Bringing boys in the ladies room/family bathroom questions

[DisneyOma]

I don't think you are projecting the OP's opinion - see post #34 above. She says this is the way it will be even as men with beards, if no Family restrooms are available - that's the point - they 'are' at Disney, and some other places - even Target has one. Family Restrooms are for those situations. I would think similar situations are 'why' they are available in the first place - daddies with little girls, mommies with boys as the need arises.

Except at WDW they are listed as Companion bathrooms, not Family bathrooms.

 

[Treysar]

Except at WDW they are listed as Companion bathrooms, not Family bathrooms.

I’m not sure I understand this either. Aren’t they for families too? Or just companions?

 

[tinkerjo]

I believe family or companion bathrooms( just different terms) is a catch all. It’s so anyone can feel comfortable no matter what gender they are or identify with, or so families can go in the restroom together for whatever reason that is needed. They are typically handicapped accessible and have changing stations.

 

[Treysar]

I believe family or companion bathrooms( just different terms) is a catch all. It’s so anyone can feel comfortable no matter what gender they are or identify with, or so families can go in the restroom together for whatever reason that is needed. They are typically handicapped accessible and have changing stations.

I like this.

 

[Lilsia]

I’m not sure I understand this either. Aren’t they for families too? Or just companions?

Yes, they are for anyone who feels like they need them. It is just the terminology they use, like spa for their hot tubs.

 

[Weedy]

It is different for adults that understand or with a challenged person, but I know when my girls where that age(7,8,9) and they saw boys their age in the restroom with them, it make them very uncomfortable. I am not talking about special needs children but typical boys that the Mom's just did not want them to use the men's restroom. They are taught in school and by parents that you use the restroom of your gender. If a 9 year old boy in school decided to go into the girl's bathroom they would probably call the cops on him now. I am sure that if a 9 year old girls went into the boy's bathroom it would be an issue too.
s

Great time to teach them about hidden disabilities

 

[ShannyDoesDisney]

It would never bother me to see a male in the "women's" bathroom. It's a private stall and I have so much empathy for parents who have special needs children. The last thing you should have to worry about is judgment while just trying to care for your child's needs.
My son is 2 and I take him into the ladies room but I will teach him that if he were to see a girl in the men's washroom that he needs to be respectful and treat them with dignity as he should.

 

[Lilsia]

Great time to teach them about hidden disabilities

Use the family restroom. What if a dad brought his 9 yo daughter into the men's restroom? That is OK too? Believe it or not, some woman change in the restrooms like around Kali river rapids and they don't want to be exposed to young men for either of their sake. We have separate gender restrooms for a reason. If someone needs to bring someone of the opposite sex to the restroom then go to one of the companion ones.

 

[maxiesmom]

I believe family or companion bathrooms( just different terms) is a catch all. It’s so anyone can feel comfortable no matter what gender they are or identify with, or so families can go in the restroom together for whatever reason that is needed. They are typically handicapped accessible and have changing stations.

There can be a difference between family bathrooms and companion bathrooms. Where I am at, family restrooms have at least one toilet that is low to the ground, suitable for a child to use. Most companion restrooms have a toilet that is high up, to make it easy for people on scooters or wheelchairs to use.

I agree that anyone who needs to use a companion restroom at Disney should do so. As long as that doesn't include using it for a time out space or to change clothes.

 

[ShannyDoesDisney]

I don't think people should change outside of a stall in a public washroom. I don't want to see any nakey bodies while I pee.
If you change in private, it won't matter that a mom has brought in sons who are older with special needs.
If a father takes his daughter into the men's then maybe anyone using the urinal should cover up.
I don't know where compassion has gone. As someone who is "able-bodied" I would bend over backwards to help or make someone more comfortable.
There are parents who have teenagers who need 24/7 care and if I could make just one moment less difficult then sign me up 1000 times.

 

[Treysar]

I have to admit that some of the negativity on this board is pretty surprising. I have found a special-needs parents to be some of the most understanding people I’ve ever met. Probably because they understand the difference between really important issues and minor ones. I’m so grateful for that. It is so nice to be surrounded by people are good and kind hearted and don’t sweat the small stuff. One of those silver linings and I never thought about it until I had children with special needs

 

[maxiesmom]

I don't think people should change outside of a stall in a public washroom. I don't want to see any nakey bodies while I pee.
If you change in private, it won't matter that a mom has brought in sons who are older with special needs.

Just to be clear, I was referring to people who use the companion restrooms as changing rooms. That is not what they are for. The companion restrooms are few and far between, and should be left for those who have a need of them. Changing into a princess dress is not a need.

I also think we need to respect people on both sides of this issue. The people who are uncomfortable with a male child in a female restroom are not "wrong". They are uncomfortable, and shouldn't be made to feel as if they are a bad person because of it.

Yes, it would be great if we could all be more understanding. But sometimes you can't reason away feelings. We need to give each other a break here.

 

[cmwade77]

To be honest, unless the children have special needs, at 8 they should be able to be left alone for a few minutes while you use the restroom and should be able to use the restroom on their own.

Just my personal opinion, but really most 8 year olds should be capable of this.

 

[gap2368]

To be honest, unless the children have special needs, at 8 they should be able to be left alone for a few minutes while you use the restroom and should be able to use the restroom on their own.

Just my personal opinion, but really most 8 year olds should be capable of this.

pretty sire the OP son has some typeof disability

 

[Lilsia]

I don't think people should change outside of a stall in a public washroom. I don't want to see any nakey bodies while I pee.
If you change in private, it won't matter that a mom has brought in sons who are older with special needs.
If a father takes his daughter into the men's then maybe anyone using the urinal should cover up.
I don't know where compassion has gone. As someone who is "able-bodied" I would bend over backwards to help or make someone more comfortable.
There are parents who have teenagers who need 24/7 care and if I could make just one moment less difficult then sign me up 1000 times.

Woman's restrooms are for woman only, that is the whole point of having gender specific bathrooms. And woman should be allowed to change their clothes if needed, or if someone spills on their clothes they might go and rinse and dry them off. All of these things are perfectly normal to do. No one should have to do that standing over a nasty toilet.

 

[DisneyOma]

I’m not sure I understand this either. Aren’t they for families too? Or just companions?

The companion bathrooms at WDW are designed for people who need assistance to use the toilet. They are one large room with plenty of space for a wheelchair to maneuver, etc. They have a HC toilet - one of those really tall ones - and ample grab bars. To me, that means they were not designed to be family bathrooms - they were designed for the people who cannot fit in the HC stall of the regular bathroom, or for those that need an adult companion to help them toilet. They are not family bathrooms in the sense that a whole family goes in and takes their time, changes, etc. Can anyone use them? I guess, but some people are limited to those bathrooms only, so they should be used prudently.

I don't think people should change outside of a stall in a public washroom. I don't want to see any nakey bodies while I pee.

Aren't you actually in the stall while you pee?

Woman's restrooms are for woman only, that is the whole point of having gender specific bathrooms. And woman should be allowed to change their clothes if needed, or if someone spills on their clothes they might go and rinse and dry them off. All of these things are perfectly normal to do. No one should have to do that standing over a nasty toilet.

And what is your definition of a woman? Biological? What if someone is gender-fluid? And what age do you cut off a mother bringing in a male child? Should a male baby not be allowed in the woman's restroom?

 

[Franrose]

I had an uncle molested in the male bathroom when he was a school-aged child. I don't have boys, but I don't have a problem with a parent deciding it's safer for them to use the women's bathroom with a parent because for me, the risk of something potentially going wrong is not just theoretical. I don't believe for a moment that it's a big risk in terms of how common it is (ie, I know there's not a high likelihood of something happening). But to a child affected, it has a big impact.

 

[Lilsia]

And what is your definition of a woman? Biological? What if someone is gender-fluid? And what age do you cut off a mother bringing in a male child? Should a male baby not be allowed in the woman's restroom?

Are you serious with the baby comment? And any normal child over the age of 6 should be able to use the restroom themselves. There is no such thing as gender fluid, you are either physically male of female. You can not one day have a pen!s and the next day it is turned into a vag!na.

 

[Cloudy]

you are either physically male or female.

This is simply not true.

 

[gap2368]

Are you serious with the baby comment? And any normal child over the age of 6 should be able to use the restroom themselves. There is no such thing as gender fluid, you are either physically male of female. You can not one day have a pen!s and the next day it is turned into a vag!na.

sorry I know why to many kids older then 6 that I would not let in the other sex bathroom alone, and at a place as big as Disney the age would go up,

OP use what ever bathroom you feel best for your kids and your family needs most will not notice a boy in the opisit sex bathroom, if you feel the stand alone ( handicap/ family bathroom) works best for you use them, most people at disney useing the bathroom are really just tying to get in get to the next things they more then likly will not notice a child in the oppisite sex bathroom.