Children with Parents in bathroom

[mrsr2ro]

Almost every batroom at Disney had a handicap accessible sink that DD could reach as a small 5 year old. The one right at you go into world showcase is the only one that readily comes to mind where she couldn't reach on her own. I carry hand sanitizer for other public bathrooms wher DD cannot reach to wash. If they can successfully use the toilet at home they should be able to in a public bathroom as well.

I don't have a list of the bathrooms we used the four days we were there but I can assure you, some had a low sink and several did not. Enough for me to comment to my mom at the time that you would think the soap would be more accessible to kids.

Hand sanitizers are nice yes but when little boys go #2 and wipe themselves I much prefer them to wash their hands with soap and water

Blanket statements like "If they can successfully use the toilet at home they should be able to in a public bathroom as well" are what can rile people up I think several of us have given reasonable examples from our lives. "Stranger Danger" was not at a concern to me at WDW bathrooms. Yes my kids use the bathorom at home, at school, and at local places we frequent near home. But I have valid reasons for taking them with me in certain situations at ages 4 and 6.

 

[princessmom29]

I don't have a list of the bathrooms we used the four days we were there but I can assure you, some had a low sink and several did not. Enough for me to comment to my mom at the time that you would think the soap would be more accessible to kids.

Hand sanitizers are nice yes but when little boys go #2 and wipe themselves I much prefer them to wash their hands with soap and water

Blanket statements like "If they can successfully use the toilet at home they should be able to in a public bathroom as well" are what can rile people up I think several of us have given reasonable examples from our lives. "Stranger Danger" was not at a concern to me at WDW bathrooms. Yes my kids use the bathorom at home, at school, and at local places we frequent near home. But I have valid reasons for taking them with me in certain situations at ages 4 and 6.

I don't get why. If they can use one full sized adult toilet, they why can they not use another? As to hand washing, whatever works for you. I am just sharing MY thoughts. Everyone does it differently.

 

[Hannathy]

It is easy for someone who doesn't have a son to be cavalier about it. You make some good points.

Uhh I do have a DS and I said he has been going alone since 6 ish, younger in a lot of places.

When we were at Disney and he and I were alone he was going into 2nd grade (it was summer) and there was no way he was going in the ladies room with me. He used the men's room everywhere alone Disney, Airports, etc just fine.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

As a grown man, when I am standing at a urinal, I get creeped out when I see girls older than 5 in a men's bathroom.

At least women always have stalls that can be closed.

 

[mrsr2ro]

I don't get why. If they can use one full sized adult toilet, they why can they not use another? As to hand washing, whatever works for you. I am just sharing MY thoughts. Everyone does it differently.

My DS4 goes to all day PreK - and did last year at age 3. He has no problems using the toilets at school since they are low to the ground. They are low to the ground for a REASON - to make it easier for kids that size to get on and off. I have taken him into plenty of restrooms where the toilets are high. Could he "climb" up there himself if absolutely had to? Yeah, but I see it completely reasonable for me to go with him and assist him on/off and make sure he washes his hands with soap and water when he is done. Does he do it alone at school? Yes. But to say that it's the same as every public washroom -- it's not. And might I add - how many times have you been in a public washroom only to discover there is no toilet paper?! Spare a square anyone? My shy 4yo would not likely want to ask a strange man for it. At school, there is usually a teacher within ear shot to call for help in those situations and they are certified to do so.

 

[GinnyEmma]

Uhh I do have a DS and I said he has been going alone since 6 ish, younger in a lot of places.

When we were at Disney and he and I were alone he was going into 2nd grade (it was summer) and there was no way he was going in the ladies room with me. He used the men's room everywhere alone Disney, Airports, etc just fine.

Me too. See my first post. But when people who have never had to weigh the decision make it sound like a nobrainer.

 

[Trixieplus2]

I am one of those paranoid people but then my parents split and my dad grabbed me and ran from you guessed it the restroom I didn't see my mom again for nearly ten years. He was an not a bad guy but this was the 80,s and his lawyer pretty much told him he had no chance of winning custody. So he freaked out kidnapped me and ran to Jacksonville FL.


I'll at least walk into the bathroom with them until they are around 12 or so or send the two of them in together *(I have two girls)

 

[lyncecelia]

My mom had me still take my little sister to the bathroom at 12....she is the baby and my mom is a worried wart.

What we always did is that we'd go in stalls next to each other, and she couldn't leave her stall until I was done--still had her privacy but I still knew where she was. And since we were both girls, it worked. If my dad and her are alone, he has her go by herself and he waits outside the restroom.

 

[Diz Kids]

I voted 7-8, but like many other posters I think it depends on the exact situation. If i know there are multiple entrances/exits I would be a lot less likely to let them go by themselves. My oldest, DS, is 6 right now, and I will still ask DH to go in with him to help with the hand washing, etc. as other posters have mentioned. I am frequently going to the bathroom myself anyway, so I will sometimes have him come with me to the ladies, but I know that he is getting old enough that he will not want to do this much longer.

 

[Ava]

As a grown man, when I am standing at a urinal, I get creeped out when I see girls older than 5 in a men's bathroom.

At least women always have stalls that can be closed.

My dad used to take me roller skating on Sundays when I was a kid, often without my mom since she had my baby sister at home. I HATED going into the men's room with him so much that I think it only happened a few times. He'd check to make sure there were no men at the urinals, walk me into a stall when the coast was clear, then I'd have to wait inside the stall until the coast was clear again. I was around 4.5-5 years old at the time and learned to manage in the ladies room by myself, on skates, so I would not have to go into the men's room any more.

When we were flying out of MCO last month, I went into the ladies room and there was a boy about 13 or 14 sitting on the floor (the carpeted area) right inside the doorway. He looked quite unhappy, but I completely understood! There are so many whackos out there!

Yes there are - like this poor kid's mom! Heck, dd14 was flying alone at the age of 10. I'm in the 5 - 6 crowd, at at the age of 4, ds8 was going into the men's room with his 9 year old brother. I'm pretty sure that WDW bathrooms are pretty busy - it's not like a remote rest stop on the highway!

ITA! There is absolutely no reason why a 13-year-old cannot stand outside the ladies room in a busy airport & wait for his mother. The chances of a "whacko" kidnapping a 13-year-old boy in the middle of a busy airport, with employees & security all over the place, are next to nothing. The majority of children are kidnapped by people they know, but unfortunately the stories that make the news are the rare cases when a random stranger snatches a child.

 

[azdizzymom]

I have 2 teenagers now (15 and 14) BUT when they were younger they started going to the restroom alone about 5. When hubby with us no brainer he would take them. When we were alone I would stand directly outside the door to men's room. I told them to stay together and yell if anything was wrong. I would ask loudly if they were o.k. a couple times.

I have seen older kids (lets say above 7) in the ladies room and I think it is WRONG! It has to be uncomfortable for the boy but it is also uncomfortable for the women. BUT we all parent and feel differently on this.

I suppose men can just wait till the girl is out of restroom to go if they are in men's room. Women can wait if not comfortable for older boys. BUT if there is a family restroom then there is really no reason for an 'older' child to be in the opposite sex restroom.

 

[Mickeypooh99]

I voted 9 or 10 for alone. I actually had let them go in together at younger ages. It really depends on the child. My oldest is very well behaved, but my youngest could easily get into trouble from goofing around in the bathroom.

I was just talking to my DH about this the other day. He took our boys to our local highschool for basketball practice, and they went in the locker room to change from pants into shorts. There was a mother in the men's locker room with her 8 or 9 year old son (the child is in my DS's 3rd grade.) She was helping him change for swim class, and she had 3 younger little girls with her! Can you imagine. A mom and 3 little girls in the MENS locker room! Crazy!

 

[Altoqueenkelly]

I am not going to vote because I am a single mother of a little girl (turning 4 this spring) and I have never had to consider going to the bathroom with her or not, why wouldn't I go with her??

I can understand the deliema and I feel for those parents who have to make this choice... but I honestly dont know

 

[RMulieri]

I go into the bathroom with her( usually b/c I HAVE to go too..LOL) but she has been going in the stalls by herself since age 5

 

[momto2js]

Mine boys are 2 and 4 and I can say that I would assume that around 6 my oldest will be able to go alone to the mens room for the most part and in a lot of situations I will have to let my younger one go with him I assume. I don't have a huge fear that "bad" things will happen but that they may make comments or bother someone else. My kids are good kids but they are still kids.

However, if we had girls, I would have DH send our 4 year old girl alone to the ladies room before taking her to the mens room.

 

[pacrosby]

My boys go by themselves or accompanied by one another (5, 7 and 9) so this isn't in defense of myself but, why exactly are women so freaked out by having a boy (not teenager) in the ladies room? Like someone pointed out, there are privacy stalls. There is NOTHING to see and NOTHING to be uncomfortable about. I really hope someone will answer this question.

Men I can understand being freaked out by having a little girl walk by while they're using the urinal. Women in a private stall? Not so much.

Heck, in college the bathrooms were co-ed.

Just for fun I'll tell this story though. We vacation in Canada every summer. Apparently they don't have the hang-ups we do here. If a little girl with her Daddy needs to go the bathroom and needs someone to accompany her.....Daddy takes her into the women's room! And NO ONE bats an eye.

 

[pacrosby]

and I just remembered.....

how is this any different than the communal family locker rooms at private clubs and YMCA's? There people of all ages and both sexes co-mingle while waiting for the private stalls.

 

[PrincessV]

7-8 consistently - no way would he be caught dead in the ladies' room now at 8.5! Mine was emotionally ready by 6, but he's really, really small for his age and A. couldn't reach to wash his hands, and B. couldn't get half the big, heavy restroom doors open. He still struggles with heavy restroom doors, so I'm generally nearby outside of it to grab it if he gets an arm through and it starts closing on him, lol! Nice thing at WDW, compared to other public places we go, is that they rarely have doors to the restrooms and their sinks are generally placed a little lower. Thanks Mickey!

 

[growinupdisney]

I voted 5-6 but when I put that I was thinking of the bathrooms with one entrance/exit. WE would stand right beside the entrance if this is the case. But, usually we all go at the same time for ex. if I have to go my dd3 and dd16 usually goes along to atleast "try". My dh and ds usually go at the same time we goes as well so that way we aren't contantly stopping for someone to go. My dd3 has a bathroom fetish and thinks she has to visit every bathroom wherever we go so we have plenty of oppurtunities.

 

[Mama Mouse]

I can see why there would be discomfort for men standing at urinals if little girls walked in. But I just don't get what the big deal is in a women's restroom where it's all stalls. What's the big deal? I genuinely don't see the problem. It's not like they can see you.

As for the OP, ds is 7 and we did not let him go unattended at WDW this summer. It's just too far outside of my comfort zone right now. Yes, part of my fear is strangers but a lot of it was making sure he didn't leave out of the wrong exit, he's short and can't reach soap a lot of the time, etc, etc. I was just not comfortable with it.

Now there are times when I will let him go if we are someplace not very crowded and I stand right outside the bathroom. We've taught him to yell if someone even says something that scares him.