Anonymous wrote:My daughter’s sleepaway camp did a night in the woods last year. She was terrified to pee in the woods, so she basically peed in her pants. She loves this camp, but is terrified by this part. To top it off, she also had her period during the camp out and one of her tent mates told her it would attract all sorts of animals. (It was only her third time getting her period.)
I am, to put it mildly, not outdoorsy, but I know she loves this camp and I hate having this be such a point of stress for her. I’m planning to take her into the woods to try it, and I’ve obviously told her no creatures are going to attack her while she has her period (and that we will send baggies so she can pack out the pad). But I am hoping for suggestions on how to get her comfortable with this. Any tips for teaching the skill? Things I should be aware of? Advice for juggling a flashlight?
Help me Outdoors DCUM!!

Good idea to practice with her ahead of goin to that camp again

Anonymous wrote:Teach her to squat down and pee in the bath tub, no need to go to the woods

Not many bathtubs on a camping trip

No need to buy silly devices. Women have been peeing in the woods since time immemorial. PPs have good advice. I personally prefer holding onto a tree or sitting against one but nature does not always cooperate.

Coming on to say I think it’s great that you want to teach your daughter this skill even though it’s something you’re not totally comfortable with. I’d totally make a game of this. Watch some you tube videos, drink a ton of water together, go on a hike, pee, chug some more water, pee again. Laugh at yourselves and enjoy the humor of it! I can see this being a hysterical bonding experience your daughter will look back on fondly if you embrace it as something funny and ridiculous. And a few times practicing and she’ll be able to handle camp with confidence. And really, peeing outside without getting your clothes wet is an important life skill!

I joined the army, having never peed in the woods. I don’t recall thinking it was a big deal- at all. You just pull your pants down low and squat…what is with all the hand wringing and over thinking. And if you miss a little and pee a bit on your pants or feel, big deal. It’s camp, go jump in the lake. Now you know better for next time

Omg! That was a PEE funnel? I used it for… Nevermind!

I think the easiest way is to find a skinny tree and hold onto it while you sit (first pull down pants obviously). It’s easier than trying to squat and less likely for stuff to run down your legs.

And I hate to say it but animals are attracted to the smell of menstrual blood. It’s not gojng to be an issue for the few seconds she is peeing but I have heard of issues while camping in brown bear country. I’ve never heard of it being an issue with any other animal—brown/grizzly bears have amazing smell and are total scavengers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is…crazy. She is afraid to pee in the woods? Peed her pants instead? How is this even possible? You are raising a total weeny.

This was only the 3d time she’d had her period and her bunk mate told her she was going to get attacked by an animal if she peed in the woods while having her period. She’d also never peed in the woods before—neither of us knew she was doing a real camping trip last summer. So she did fine, but I know she can manage this year (and hopefully she won’t get her period!). This name calling notwithstanding, this thread has been hugely helpful! I am grateful for all the suggestions (headlamp! Tree! Digging a little trough! Point downhill!).

It isn’t a skill you need to learn, watch a YouTube tutorial on and have special equipment for. This is such a no brainer thing to do and should not be some huge deal to crowdsource. And she really believed an animal would attack her bc she was on her period? Like what? A raccoon? C’mon. Hopefully she develops some common sense at sleepaway camp

Unless the camp is in the Arctic where there are polar bears, she will not attract bears.
https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/grizzlybear-menstrual-odor.htm

Here's a guide to peeing in the words from REI:
https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/hygiene-sanitation.html

If the camp is having the kids use the woods, the counselors should be teaching them. Otherwise they'll likely have some freaked out kids and also a huge mess if the kids don't spread out and some leave toilet paper. I used to be a scout leader and we definitely did not assume kids knew best practices.

Anonymous wrote:I am a hardcore outdoorsy person and I pee in the woods only under extreme duress, like I can't hold it any longer. No way would I want to attend a camp where you have to pee in the woods.

I think your definition of hardcore outdoorsy person is different than the majority of people who consider themselves moderately outdoorsy. You can’t go on any wilderness overnight without having to pee in the woods. If think being able to go on a one night backpacking trip is a prerequisite to calling oneself an outdoorsy person.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This forum is getting so f’ing weird

I'm by far a prude, but between this question and the number of posts asking what our teens sleep in, it is getting weird.

How about the “how to entertain a 13yr old having a sleepover” thread. LOL

Anonymous wrote:Seriously? You need to crowdsource this? How do some people get by in the world?

Well, to be fair, people in the US do not, so it’s not a common skill here.

Anyway, OP, I do have experience with this from my home country when I was a kid. We always did the full squat, like you’re getting ready to do frog jumps. Butt is like 5 inches from the ground. Wide stance. Look up how people go in hole toilets in other countries. Skirt is easiest but if pants, have pants and underwear sit at the knee (not pulled all the way down or it may get wet). Adjust your legs a bit based on where the pee seems to be going. It isn’t the most comfortable, but definitely doable for 30 seconds.

Anonymous wrote:This is…crazy. She is afraid to pee in the woods? Peed her pants instead? How is this even possible? You are raising a total weeny.

This was only the 3d time she’d had her period and her bunk mate told her she was going to get attacked by an animal if she peed in the woods while having her period. She’d also never peed in the woods before—neither of us knew she was doing a real camping trip last summer. So she did fine, but I know she can manage this year (and hopefully she won’t get her period!). This name calling notwithstanding, this thread has been hugely helpful! I am grateful for all the suggestions (headlamp! Tree! Digging a little trough! Point downhill!).

The most important thing is not to wait until you are about to pee your pants, that is how you have a spectacular disaster or pick a bad spot. Also taking the heel of your shoe and making a little trough in the ground helps. Getting to soft dirt is best to prevent splashing.

This is…crazy. She is afraid to pee in the woods? Peed her pants instead? How is this even possible? You are raising a total weeny.

Wow! Funnel! What the - . Sounds like a great camp!
Tell her to stop drinking after a certain time, like 7pm. Who cares about the hot chocolate people seem to drink at night. Drink that in the morning when you are so thirsty in the morning.

Going to the bathroom in the wilderness is very doable. Just don't think about it. And do it quick. Forget wiping unless you are doing #2. But, don't do #2 at night cause it takes too long. If you don't wipe, you don't need to wash your hands. No need to eat so much that your bulk is taking up the space of bladder-i don't know how to explain this part the right way to make people understand.

Find a slight slope that when you pee, it drains away from you, not near your shoes. You don't pull the underwear all the way down because you will pee on it! Pull it to above the knees. You might have to squat and put more weight on one side because that seems to help support you. Learn to squat and support yourself with your legs doing low squats and high squats. Sometimes, you don't need a flash light. You will be surprise how light it is out there on some nights. You will be more worry about people seeing you. But, if you must use a flashlight, shine the light away from you when peeing. Sometimes, you have to scan the area and see where would be a potential spot to pee when it is light out.

I can't believe I just typed all that.