A delicate question but I need to ask

[nannyz]

We will be going to DL with my grandkids this summer.
I am an early riser and have no problem getting up and taking my two older grandkids to the park when it opens.
My granddaughter is 6 and my grandson will turn 5 years old while we are there.
My question is this: Since it may be just me and the two little ones, I am concerned about taking my grandson into the ladies room.
Do you think that 5 yrs old is too old to be going into the ladies room with me?
If so, then I will have to make sure that his grandpa gets up with us.
(I really would not feel comfortable sending my grandson into the men's room alone.)
Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[TheZue]

Should be fine as long as he's okay with it, which you may want to test before you take him into the park.

 

[SA mom]

You can used the family restrooms if you (or he) feels weird about going into the Ladies Room.

 

[Echo queen]

I have 2 boys, they are not that young anymore. I have no problem with this. What I do have a problem with is boys unattended in the ladies restroom kind of milling around being a boy. Parents should keep there boys close, like outside there stall door if the parent is in the restroom. I have seen boys just kind of milling around at sink what ever no parent in site and boys that look to be older than say 8yrs. I know some boys are big for there age so just keep them close if your in the ladies restroom.

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

IMHO 5 isn't too old. I wouldn't feel comfortable with sending a 5-year-old into the restrooms alone, and I would think the majority of other moms would feel the same way and would assume that was why he was with you in the ladies room.

I didn't send my son by himself until he was around 7. I really wouldn't worry about it. People will understand.

 

[coopersmom]

As mom of a five-year-old boy, who is very much all-boy in his attitude, he always goes into the ladies room with me. No way, no how, I'm sending him into a men's room on his own. (And, honestly, don't know when I will feel comfortable with that.) Yes, I choose a family restroom when open/available, but if not, he knows very well that if he's with mommy, he needs to go into the women's restroom. He knows that's what little boys do when they're with their moms. With daddy he can use the men's which, yeah, at this point he probably prefers, but he's never really confirmed that verbally. (Though he does always ask my husband to take him if they're altogether. Honestly, though, I think it might be as simple as he enjoys the novelty of using a urinal, and not any kind of embarrassment.)

By the way, just in case you hadn't thought of it, you don't actually have to go into a stall with him if he (or you) are embarrassed by that. I usually stand outside and hold the door closed for him, since those locks can be hard to turn, or, worse, hard to open and then there can be unpleasantness. (No one wants their child locked in a bathroom stall.)

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

I have no problem with a 5 year old boy in the lady's room either waiting for mom/grandma/aunt/guardian or using the facilities himself. I agree that 5 is too young to send into the a big public restroom by himself, nor would I leave him outside the women's room if I needed to go in for myself or to accompany a girl child. There are a couple family restrooms in the parks, but they are rare, so I would not think you should feel obligated to restrict your use to them.

 

[PinkBudgie]

As a mom of twin boys, I always took my boys with me in the ladies room when they were 6. I wasn't sending young boys in alone to the men's room. And they didn't think anything about it at that age. And I now I wouldn't think anything if I saw a mom (or grandma) bring a small boy in to the bathroom. When they got to be about 8, I would send them in to the men's room together with warnings to watch out for each other, etc. I was thankful they were twins so they had a "bathroom buddy" if dad wasn't there.
The main thing is to teach kids (boys or girls) to be respectful of other people in the bathroom and not peek under the stalls.

 

[Disneylovers2000]

As a mom of twin boys, I always took my boys with me in the ladies room when they were 6. I wasn't sending young boys in alone to the men's room. And they didn't think anything about it at that age. And I now I wouldn't think anything if I saw a mom (or grandma) bring a small boy in to the bathroom. When they got to be about 8, I would send them in to the men's room together with warnings to watch out for each other, etc. I was thankful they were twins so they had a "bathroom buddy" if dad wasn't there.
The main thing is to teach kids (boys or girls) to be respectful of other people in the bathroom and not peek under the stalls.

This was the exact same situation for me!! I was lucky that when they got older, they could go together but there was no way I was letting them go into the men's by themselves younger than about 7 or 8. I agree with the previous posters, as long as they are taught how to be respectful in the restroom, there shouldn't be an issue. The only ladies that may have issue with it are those who don't have children or grandchildren but honestly - safety first! And who knows, He may be far to excited to want to stop and use the restroom anyways!!

 

[Nox54]

fwiw, it doesn't bother me when I see it.
Enjoy your trip!

 

[LisaT91403]

I have a 4 year old son, and I have lots of friends who have boys all the way up to the age of 8 (going on 9). None of them go into the men's room alone. No chance.

It doesn't bother me to have boys in the women's restroom. You are in a stall when you are doing your thing, so it doesn't seem like a big deal. If it were a locker room where you were changing your clothes or showering, then I think it would be awkward if older boys were within view. But in a public restroom? No big deal, IMO.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I think your kids are young enough, however, some women are pretty private and may be bothered. There are companion bathrooms at both Disneyland and California Adventure where you can take your children. However, it might not be convenient, especially when someone needs to use it right now.

Even though Disneyland Resort bathrooms are pretty safe, I can understand your wanting to protect your son. You really should be okay taking him with you. Although this is a more recent behavior (when my kids were young I never saw boys in the women's restroom - talking back in '95 or so), I now see boys often enough in the restroom these days that it's not a shock anymore.

 

[marybaby08]

I have a 5 yo boy, and I would never send him to the mens room unless is with his daddy. He doesn't like it too much but he knows thats the only option. You should be fine with them. Have fun!

 

[kymom99]

Once my son got too old to go in the stall with me, I started a rule that I had to be able to see his feet in front of the stall door. That way he knew not to wander way from me. It always worked. The alternative was to come in the stall with me, which he was starting to feel awkward about, so he complied!

 

[Karenann*]

Through the years at DL and elsewhere I commonly see adults with their small boys in the Women's restroom. I don't think this is a big surprise for most folks.

 

[loricdietzel]

I would definitely keep him with you. Make sure he understands this is what is going to happen, though. I know my daughter (just turned 4) will refuse to go in the men's room with my husband if she isn't warned before hand. (Although maybe a daughter going in a men's room is a little different. But what else are daddy's supposed to do who are flying solo if there isn't a family bathroom in the immediate vicinity?!!?)

If you are concerned while you are in the stall, have him stand immediately outside the stall with his foot partially under the door so you can see it. Then you know exactly where he is and then other people can't say anything because he isn't wandering around. Just a thought.

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

California Adventure has two specific sets of companion restrooms - in Bugs Land and in Cars Land. Also, DCA Baby Care has a full-sized restroom for use by parents and older children.

DL has a companion bathroom in Adventureland.

Less Frequented restrooms (should you still feel less confident or uncomfortable about what others may think in crowded and smaller bathrooms) are:

DL -

• between Autopia and Innoventions (tucked back by the hat kiosk on the way to the Tomorrowland Railroad Station
• Under the Hungry Bear in Critter Country
• Up in the Princess Fantasy Faire area, across from Small World

DCA -

• Hollywood Backlot to the right of the Mad T Party Arcade
• Behind Goofy's Sky School in Paradise Pier
• Behind King Triton's Carousel under California Screamin in Paradise Pier

Hope this helps!

 

[disneychrista]

Just a question, what about the opposite. What about a 5 or 6 yo girl in the men's restroom?

 

[Lorinda]

Just a question, what about the opposite. What about a 5 or 6 yo girl in the men's restroom?

Unfortunately it is pretty difficult for daddys to take daughters potty because of the urinal situation and what they may see.

As far as boys go .. we take my 7 yr old grand son into the ladies room in DL/CaA
We tell him the opposite of what the posters are saying here. We say as soon as your business is finished head to the sinks wash then wait inside the door til mom/grandma comes out. Our reasoning is if he were to hang out by our stall this could put him in the position of appearing to be looking through door cracks at other patrons. He is well behaved and we have not had a problem with this procedure.


.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

We will be going to DL with my grandkids this summer.
I am an early riser and have no problem getting up and taking my two older grandkids to the park when it opens.
My granddaughter is 6 and my grandson will turn 5 years old while we are there.
My question is this: Since it may be just me and the two little ones, I am concerned about taking my grandson into the ladies room.
Do you think that 5 yrs old is too old to be going into the ladies room with me?
If so, then I will have to make sure that his grandpa gets up with us.
(I really would not feel comfortable sending my grandson into the men's room alone.)
Thanks for your thoughts.

When my DS was 5 I was newly single, he came in to the ladies room with DD and I for at least the next year, longer depending on where we were.