Bathroom Question!! (bringing kids in)

[P'colaBeachBum]

Really?! Woman are in bathrooms with little boys in there all of the time!

DH would bring the girls into the men's room until they were 5 or so, if I wasn't available, or if the line for the ladies room was long. We would not use a companion restroom unless it was an emergency. There is a reason why they aren't on regular park maps.

REALLY! Women's bathrooms have stalls, not urinals where you are exposed. I don't need to explain further. I think DH made a decision that was right for him...he waited.

 

[mjkacmom]

REALLY! Women's bathrooms have stalls, not urinals where you are exposed. I don't need to explain further. I think DH made a decision that was right for him...he waited.

You do realize that there are stalls in the men's room, right?

 

[anniemae]

Really?! Woman are in bathrooms with little boys in there all of the time!

DH would bring the girls into the men's room until they were 5 or so, if I wasn't available, or if the line for the ladies room was long. We would not use a companion restroom unless it was an emergency. There is a reason why they aren't on regular park maps.

I think the difference is that there is not as much privacy in the mens rooms. Little kids stare and make inappropriate comments. The urinals are just kind of out there with little privacy. Also, there are not many stalls in the mens room and if they are occupied, you have to wait. And try to have your dd avoid staring at the men at the urinals. I think it would be uncomfortable for some.

I agree about the companion restrooms. I used to use them with my kids, but avoid them now. There was a thread a while back about this topic and finally a CM on these boards chimed in and let everyone know that the companion restrooms are for anybody needing assistance whether it is a handicapped person, a parent with an opposite gender child, and yes moms with small children. That is why there is a diaper changing station in these restrooms. Like I said, I will not use them now just out of common courtesy, but I guess it's okay.

 

[Magpie]

All bathrooms should only be used by those who's birth sex matches the sign on the door. The potty police should be placed in front of every door checking your plumbing to be sure it matches the sign.

Anyone using the "wrong" bathroom should be paraded down Main St, flogged and perma banned from all Disney activities for all eternity.

Main Street, and the CM leading the Shame Parade!

Aaaaanyway, with regards to the topic at hand...

I think we should leave the Companion restrooms to people with mobility issues and people who require assistance in the bathroom (which category may possibly include single parents and their opposite sex children, but not always).

I have no issues with Dads bringing their daughters into the men's room. I mean, really, it's not like walking into an orgy! It's just men trying to pee. Even if the wee lassie spots a man standing at the urinal, it's not as if she'll be scarred for life, blinded, traumatized, any other such nonsense.

I also have no issues with Mums bringing their sons into the ladies' room.

And I seriously don't care what's in your pants. If you present as male and would feel more comfortable using the men's room... then use the men's room. If you present as female, use the ladies' room! It's all the same to me.

And when children start expressing discomfort at going into the bathroom with their opposite gender parent... then they shouldn't have to any more. Respect the child's preference. Respect the adult's preference. Just, respect people.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Well it makes a difference to me. The signs are very clear they are Companion Bathrooms not Family restrooms. They are the ONLY bathrooms I can use with my adult DS who is handicapped. Sometimes we have to travel a distance to get to one. Then we often have to wait unreasonable amounts of time to use it because someone wishes to have a private bathroom.

Do I mind if it is a SINGLE Dad with a daughter, no. Do I mind if it is a Dad with a daughter because Mom doesn't want to take her in, yes. Using the bathroom intended for those with handicaps that can not be met with the traditional bathrooms is rude. And no there are not a large amount of these restrooms. For those of us who HAVE to use them, I assure you it's a stressful part of our day getting to one.

The signs are two adults of opposite sex and those in wheelchairs. There are no children in this picture aka no family restroom.

1. If you read a few posts down I SINCERELY apologized for my IGNORANT post about it.

2. I brought my daughter to the bathroom for most of our last trip and only used the COMPANION bathroom to change her clothes and calm her down since the regular bathrooms are loud and sometimes freak out a grumpy child.

3. I would NEVER use one of these restrooms if people who really needed it were waiting.

4. My husband was not comfortable bringing her to the men's room, so he brought her into what we THOUGHT meant family bathroom.

 

[Magpie]

My DH was headed for the bathroom when he saw a man go in to the mens with his daughter. DH stayed outside because he would have been VERY uncomfortable. There are family bathrooms that would be more appropriate for your DH and DD to use.

*side note...Semper Fi. DH retired after 32 years active duty.

That's your husband's issue, and his choice. He can do whatever he prefers, to make himself feel more comfortable. The father and his daughter have no obligation to accommodate your husband's personal squicks.

And we've already established that there are not any "family bathrooms", only "companion restrooms" and some young children find the higher toilets challenging.

Btw, congrats to your DH on his retirement! I hope you both enjoy many wonderful trips together.

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

You do realize that there are stalls in the men's room, right?

Yes...but you have to pass by the urinals first.

 

[mjkacmom]

Yes...but you have to pass by the urinals first.

But your DH wasn't at a urinal, he wasn't even in the restroom. He could have gone into a stall. A dad and his 3 year old shouldn't have to run across a park to find the companion bathroom. Just shield her eyes and head for a stall.

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

That's your husband's issue, and his choice. He can do whatever he prefers, to make himself feel more comfortable. The father and his daughter have no obligation to accommodate your husband's personal squicks.

And we've already established that there are not any "family bathrooms", only "companion restrooms" and some young children find the higher toilets challenging.

Btw, congrats to your DH on his retirement! I hope you both enjoy many wonderful trips together.

It's not an "issue" or a "squicks".... It's how he was raised.
As for the family v. companion....it's still a bathroom that can be shared. The only PC I know is Port Canaveral.

Thank you

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Parents should bring any child, of any gender, of any age, into any bathroom. End stop. Without being harassed. You don't know what's better for someone else's child.

 

[JerseyGuy24]

I am a single dad and this is the issue I am worrying about when we go to WDW in June. My daughter is 7 and will absolutely not go into the mens bathroom. I feel okay letting her go into the womens bathroom on her own with me waiting right outside. the problem I am having is when I need to use the restroom, what do I do with my daughter. Shes way too young to leave alone outside of the restroom

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

But your DH wasn't at a urinal, he wasn't even in the restroom. He could have gone into a stall. A dad and his 3 year old shouldn't have to run across a park to find the companion bathroom. Just shield her eyes and head for a stall.

Ok...last comment. The stall was being used by the Dad and DD. See post above. Have a good one.

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

Parents should bring any child, of any gender, of any age, into any bathroom. End stop. Without being harassed. You don't know what's better for someone else's child.

Really..last comment. If they feel comfortable doing that ..yes no problem. But DH waited outside patiently because HE was not comfortable going in. Don't read something that is not there.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Really..last comment. If they feel comfortable doing that ..yes no problem. But DH waited outside patiently because HE was not comfortable going in. Don't read something that is not there.

Right, parents should do what is comfortable for them and their child, and not worry about what other people say, is what I meant.

 

[Lisa F]

I think we should leave the Companion restrooms to people with mobility issues and people who require assistance in the bathroom (which category may possibly include single parents and their opposite sex children, but not always).

I have no issues with Dads bringing their daughters into the men's room. I mean, really, it's not like walking into an orgy! It's just men trying to pee. Even if the wee lassie spots a man standing at the urinal, it's not as if she'll be scarred for life, blinded, traumatized, any other such nonsense.

I also have no issues with Mums bringing their sons into the ladies' room.

And I seriously don't care what's in your pants. If you present as male and would feel more comfortable using the men's room... then use the men's room. If you present as female, use the ladies' room! It's all the same to me.

And when children start expressing discomfort at going into the bathroom with their opposite gender parent... then they shouldn't have to any more. Respect the child's preference. Respect the adult's preference. Just, respect people.

Single mother with opposite sex kiddo on the border of what people would consider acceptable, but I'm not going to occupy a companion room unless I have reason to (ie my son had an accident that I needed to clean up and needed space to deal. Hopefully that is never an issue but who the heck knows... I sure used the bigger bathrooms when he was little and we were working on the potty training).

I do think it's a little bit different going into a men's room. I think that the privacy of the men who may not feel comfortable exposing themselves in front of a little girl needs to be respected as well.

My kid does not always get to have his preference. I know he'd prefer to use the men's room but until he reaches a point where he is not standing there staring into space with the water running because of all of the stimulation around him worrying the crap out of me because I don't know for SURE that is what he is doing for an overly long time... he does what i tell him to do, which is go in the ladies room in large public places.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I do think it's a little bit different going into a men's room. I think that the privacy of the men who may not feel comfortable exposing themselves in front of a little girl needs to be respected as well.

It's Disney World. There are going to be little kids in all bathrooms, though. It's very easy to have privacy in a stall.

 

[Huff]

here are family bathrooms that would be more appropriate for your DH and DD to use.

Except there really isn't. Only a few in select areas. If they are available then sure, use them. Otherwise nothing wrong with taking a child under the age of 5 in with the parent regardless of gender. Common practice nationwide!

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Except there really isn't. Only a few in select areas. If they are available then sure, use them. Otherwise nothing wrong with taking a child under the age of 5 in with the parent regardless of gender. Common practice nationwide!

This, but I would expand that to any age if the child has a disability, and/or is uncomfortable going by themselves.

 

[MariMama]

yep apparently a very touchy subject.

My sincerest apologies for calling it a family bathroom. I'll never make that mistake again!

Meh. I'll continue to call it a family bathroom. I like to live dangerously.

 

[Magpie]

It's not an "issue" or a "squicks".... It's how he was raised.
As for the family v. companion....it's still a bathroom that can be shared. The only PC I know is Port Canaveral.

Thank you

It may be how he was raised, but it's not how everyone was raised. That makes it a "personal issue".

The way your husband was raised made him feel uncomfortable at the idea of using a public washroom with a little girl and her father present in the same facility. However, this is not a universal discomfort, nor is it an issue of courtesy (as clearly, neither the father nor the little girl would have been made uncomfortable by your husband's presence).

Your husband's upbringing was not superior, just different from that of the other man's. If this means he waits a moment for the bathroom to clear, that's his choice.