Yahoo Lifestyle 
Aussie mum's bizarre toilet training move enrages Bondi locals: 'It's revolting'
The woman's post sparked a heated discussion after she spotted a mum's strange approach to her toddler's call of nature.
When you need to go, you need to go, but one Aussie parent's actions have outraged onlookers after she allowed her son to poo on the ground near a busy playground.
The Facebook post by an anonymous member of the Eastern Suburbs Mums Group asked what the general consensus was around toilet training etiquette after seeing a mum encourage her son to defecate next to a Bondi Beach playground.
The post read: "So I just witnessed a mother encouraging her son to take a poop inside the Bondi Beach playground. She took off his pants and he walked across the playground naked from the waist down before stopping under a tree and squatting down to poop. The child was perhaps three-four years old."
It continued, "The mother then casually came over and gave him a quick wipe before attempting to pick up the poop with the baby wipe, however it didn't look like a clean one and basically left faeces smeared all around on the ground."
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The poster said they were quite shocked by the behaviour, along with many others around them. One mum tried to speak to the woman but was waved away.
"I'm not at the potty training stage with my child and I'm sure it's very challenging, but I can't imagine this is acceptable behaviour inside a playground where other children are likely to step in it/pick it up and get sick? What is the general consensus on this? I am still in shock and genuinely revolted."
Social media erupts: 'A lot of judgement'
Most users who commented were quick to agree it was revolting with many saying it was inconsiderate to other people using the park, and not an acceptable way to function in society, but some wanted to give the mum the benefit of the doubt.
"There's a-lot of judgement on this post. We really have no idea why this happened or what was going on in this mums life. Jeez we all beat ourselves up enough with mum guilt," one comment read.
"My initial reaction is that it's pretty gross, but it reminded me of a similar situation I had where my borderline toilet trained three-year-old said he needed to poo at a playground but there were no toilets. It crossed my mind to let him go in the bushes, but ultimately I made him go in his pants knowing I had a change of clothes handy."
Another said: "Initially that sounds bizarre, but let's give her the benefit of the doubt. Who knows the context. Let's hope there is context, because that is revolting. You at least clean it up."
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'Life long implications'
Toilet Training Expert Tracy Fulwood who's the Founder of pottytraining.com.au spoke to Yahoo Lifestyle about the incident and agrees teaching children its okay to go to the toilet outside in public can have life long implications.
"For more than 16 years I have been helping parents toilet train their children, and while it can be a stressful event, there would never be justification to purposefully encourage a child to defecate in a public space. Notwithstanding the health implications with the risk of raw sewage spreading disease, it could lead to emotional and behavioural challenges for the child, and potentially other children witnessing the event," she said.
"If a child believes “this is where you poo” it could start an undesirable habit that is not socially acceptable, nor viable, for childcare or starting school."
She is encouraging parents to start toilet training early and for parents to have a dedicated approach to their child's needs, but also to make it fun.
"The secret to successful toilet training is starting early, having a dedicated approach to your child’s needs, and losing the nappy so your child can feel wet and uncomfortable. It is important for parents to make toilet training fun as well. It is not about wees and poos on the toilet, but rather thinking like a child to encourage them to go. For example, using fun tools like PeeNUTS Toilet Targets can have your little boy racing to go, because it is fun."
Fulwood said there is rarely a rule book to follow because as all parents know, parenting is difficult, but she does want parents to think about their actions and how they can affect children and others.
"There is a difference with a child having a toilet training accident in public, versus a parent purposefully encouraging their child to poo in a public space near other families.
"What is acceptable versus unacceptable is considering the consequences that your actions will have on your child and others. If it is negative and can cause harm, then the obvious outcome is it should be avoided."
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