Le Mannequin Pis

When you have a fair-sized group of children over for a party, you learn to expect the unexpected. But sometimes something happens that really throws you for a loop. As was the case this past weekend.

One of the little boys in the neighborhood has recently acquired the rather disconcerting habit of considering the whole world his toilet. Apparently he is on a new medication that greatly increases the frequency of urination, so he'll be playing in the yard and suddenly pull out his whatsit for a brief whizz. At the same time, he is in the throes of toddlerhood rebellion.

On Sunday we hosted a farewell party for our neighbors. We gathered in our yard for food and fun (and flies). At one point, I spotted a couple of the boys head into the house. I sent Mr. MOM in to check it out, and this one little boy proudly (or was it defiantly?) told him that he peed in DOM's room. Mr. MOM came out and related the story, but said he didn't see anything. I went in to check it out and found a telltale line of wetness on the rug near the door.

So, besides cleaning it up, what would you do? How do you tell a person you like a lot that her son just used your daughter's room as his own personal latrine? To be fair, my friend was mortified and took swift corrective and punitive action. But there is one kid that I'm not letting roam freely around my house any more.