticket, but i would have given them my mamma wrath in private.
Hey, as long as they also issue tickets to the homeless who are peeing in the streets, no problem.
I'm sorry, a store has no public restroom so it's now Ok to just pee on the sidewalk? Nice lesson to teach your child! She absolutely deserved the ticket, and I hope the fine is upheld.