Is it alright to have 6 y/o boy share the toilet with mom?

[hsmamato2]

haven't read the entire thread yet, but here;s what i always do...
for little ds- since he was about 4-when I'm going we have a rule, he stands in front of the stall, I have to be able to see his 2 feet at all times- no moving. sometimes I have him count the tiles, or whatever to keep him busy...Then we wash up together.
My ds ,12 is just in the last year or so allowed to go in the mens room alone. I don't care that he hated it, I've read too many stories, and my child wasn't worth one wierdo"waiting" for an unaccompanied kid. There are too many heartbreaks lurking. Now that he does- I am THERE. I keep vocal contact- and I look in to see who's in there. Not at the public urinals, but i want anyone to know, that I'm WATCHING. if someone goes in, or ds is taking a long time- i have no problem opening the door and hollering in"Are you ok?" he usually says "yeah"- and the guys going in or out just smile, knowing I'm watching out for my kid. If he needs to take some time.....and sometimes he does.... I'll stand with my foot in the doorway,and play doorman for all the guys. I just smile at them, and no one has ever gotten upset with me. This may seem extreme to some, but I know for a fact that there some creeps who prey upon kids in places where they know a mom or dad can't follow.
I take gavin de beckers words seriously from his book-"The Gift of Fear"- ...so what if you overreact when you think there may be danger? Listen to your instinct, which as a parent,is to protect. At worst,you've made a mistake,overreacted,and get redfaced.So what? At best, by being careful,you've averted a parents worst nightmare.......

 

[Talking Hands]

Then why is there a picture of a family on the door outside, a baby changing station & a small, todler sized potty inside like they have in nursery schools if it is ONLY meant for disabled usage.

At Disney there isn't. At the mall they are called family rest rooms. At Disney they are Companion Restrooms and are not on the map for the general public.

 

[Miss Park Avenue]

Well, I guess I'm in the minority then when it comes to men in a women's restroom. I've been in the situation where I was in what I considered to be a very vulnerable position (when I was in the restaurant that was refurbishing their men's room) when men just started walking in and I didn't care for it. It didn't matter that they couldn't see me.

As for where to suggest to change your baby's diaper when there is no changing table in the men's room. I would suggest the companion's restroom. If there isn't one....well....I just don't know. But I still say that a grown man shouldn't be in the ladies room.

I'm tired, I just got in from work, I don't feel like debating. I was just stating how I felt about it. To the OP...I would say you are fine taking your son into the ladies room. Use the companion restrooms if you see one available too and don't feel guilty about doing so. If there is a disabled person needing to use the companion restroom, let them go first and either wait, or find a ladies room. That's it...sorry if I sound cranky, I'm not...just tired.

 

[NotUrsula]

You know, I could see being uncomfortable with a man being in the ladies' if you were the only people in there other than an infant; that would be a bit squicky.

However, that is highly unlikely to be the case at WDW parks, since the restrooms are enormous and have a LOT of traffic -- they are practically Grand Central at rush hour. Any man who did come in would be seriously outnumbered, and for me, anyway, having all those people there would alleviate fears for my own safety.

 

[Belle1962]

When I take DGS (5 now) --depends on the scenario. Many things we do:

1) if he needs to go too, we gets stalls next to each other and we talk back and forth. Even if he doesn't need to go this puts him by himself in a location I can see and hear him while I use the facilities. I would NEVER do this if there were a line though.

2) if the stall is big enough and I just don't feel like having him outside, he comes in with me and turns towards the door and talks to me (usally about what he sees through the crack)

3) if I am comfortable enough--he stands outside the stall so I can see his shoes and he sings his ABC's to me.

#2 & #3 dpends on just my gut feeling, how crowded the bathroom is, etc.

We are working on "privacy" issues at home so I doubt we will use #2 much any more.



If I notice a father outside with a little girl (who is old enough to not need assistance) I offer to keep an eye on her for him. Don't know why---I would never let a man "keep an eye" on my DS or DGS---but I know me so I know the girl is safe with me keeping an eye out--does that make sense?

 

[SueM in MN]

I just wanted to point out that men have posted before that nearly every men's room at WDW has a baby changing station.
Obviously, I can't go in to check for myself, but enough men have posted that I feel comfortable saying most men's rooms at WDW do have them.

 

[1of6]

Just my $.o2. A boy is fine in the ladies room. I also think a girl is fine with DH in the men's room. We have 4 kids, ds9, dd7, ds4, dd2. They all come with me if dh isn't with me. It is all about safety! On the flip side, dh takes the kids alone and brings them all in the men,s room. The girls always get first dibs on the stall.

dh has never said anything about looks or whatever. My kids know what the anatomy looks like so they are not gawking at any men who are in the restroom.

As for the man who needs a changing table, please come in and use the one in the ladies. Ask first, but really it is better to change the diaper in the bathroom than on the ground or bench. IMHO

 

[billwendy]

As long as the kids are well behaved, it should be fine. I have been the woman in a stall that had a 4 year old climb under the door into my stall while the 5 year old banged on my door to say he "found" the 4 yo!! I have also had kidds "peek" under the door,,,,,which isnt nice either. I liked the ideas of having the child so you can see their feet and they talk or sing to you,,,that keeps them busy and out of trouble,,,,,fourtunately at WDW there are baby stations to change diapers at,,,they are really nice too. Companion bathrooms are really important, especially when you have someone with you, no matter what age, that has special needs. While people would have a heart attack if a 40yo man came into the ladies room, if his level of functioning was that of a 3-5 yo, what are you to do (or the same if it were a special needs woman going into the mens room).....

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I am all for taking the kids in the bathroom with you. Besides, if a little boy is going to witness something innappropriate in a women's room- that means I will too!!! Meaning - the only thing I have ever seen in a public bathroom was handwashing (or lack thereof) and maybe some hairbrushing. I think my kids can take the shock!

 

[Brier Rose]

A little OT, but this reminded me of something that happened on our last trip.
DD and I had gone into the bathroom in that back corner beside Dumbo, while DH and DS sat down to wait.
DD needed something that was in the backpack outside with DH, so I went out to get it, and this time instead of walking into the womens side, I walked straight into the mens!

The few fellas that were in there looked as shocked as I felt, cause I just stood there..mouth open...frozen for what was only a few seconds, but felt MUCH longer!

When I walked out DH, and another man who saw the whole thing were both laughing. Then the other man turns to DH and says...you better watch that one!

 

[dbarker]

I will just reiterate that it is common practice in the USA for Moms to take boys into the girl's restrooms. My DS7 complains that it is for girls and he is a boy. I explain that I am a girl and he has to be with me. Better safe than sorry in my book.

 

[asianmom]

thanks for the reassurance.You have been really kind.Now that I know nobody's going to go ballistic at the sight of my son ,I can march him in quite boldly and happily.hey, ho, here we come!

 

[lilostitch]

I have 2 girls, but I have NO problem with a mom taking her son into the women's restroom...safety first!!


If my DH was out with my oldest DD, he would cover her eyes and take her into the stall in the men's room. Since ~5 years old, he let's her use the ladies room, but he stands right outside and if he feels she is in there awhile, he opens the ladies room and calls out to her. She knows she has to answer back, or he'll come charging in to get her
He would too.

 

[budbeerlady]

I would have no problem with it, stalls have doors. But for room reasons with DD at WDW, we used the family restrooms. I feel guilty using the handicaped restrooms as I know someone might come in to use it, so we use the family restroom. I hate squeezing into the small stalls everywhere with DD.

 

[frayedend]

I'm not sure but I think the real reason some women don't want men or boys in the womens room under any circumstances is that they don't want us to know what cool stuff is in there. I bet there is a plasma tv with couches and they play lifetime movies all day. There's probably a bar, maybe a dance floor etc... Perhaps that is why they take so long and they don't want the secret to get out

 

[SueM in MN]

I would have no problem with it, stalls have doors. But for room reasons with DD at WDW, we used the family restrooms. I feel guilty using the handicaped restrooms as I know someone might come in to use it, so we use the family restroom. I hate squeezing into the small stalls everywhere with DD.

I just wanted to point out again that what are being called Family Restrooms by people at WDW are actually Companion Restrooms. Especially at MK and Epcot, the handicapped stalls in the regular restrooms are not large enough to bring a wheelchair into the stall. That means the 6-8 Companion Restrooms in MK are the only toilets in the whole park that some people are able to use.
So, if people do choose to use them out of convenience, not necessity, those of us who have no other choice would appreciate people realize that for some people they are a necessity.

 

[frayedend]

This was pointed out in previous posts. There seems to be some idea that these should not be used by families, but are intended for people with disabilities only. If that was the case then they would have labeled them differently. Anyhow, I think that you are correct in stating that if they are not needed then they should be left available. However, if a child needs a companion then they should be able to use these restrooms. I am now potty training my son and next week I will most likely have to use these restrooms (unless the stalls in the regular restrooms are sufficiently large for both of us to be in them).

 

[frayedend]

Okay, so I went over to the disAbilities board to read up on this and educate myself. Well, if these restrooms usually don't have changing tables and aren't on the regular maps then it would seem they are for people with disabilities who need a companion only. Now, my son does need a companion, not due to disability, just because he is just potty training and either needs to go quick or needs new clothes. If there is sufficient space in the regular restroom I will make sure I use it.

So in MY opinion Disney should add family restrooms so that we don't have to worry about the sex/age issues.

And we need to stop being so ridiculously politically correct in this country where we can't even put appropriate terms on things. What I mean is that these bathrooms should be labeled "People with Disabilities and their Companions Only!" Everyone is so worried about "labeling" people that everyone is confused as to what these bathrooms are for. An appropriate sign would keep these bathrooms free and keep the rest of us from being confused about it.