How old is to old??

[4greatboys]

Aren't there stalls with doors in the restroom? I wouldn't care if a mom had her boys in there. My youngest are 10 and 13 and they do go in the men's room but I'm not about to have a fit if another mom takes her boys into the women's room.

The age they started going into the men's room was determined by us, not by a group of strangers.

 

[Arielle22]

Aren't there stalls with doors in the restroom? I wouldn't care if a mom had her boys in there. My youngest are 10 and 13 and they do go in the men's room but I'm not about to have a fit if another mom takes her boys into the women's room.

The age they started going into the men's room was determined by us, not by a group of strangers.

Why are you allowed to make a decision for a stranger ( being uncomfortable with a young man in the bathroom ) but they shouldn't make a decision for you?

I am usually not bothered by boys in the ladies room but after a certain age there is no reason for it. I am bothered by the women who first think child mole stores are lurking in every men's room and second that the only person who gets to have an opinion.on the subject is the parent involved.

I have raised two daughters and we ran into the issue when DH took them. We have two nephews age 4 and 7 so we are looking at them from the other side. So I do have experience on the issue.

 

[mamacatnv]

I never lived in fear of Disney restrooms and my kids started using them alone at a very young age.
I also do not live in fear of public restrooms in general and sent my kids to their respective gender restrooms probably starting around 4/5. I know DH would never have taken DD into a mens room under any circumstances, he just would not do it so we taught her to use the restroom from a very early age.
DH would stand right outside the door where she could call to him if needed just as I did when DS was young.

Taking a 12/13 year old into the opposite gender restroom is ridiculous IMO

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I am usually not bothered by boys in the ladies room but after a certain age there is no reason for it. .

Says you? People have all sorts of reasons for doing things that you don't get to comment on.

 

[wilderness01]

Then why open the thread? Just to complain?

Nope not just to complain, but thanks for being rude. Actually how is the statement "this has been discussed over and over and over" a complaint? Don't bother answering, I could care less what you post. There are plenty of people on this board that do nothing but complain, my statement wasn't one of them, nor have they ever been.

I had no idea what this thread was about and answered a question. By the number of my posts I have been around much longer than you and this question has been presented before. If this is all someone has to complain about, consider yourself lucky.

 

[handinpocket]

When my children were old enough to attend elementary school, they started using the public bathrooms alone.

Same here. I'm amazed at all the posters that claim to see teen boys in WDW restrooms. In all my trips, and I have taken plenty, I have only seen young boys in the women's restrooms.

 

[lillygator]

my kids are not going in a public bathroom at 5 and 6 yrs old...not gonna happen. my girls are 8 and 10 and if it is in a place I can visibly see the entire time, then ok. ds is 15months but I dont see myself letting him use the public bathroom alone for a long time. at disney I use the companion resttoom, so i can push the buggy in there and change him.

no I don't think there are pervs in every bathroom, but the amount of people busted in stings here in Fl (a LOT)....I'm not giving them an opportunity, not my kids.

 

[JVL1018]

I walked into the bathroom by Hoop-Dee-Doo revue and when I walked into the "ladies" room there were two boys in there. They looked to be around 12-13 years old. I was taken back and said "am I in the right bathroom". I seriously thought I walked into the men bathroom. The boys left but I thought that was a little weird for boys that old being in the ladies room. So what do you think is to old for the boys or even girls to go in the bathroom with the opposite sex?

They could have been in the wrong bathroom.
Once my son (7 or 8 at the time) went to the bathroom in the Beach Club, outside of Cape May Cafe-he ran ahead, so went in before we rounded the corner.
He came out and said, all offended, there were LADIES in there! Why are they in the men's room??
He had come out of the ladies room. ROFLOL!
He will never live that down.

Also, he stopped going in the ladies(on purpose haha) around 6 or 7. Refused to come in.
Busy bathrooms like WDW, a crowded mall were always the ones I was least worried about, what would happen with 25 other people around.

 

[Nagle]

Nope not just to complain, but thanks for being rude. Actually how is the statement "this has been discussed over and over and over" a complaint? Don't bother answering, I could care less what you post. There are plenty of people on this board that do nothing but complain, my statement wasn't one of them, nor have they ever been.

I had no idea what this thread was about and answered a question. By the number of my posts I have been around much longer than you and this question has been presented before. If this is all someone has to complain about, consider yourself lucky.

You must care a great deal about what I posted to get your knickers in such a bunch. Your post added nothing of relevance to the topic and yes I did see it as a form of complaint. (Admittedly my post was snarky and I apologize for offending you).

Your number of posts is irrelevant. I joined in 1999, and have been through several board changes and upgrades during which post totals were wiped out. I never bothered contacting webmasters to restore my post totals as I never really thought it was that important.

Your post was at least the second pointing out that this has been discussed previously so I quoted that one rather than backtrack to the original.

Cheers

 

[Mama Who]

I don't have a concrete age, but I think if your kid is too young to be in a bathroom alone, they are young enough to be in your stall with you. If your 9 year old boy simply must be in the ladies room, he belongs under your direct supervision, not out wandering the common area while you pee.

 

[Ember]

I have been thinking about this a lot. My son is 4.5. However, I would not leave my five year old outside alone in a place like Disney. I still have to take him in with me at times when we are out and about alone. The world is such a different place now days.

Yes, it is different. The world is less violent and safer than it has ever been throughout history. Bad things are publicised more by media agencies desperate to make money, but in actual fact your children are safer now than you and your parents were as a kids

 

[MinnieLovesMickey12]

I think if the child is old enough to go to the bathroom unaided at school every day they can go into the bathroom unaided at Disney. There are usually dozens of people in the bathrooms. Is someone likely to molest your child in front of 20 other ppl? I don't think so. All you have to do is make sure the child knows to go in and use the STALL not the urinal. That's just my opinion.

 

[laurajetter]

This thread got me to thinking... what about the other way around? What if you are out in public and it's just you and your opposite gender kid. Even if they are old enough to use the bathroom by themselves while you stand right by the restroom entrance (this is what I started doing this year for DS7), what about when YOU have to go? I would not feel comfortable allowing my son to wait outside the restroom while I'm inside using it. Anything could happen; you hear about abductions all the time that happen practically right in front of the parents (it can happen so fast). I probably would never forgive myself for not taking him in with me if that ever happened.

Thankfully I haven't had that situation arise all that frequently because most of the time we're out as a family and DH and I will just take turns watching the kids. When I'm alone though I definitely take them in with me. I haven't figured out what age I will stop; for now I don't think 7 years old is a big deal to be worried about offending others if I really need to use the bathroom so I'll revisit the subject once he gets a little older.

 

[laurajetter]

I think people get so weird about the bathroom. Arent you behind a closed door in there?
I have taken my 8 and 9 yo ds in the ladies room and i could really care less what anyone thinks about it.

I kind of feel the same way. That even reminds me of the MD Renaissance Festival we always go each year. The restroom facilities are basically a secluded, cordoned off area outdoors where there are about 20-25 spot-a-pots closely lined up in a semi-circle. There are a couple handwashing/anti-bacterial gel stations in the area too. Both men and women line up to use the toilets as they become available. The way the area is laid out it's basically not much different from a public restroom area yet no one ever seems weirded out by it.

 

[JVL1018]

This thread got me to thinking... what about the other way around? What if you are out in public and it's just you and your opposite gender kid. Even if they are old enough to use the bathroom by themselves while you stand right by the restroom entrance (this is what I started doing this year for DS7), what about when YOU have to go? I would not feel comfortable allowing my son to wait outside the restroom while I'm inside using it. Anything could happen; you hear about abductions all the time that happen practically right in front of the parents (it can happen so fast). I probably would never forgive myself for not taking him in with me if that ever happened.

Thankfully I haven't had that situation arise all that frequently because most of the time we're out as a family and DH and I will just take turns watching the kids. When I'm alone though I definitely take them in with me. I haven't figured out what age I will stop; for now I don't think 7 years old is a big deal to be worried about offending others if I really need to use the bathroom so I'll revisit the subject once he gets a little older.

He stood at the entrance and was told "don't go anywhere with anyone for any reason."
LOL
I can't recall it ever happening, but that's what I would have told him. Most of the time if I'm out with 1 child, I'm out with both, so I'd have them stay together.

 

[mamacatnv]

This thread got me to thinking... what about the other way around? What if you are out in public and it's just you and your opposite gender kid. Even if they are old enough to use the bathroom by themselves while you stand right by the restroom entrance (this is what I started doing this year for DS7), what about when YOU have to go? I would not feel comfortable allowing my son to wait outside the restroom while I'm inside using it. Anything could happen; you hear about abductions all the time that happen practically right in front of the parents (it can happen so fast). I probably would never forgive myself for not taking him in with me if that ever happened.

Thankfully I haven't had that situation arise all that frequently because most of the time we're out as a family and DH and I will just take turns watching the kids. When I'm alone though I definitely take them in with me. I haven't figured out what age I will stop; for now I don't think 7 years old is a big deal to be worried about offending others if I really need to use the bathroom so I'll revisit the subject once he gets a little older.

We parked our opposite gender children outside the door of the restroom with the words Don't Move. I still tell DD 14 "don't let anyone steal you" its kind of a joke but its also a reminder to her to remain alert and aware of her surroundings.

In a busy public place, a child standing outside the door of a restroom is probably pretty safe. Its not something I ever worried about.

 

[LSmith]

I think people get so weird about the bathroom. Arent you behind a closed door in there?
I have taken my 8 and 9 yo ds in the ladies room and i could really care less what anyone thinks about it.

Honestly. Who cares? What are these boys going to see? Shoes?

Ridiculous discussion - always.

 

[lillygator]

I think if the child is old enough to go to the bathroom unaided at school every day they can go into the bathroom unaided at Disney. There are usually dozens of people in the bathrooms. Is someone likely to molest your child in front of 20 other ppl? I don't think so. All you have to do is make sure the child knows to go in and use the STALL not the urinal. That's just my opinion.

our school has the bathrooms in the classroom. genius!! no monkeying around!

 

[aprilgail2]

I don't have a concrete age, but I think if your kid is too young to be in a bathroom alone, they are young enough to be in your stall with you. If your 9 year old boy simply must be in the ladies room, he belongs under your direct supervision, not out wandering the common area while you pee.

Exactly! If they are to young to be left outside then they should be IN the stall with the parent! To old to be in stall with mom then to old to be in ladies room !!!!

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Exactly! If they are to young to be left outside then they should be IN the stall with the parent! To old to be in stall with mom then to old to be in ladies room !!!!

How does your arbitrary rule help teenagers or younger adults who are handicapped?