Moms with boys, bathroom question

[Sgt Mickey]

We do this because my 7 year old gets really embarrassed walking into the womens restroom with "girls" in there. I do all of the above plus I give him a pep talk and remind him about strangers, privacy, etc.

Well last time I stood outside the men's restroom door waiting for him and a couple of dads came out chuckling asking if that was my son. Apparently he'd say to the dad in the next stall, and the dad washing his hands next to him, "Excuse me sir. Please dont steal me."

oh my


I think a six year old is fine in the women's restroom.

 

[raenyny]

My boys are 5,7 and almost 9 I'm not very trusting of other people and if my husband isn't with us the all come in the womens room with me unless it is a one stall bathroom ..are they embarrassed??? you bet....do I care??? Nope!! In fact my youngest is the only one that complains LOL

 

[mm1971]

My sons are 6 and 3. Is the 6 year old too old to come into the ladies' room with me? Can I trust him in the men's room alone if I am right outside? He tells me he is ok to go by himself, but I don't know if "I" am ok with it. What do you do?

I didn't read through the thread so if others already notes than sorry for the duplicate. Disney has "family" rest rooms everywhere where you can all go into the bathroom together. They are usually right near the others. If you go onto the website it will show you the locations.

I went with my DD when she was 9. We just used the family rest rooms and it was fine. I wouldn't send my 6 year old anywhere that I could not get to in an emergency.

 

[SweetMissy]

My 9 year old still goes in the ladies room with me....so IMO 6 years old is not too old.

 

[maxiesmom]

My 9 year old still goes in the ladies room with me....so IMO 6 years old is not too old.

Wow 9 seems a little old, unless there are other challenges you child has. I'm really hoping you take him into your stall with you. That way he can be safe, and everyone else can be comfortable as well.

 

[maxiesmom]

I didn't read through the thread so if others already notes than sorry for the duplicate. Disney has "family" rest rooms everywhere where you can all go into the bathroom together. They are usually right near the others. If you go onto the website it will show you the locations.

I just went and looked, and Disney still calls them companion assisted restrooms. Even on the interactive map they are referred to that way. So anyone searching for family restrooms is doomed to fail.

I want to add too that they are not set up like the family restrooms we have at our local malls. Those have a few toilets, and at least one is low to the ground. The toilets in the companion assisted restrooms are high off of the ground, and may not be easy for very young children to use. They are setup that way as their main intent is for those who need physical help using the toilet, and not as a "family" restroom.

Really you shouldn't use the companion assisted restrooms as your every use restroom. If at all possible, use the "normal" restrooms. Use the companion restrooms if it is an emergency, but not as a replacement for for using the larger restrooms.

 

[Runnergal]

If you don't feel comfortable sending him in alone, by all means take him with you. This is your child, and if people want to judge, let them. My oldest is 7.5 and I normally send him in alone now if dad is not with us, but 6 is still kind of little, though it depends on the kid. Maybe it is because I am a mom of boys, but I would never bat an eye seeing a little boy in the ladies room with his mom.

 

[Nancyg56]

My boys are 5,7 and almost 9 I'm not very trusting of other people and if my husband isn't with us the all come in the womens room with me unless it is a one stall bathroom ..are they embarrassed??? you bet....do I care??? Nope!! In fact my youngest is the only one that complains LOL

What do you do with them if there is only one stall. I am not being snippy, just curious what the difference is because it seems to me that if the kids can remain outside of one restroom, why not another? I had sons, and they never would have agreed to stand in a ladies bathroom at nine.

 

[poohfriend77]

What do you do with them if there is only one stall. I am not being snippy, just curious what the difference is because it seems to me that if the kids can remain outside of one restroom, why not another? I had sons, and they never would have agreed to stand in a ladies bathroom at nine.

I took that to mean she waits outside and sends the boys into the single-stall bathroom. Not that she leaves them outside alone.

 

[Nancyg56]

I took that to mean she waits outside and sends the boys into the single-stall bathroom. Not that she leaves them outside alone.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh, I took it the opposite I'm sorry.

 

[rachael95]

I think most women don't really care about having boys with their moms in the bathrooms. I think the only time I was ever uncomfortable was years ago a boy who was older whose mother didn't watch him and he spent his time in the bathroom peeking in at those of us using the restroom. It was creepy. But I wasn't upset at the boy, I was upset at the mom for not watching her son better.

Even if that mother needed to use the restroom, all she had to do was to tell her son to stand where she could see his feet and make sure they were facing a certain direction. But this child (I'm thinking about 9-10 years old) was allowed to walk up and down the stalls putting his face and eye right up to the crack in the door. Several women complained.

And that is how often something like this happens. I've seen it ONCE. So what I'm getting at is, I really don't think people would mind a 6-8 year old if you have your kid's safety in mind. Once the child starts puberty, we're getting into a bit more murky area. But I think most women would still err on the side of keeping that child safe.

 

[Gracie09]

I think most women don't really care about having boys with their moms in the bathrooms. I think the only time I was ever uncomfortable was years ago a boy who was older whose mother didn't watch him and he spent his time in the bathroom peeking in at those of us using the restroom. It was creepy. But I wasn't upset at the boy, I was upset at the mom for not watching her son better.

Even if that mother needed to use the restroom, all she had to do was to tell her son to stand where she could see his feet and make sure they were facing a certain direction. But this child (I'm thinking about 9-10 years old) was allowed to walk up and down the stalls putting his face and eye right up to the crack in the door. Several women complained.

And that is how often something like this happens. I've seen it ONCE. So what I'm getting at is, I really don't think people would mind a 6-8 year old if you have your kid's safety in mind. Once the child starts puberty, we're getting into a bit more murky area. But I think most women would still err on the side of keeping that child safe.

The moms may not mind but the tween/young teen girls will. My niece would be horrified if a tween boy was outside her door especially if she was handling personal hygiene issues. At that age girls have enough to worry about at that time of the month a boy outside their stall (which do have gaps around the door) should not have to be one of them.
What do these older boys do on a field trip? I guarantee they aren't going in the women's room with a teacher.

 

[rachael95]

The moms may not mind but the tween/young teen girls will. My niece would be horrified if a tween boy was outside her door especially if she was handling personal hygiene issues. At that age girls have enough to worry about at that time of the month a boy outside their stall (which do have gaps around the door) should not have to be one of them.
What do these older boys do on a field trip? I guarantee they aren't going in the women's room with a teacher.

You know, I hadn't even thought about tween girls and teens. But you're right. That is something to keep in mind. It probably boils down to making sure that the boys are "in hand" and not allowed to roam. But even so, I can see a girl being uncomfortable just standing in line with a boy. Something to consider. Good point!

 

[ConvenientTruth]

As for age....I guess it is personal preference, but I couldn't imagine sending a child over the age of 5 in the opposite sex bathroom. Almost every area has family restrooms for those parents who can't be with them so please take advantage of those locations. I know many parents are concerned about the safety of their children, but keep in mind that when you start taking older children into the restroom you are making others uncomfortable (moms teen/tween/younger girls) and it is unfair to them to be in that situation because of a choice you made.

 

[SweetMissy]

Wow 9 seems a little old, unless there are other challenges you child has. I'm really hoping you take him into your stall with you. That way he can be safe, and everyone else can be comfortable as well.

No, he's a normal 9 year old. I don't feel the need to bring him in the stall with me...he's 9, not 2. Why would having a 9 year old standing by the sinks waiting for me or himself going to the bathroom in his own stall make anyone uncomfortable? It's a bathroom not a public changing room.

 

[Gracie09]

No, he's a normal 9 year old. I don't feel the need to bring him in the stall with me...he's 9, not 2. Why would having a 9 year old standing by the sinks waiting for me or himself going to the bathroom in his own stall make anyone uncomfortable? It's a bathroom not a public changing room.

Because its a room dedicated to the needs of women and girls. What about a tween girl dealing with her period who may need some help from her mom. If she knows your tween son is just outside she may not be comfortable calling her mom over for help. How much safer is he really standing by the sinks than right outside the door? If your in the stall with your pants down not much you can do to help or discipline him if he misbehaves. I wonder if your attitude will change in a few few years when your daughter hits puberty. My guess is it will.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Oh no, not the boys in the girls room discussion again!

Can't we all just agree that the parent needs to use their best judgement on a case-by-case, kid-by-kid basis?

I would love to see a discussion of a bunch of dads on what they do with their daughters if the situation was reversed.

 

[SweetMissy]

Because its a room dedicated to the needs of women and girls. What about a tween girl dealing with her period who may need some help from her mom. If she knows your tween son is just outside she may not be comfortable calling her mom over for help. How much safer is he really standing by the sinks than right outside the door? If your in the stall with your pants down not much you can do to help or discipline him if he misbehaves. I wonder if your attitude will change in a few few years when your daughter hits puberty. My guess is it will.

Safer standing in the same room as me or standing outside the door with a bunch of strangers passing by...hmmm, tough one, lol. If people weren't so uptight about things, this wouldn't even be a discussion. It's a BATHROOM....we ALL use it and it shouldn't be a big deal. I'm sorry but I don't feel comfortable leaving my son off by himself while I use the bathroom. I could really care less if some stick up the butt mother is scared that my son might have x-ray vision and see through stall doors.

 

[Gracie09]

Safer standing in the same room as me or standing outside the door with a bunch of strangers passing by...hmmm, tough one, lol. If people weren't so uptight about things, this wouldn't even be a discussion. It's a BATHROOM....we ALL use it and it shouldn't be a big deal. I'm sorry but I don't feel comfortable leaving my son off by himself while I use the bathroom. I could really care less if some stick up the butt mother is scared that my son might have x-ray vision and see through stall doors.

Psst the people in the room are strangers as well. What does your son do on a school field trip? I'm sure the teacher doesn't take him to the girls room. And at school! There might be a parent there or a teacher he doesn't know!

 

[Gracie09]

Safer standing in the same room as me or standing outside the door with a bunch of strangers passing by...hmmm, tough one, lol. If people weren't so uptight about things, this wouldn't even be a discussion. It's a BATHROOM....we ALL use it and it shouldn't be a big deal. I'm sorry but I don't feel comfortable leaving my son off by himself while I use the bathroom. I could really care less if some stick up the butt mother is scared that my son might have x-ray vision and see through stall doors.

Tell you what if it not that big a deal, take him into the stall with you. Then you can protect him from everyone! Your big boy your stall!