First trip need advice on rest room etiquette for DS

[AllyC]

Hi I would be grateful for some advice on this.
I am travelling alone with DS who will be just 9 and DD 14. It is our first time in USA, in Disney and we live in a very quiet place.

I am planning on taking DS into girls restrooms always but he is tall for his age and could easily pass for an 11 yr old, do you think I will have any problems with this from other ladies using the restrooms?

I know this seems an odd question but he will just be 9 and I really would not feel happy about him using the gents on his own at all.

We are so excited for out trip and this site has been my lifesaver i have taken so much Info on board apart from this issue I feel I have everything else covered!

 

[ilovemk76]

Hi I would be grateful for some advice on this.
I am travelling alone with DS who will be just 9 and DD 14. It is our first time in USA, in Disney and we live in a very quiet place.

I am planning on taking DS into girls restrooms always but he is tall for his age and could easily pass for an 11 yr old, do you think I will have any problems with this from other ladies using the restrooms?

I know this seems an odd question but he will just be 9 and I really would not feel happy about him using the gents on his own at all.

We are so excited for out trip and this site has been my lifesaver i have taken so much Info on board apart from this issue I feel I have everything else covered!

He is far too old to be using the ladies room. He needs to learn to use the appropriate restroom before the trip. What do you think goes on in the men's rooms at WDW?

Men pee and/or poop, wash their hands and leave.

When I took my nephews, at 5, they were fine using the men's room all by themselves.

 

[luvmy3]

Restroom etiquette- a 9 year old that can pass as an 11 year old should not be using the woman's restroom. While there may be 40 year old woman like me who wouldn't care if an older boy was in there, there will be young girls, tween girls and teen girls who may be very uncomfortable with him in there.
Yes, you may encounter someone who has a problem with it, they may not say anything to you though.

 

[pepe of ohio]

Totally agree with the PP. he's too old to be escorted into the ladies restroom.... Like they said, what do you think goes on in any public restroom, you go in, mind your own business, do your business , wash and leave ... Easy as pie You're taught to not gawk around and dilly dally! Time to teach and let them grow up!

 

[sharonabe]

I am a mother to two boys (10 and 13), and I'm afraid I have to agree with the PP. He is too old to be going in to the ladies' room. I do understand your reluctance to have him go alone (I'm still uncomfortable even with my 13 yr old), but think not only what other ladies' reaction will be, but also about what he may see being in the ladies room. I always just stand near to the entrance of the men's room and wait for them.

He will be fine and it will probably make him feel a little more independent and "grown up."

 

[pooh4evr]

Fair warning this has been a VERY hot topic lately. - As a mom of 3 girls I think they might think it was weird to see a boy their age in the bathroom, I do't know if they would be uncomfortable but definitely a little strange, obviously he uses the restroom at school on his own, but I understand your concern. Most of the bathrooms are quite large, choose a stall near the door and have him wait right outside the bathroom by the door or choose the largest stall and he goes in the stall with you. I would work on letting him go by himself before the trip.

 

[goofy4tink]

I understand where you are 'coming from'..I get it, I truly do. BUT....rest room danger is greatly over exaggerated!!! Can something happen in a rest room? Sure it can. Does it? Not very often.
I would try to get your ds used to using the restroom on his own before you head over to the US. Then, when you first get to WDW, have him head on in the men's room on his own, and you can wait right outside the door to see how he does. He will be fine!!!
Then, allow him to go on his own from then on. He's a big boy..he can manage the men's room by himself..you'll see!!!

 

[Gracie09]

Too old or the ladies room. I look at it this way, if he's too old to be in the stall with you he's too old for the ladies room.

 

[Schmoodle]

I agree with PPs, I don't think it's appropriate. Don't worry, he will be quite safe. I understand that you are nervous because this is a new/different environment for you. But you will see when you get there that it is just lots of families. I take my kids to WDW on my own too, and my DS was just 6 on his first trip. He has always done just fine on his own.

 

[Jennasis]

He's too old to be in the ladies room. I suggest taking him into the family/companion restrooms with you.

Or, why don't YOU escort him into the men's room?

 

[goofy4prez]

As a man I would have a real problem if someone were to bring their 9 year old daughter into the mens room. I'm sure most women would have have a real problem and feel uncomfortable with a 9 year old boy in their restroom as well. Your 9 year old boy will be fine going into the mens restroom by himself while you wait for him by the exit. I don't want to sound unsympathetic or uncaring, I'm also a parent and had to encounter the same thing with my daughter. But there is a big difference with a 9 year old boy and that of a 5 year old, he's just too old to be in the womens room.

 

[geraghty]

Here is a link to allears.net that show the location of companion restrooms.
I would recomend using these.

http://allears.net/pl/restrooms.htm

 

[dadofgoofy]

both of my boys use the men's room at WDW when it's just my wife with them, and my oldest is around the same age. I agree with the poster that said while the grown women may get it, any girls around his same age might not.

How does your son feel about it? I would think he may be embarassed at that age to be escorted by his mom into the restroom. I agree with the companion restrooms is that makes you feel comfortable.

 

[momofboyz3]

Single mom here. I have 3 boys 13, 13 and 9. I'm fortunate that the older boys escort there younger brother into the RR. But when they were younger I was a nervous wreck. It was when they were about 7 that they insisted they didn't want to use the ladies room anymore. I would stand by the men's room and every 2 minutes would yell "you boys ok?" Like a paranoid crazy woman (but this was not disney). He will be fine, so many kids are there using the restroom. At AK my boys were waitin for me so I could use the ladies room and a very nervous dad saw me talking to my boys, he had his 6 yr old daughter with him. He explained that she didnt want to use the men's room & asked if I could just look out for her in the ladies. So every parent gets a bit worried about this.

 

[SA mom]

I can't see a 9 year old boy being comfortable in the ladies room. Once they are school age, they are used to taking care of things themselves.

If you are worried about his behavior, then use a companion restroom. Otherwise, let the poor guy to the men's room.

 

[Hopefully]

I have to agree with the majority here. I too am a Mom of sons and I do understand your being worried.
But 9 is too old for the ladies room.
If you really can't let him use the men's room with you waiting right at the exit, the companion rest rooms are an alternative.

 

[kreckl]

Well- I'm with the OP- and clearly outnumbered! Last trip my son had just turned 10, and we had the same issue. For part of the trip we were with friends, and our ( male ) friend took him in. Someone had POOPED in the urinal, and my son was right beside it. Not good. We generally find family restrooms and he may go in by himself, or if the toilet is separate we go in together so one can be waiting/washing. This also happens at stores and such ( big ones, not if its a single use, obviously. I generally decide at each place. I am MORE comfortable if it's busy and there would not be just one man in there with him, but it's a tough call. A friend of mine's good friend had a tragedy happen in a men's room and I am just hyper aware
What do you all do at the airport? Does that feel different?

 

[dpswift]

You just have to be careful. Watch him as he goes in, and the others going in as well. My son was 9 on our last mother son trip and we had no problems. Yes it was scary but it taught my son independence.

Turn the situation around. Would you want your nine year old daughter in the mens room with her father? I am very uncomfortable seeing 9 or 10 year old boys in a ladies room.

 

[lizzi6692]

On another one of these threads someone posted something that I think is a very good "rule" for this situation: if your son is too old to come in the stall with you he's too old to be in the same bathroom with you.

 

[dadofgoofy]

I certainly understand the concerns, but I think 9 is still old enough to go by himself. My boys are taught my my wife and I as well as in school to scream like h#ll if someone tries to be inapproriate in any way, or if they feel scared. It may not be able to stop all predators, but it will deter a lot of them I'd think due to the attention it would draw, especially if you are right outside.