At what age did you let your son go to the mens room alone?

[waltonmkb]

My husband and I are taking our son to DL in 2 weeks. My son is 6.5 years old. My husband is not that much of a Disney fan and will go back to room fairly often. I've just started letting my son go into mens bathrooms alone, but only when it's a single stall and I stand right outside the door. I'm too nervous to do this at Disneyland, though, and I'm worried about what I'll do when my husband is not with us. I just have this awful image in my head of pedophiles laying in wait for young boys to come into the restrooms all alone!

When did others start letting their sons go into the mens bathrooms alone? I also know my son is growing up and I don't want to make other women uncomfortable with him in the womens bathroom (though I know other moms will be very understanding).

 

[ADisneyFamilyof5]

We are currently at Disneyland (woo hoo!) and my son is 7 (and very tall) and I take him with me. My husband and I often split up, so if I am with my son I just take him in. Its too big and crowded, I just don't feel comfortable letting him go into the mens. He is fine with it and I have never had a problem with other people saying anything.

 

[allsaintsatx]

Take him into the women's room, my wife still takes our DS in with her and he's almost 11!!

DL is mostly families, no one is going to look at you weird for bringing your DS6 in with you to the restroom, and chances are you won't be the only one there doing it

And I'm not totally sure, maybe someone else on here is, but aren't there "family" bathrooms somewhere? Not M or W, but literally a stick figure picture of a family? Might be something to look into if you still feel uneasy about it.

 

[kaci]

DS is 7 and I still take him in with me. Honestly, I'm more concerned about making sure he washes his hands properly than anything else. I'm pretty sure if left to his own devices he would use cold water, make a huge soapy mess, and touch a dozen surfaces on his way out the door.

Hopefully this thread stays friendly but this can be a surprisingly controversial topic, lol.

 

[Sydnie]

My husband and I are taking our son to DL in 2 weeks. My son is 6.5 years old. My husband is not that much of a Disney fan and will go back to room fairly often. I've just started letting my son go into mens bathrooms alone, but only when it's a single stall and I stand right outside the door. I'm too nervous to do this at Disneyland, though, and I'm worried about what I'll do when my husband is not with us. I just have this awful image in my head of pedophiles laying in wait for young boys to come into the restrooms all alone!

When did others start letting their sons go into the mens bathrooms alone? I also know my son is growing up and I don't want to make other women uncomfortable with him in the womens bathroom (though I know other moms will be very understanding).

Honestly, there is no way you need to worry about pedophiles lying in wait. First of all, the Mens' bathrooms are filled with fathers and grandfathers. Your son is 6.5, at the first sign of any trouble he would be making noise and the fathers and grandfathers in there would be beside him in a second to rescue him. Secondly, you will be right outside the door. If he takes longer than 2 or 3 minutes you could walk in or call for him to make sure he's alright. Thirdly, random stranger molestation in public places is extremeeeeely rare. It virtually never happens, and when it does it is in lonely, out of the way bathrooms where the pedophile can be sure A: No one else will walk in and interrupt him, and B: The child's parents and friends are no where around. Disneyland would be absolutely the WORST place for a pedophile to pick since the bathrooms are always full and children are always accompanied. And while pedophiles are sick and twisted, they are usually smart enough to ensure they pick somewhere they won't be caught. Your son is definitely safer in a busy Disney bathroom than he is in a single stall restroom in your home town!

Take this opportunity to step back a bit and reign in your fears. It will do your son a world of good to learn that he can accomplish a bit of autonomy as he gets older. I know it's hard, but it's also so important!

And to answer the question, my boys are 4 and 6. I let them go into the bathrooms both alone and together since they were tall enough to reach the sinks and responsible enough to behave maturely (so about 3.5.) I always wait right outside the door

 

[tanyaegangibson]

While I agree with a previous poster that your son would be safe going in alone, I often bring DS6 into the women's room with me and my daughter because it's just more expedient if we're going anyway.

I've definitely sent him into the men's room alone at DL (since he was 5), but only if neither DD9 or I needed to use the restroom too. (This way, I'd be waiting outside the men's room door so he wouldn't get scared/lost if he walked out and we weren't out yet.)

I always see boys in the women's room at DLR (and every theme park, aquarium, zoo, etc., to which I take my kids), btw. Just do what makes you the most comfortable and no one will care at all.

 

[Sydnie]

While I agree with a previous poster that your son would be safe going in alone, I often bring DS6 into the women's room with me and my daughter because it's just more expedient if we're going anyway.

I've definitely sent him into the men's room alone at DL (since he was 5), but only if neither DD9 or I needed to use the restroom too. (This way, I'd be waiting outside the men's room door so he wouldn't get scared/lost if he walked out and we weren't out yet.)

I always see boys in the women's room at DLR (and every theme park, aquarium, zoo, etc., to which I take my kids), btw. Just do what makes you the most comfortable and no one will care at all.

Coming back to agree with this as well. I don't think 6 is too old to come in the women's room, but I also think it's plenty old enough to go alone

 

[BryANDJessMom]

There is at least one Bathroom I can think of that has two exits... Just make sure he knows which door

 

[tinkcollector]

My Son is now 25, and I took him with me until he was 10, then I left it up to him. My theory is why take a chance. It's not worth the chance IMHO with your child's innocence in this crazy world we live in. If your Son feels uncomfortable in the Ladies Room there are Family restrooms available.

 

[disneydadazut2]

What a great thread. My wife and I struggle with this topic all the time - My wife is OVER protective, which is good. I am always trying to get my boys to learn to be independent, which is also good. However, there are real monsters in the world. Fortunately, I think Disneyland filters out a lot of the riff-raff with their ticket prices.

My suggestion, if the bathroom is crowded, your boy is safe. Pedophiles/thieves/Monsters in general, are cowards and almost never go after victims if they stand a chance of getting caught. However, if the bathroom is nearly empty - take him to yours.

But most important - listen to your "spidey-sense". If you see someone follow your son into the bathroom and you have a bad feeling about him - peek your head in and call back your son. 95% of those that see you do it, will not only understand, but will see that your boy makes it out to you safely.

 

[YukonMommy]

I actually felt safer letting my kids go to the bathroom alone at DL rather than our hometown Fastfood restaurants! My son had just turned 6 before our last trip, so I let him pick each time he needed to go! One of us waited right outside the door area (with a bunch of other parents)...the one time I thought my son was taking to long and called his name...a Dad came out and was like Hudson's Mom he is trying to poop, and says he needs a few minutes! If you have taught your kid safety rules, DL is the perfect time to start spreading their wings. But each kid is different.

 

[sunflare]

My son has been going to the men's room alone since he was 5 (now almost 7) because he flat out refuses to go in to the women's room. He says he's a boy and doesn't belong in there. So that's something else you might want to take into account, as it wasn't something we encouraged...thinking he probably picked it up at school.

 

[Rubygoose]

On our most recent trip in late August, DS4 (almost 5) normally went into the washroom with DH or with me and DD7. But on one occasion DH was holding our spot for Fantasmic and DS really needed to pee but the lineup for the ladies room was out the door. So, DD waited in the line and DS went into the men's room on his own while I waited outside for both of them. I was a bit nervous and it seemed like he took forever, and I almost asked one of the men coming out if they saw a little boy in there, and then he finally came out.

For OP, I think in your case it would be fine to take your DS into the ladies room. There is a family restroom in cars land, but I don't recall seeing any in DL.

 

[WanderlustNZ]

My son has been going to the men's room alone since he was 5 (now almost 7) because he flat out refuses to go in to the women's room. He says he's a boy and doesn't belong in there. So that's something else you might want to take into account, as it wasn't something we encouraged...thinking he probably picked it up at school.

My son doesn't feel comfortable using women's bathrooms anymore either. He has been going into the men's alone since he was 5 with me standing close outside.

I must admit, I have quite an anxious personality and tend to be over cautious when it comes to my son. My DH commented the other day that some of this anxiety is starting to rub off on DS with him worrying about small things. DH is right, so I am now trying to make a real conscious effort to properly weigh up risks before wrapping my son in cotton wool. When it comes to using the men's bathroom, my DS has asked for a little bit of independence and I feel okay giving it to him. I agree with the poster who said that the risks of anything going wrong in a Disney bathroom are very very small.

 

[mikana876]

It would depend in whether or not I had to use the restroom myself. If I have to use the restroom too, I'd take him with me. If I didn't have to use the restroom, I'd just send him in and wait outside the door.

 

[SweetAlex]

I guess I'm one of "THOSE" parents... lol. I've been letting my girls go to the washroom themselves for years, and my youngest is only 7. I figure, if I can't let them go to the bathroom alone, how in the world am I going to expect them to venture out in the world alone in 10 short years .

Honestly, DLR would be one of the safest places to start letting him go alone, in my opinion. The washrooms are busy, full of families and fathers. They aren't abandoned and desolate with creepies lying in wait, I promise! . The world is safer now than it was 20 years ago. Stats prove this. We just know more and hear more when things happen. Independence does WONDERS for kids. Gives us more gray hairs and worry lines but so good for them.

But that's just my opinion. Whatever you are most comfortable with, you need to do.

 

[Zbugz]

For OP, I think in your case it would be fine to take your DS into the ladies room. There is a family restroom in cars land, but I don't recall seeing any in DL.

There is one between Jungle Cruise and the Tiki Room.

 

[mom2rtk]

6.5 I have no issue with. I saw 11 listed earlier, and that's way too old. My 13 year old daughter should not have to take care of her personal hygiene issues with a tween age boy standing outside the door with gaping cracks all around.

If you decide to take your boy into the ladies' room, I think a good suggestion would be to take them into the stall with you. After all, safety is paramount, and your child can't be safe wandering around a restroom while you are in a stall with your pants down around your legs.

 

[CdnCarrie]

6 or 7. Sometimes his dad or big brother go with him. He started refusing to go into the women's around age 6.

 

[stephwtx]

Well I guess I'm one of those moms... It's not DW or DL but a very public place. I live in the Houston area and at the Library down the street from our house 2 little boys were attacked. It's was the middle of the afternoon. A dad sent his DS 4 and DS 6 into the bathroom to change into their swimsuits for swim class after story time. There just happened to be a pediphile alone in the bathroom when they walked in. He attacked the older kid and was molesting the younger child when the older got away and ran outside the door to get his dad. A well lit bathroom, the middle of the day, a busy place... Of course the dad thought it would be safe. I'm not sure when my DS will be allowed to use the men's room honestly. Luckily he is only 3 and I don't have to cross that bridge yet! On a side note my DD is 5 1/2 and she doesn't go to the bathroom by herself either.