Is This A Cultural Thing? PLEASE EXPLAIN

[mycropht]

So I'm just back from a mostly-ideal 20th Anniversary trip to WDW. Other than a few minor complaints the trip was your perfect pixie-dusted romance.


There was just one thing that was really bothering me by the end of the trip and I was hoping some of you DISers from other parts of the globe could help me out.

I'm a childfree-by-circumstance woman of 41 years. I live in Tennessee, but I grew up in Indiana.

Until this trip to WDW I was not aware it was customary to take boys of 10-12 years of age into the women's bathroom with you.

Around here I've seen women taking in their infant and toddler sons and grandsons....that's common. But it seems pretty much accepted that once a boy starts school he's capable of using the Men's room.

Yet on this trip I saw, time and again, much older boys being brought into the bathroom. One was there seemingly on his own. He was only a few inches shorter than I. I honestly thought he'd mistakenly come in the wrong restroom and politely asked "Did you know this was the women's bathroom?"

Then a woman came up and said "he knows. He's with me. He's just tall."

All I could do was stare quizzically at her. I've never heard of a five-foot-tall four year old before. And as far as I'm concerned, anything older than four or (possibly five) is too old for a Woman's bathroom.


So is this something more common in another part of the world that I'm just not aware of? Or are more people at Disney just into letting their boys hang out in female public bathrooms?

 

[penn19]

So I'm just back from a mostly-ideal 20th Anniversary trip to WDW. Other than a few minor complaints the trip was your perfect pixie-dusted romance.


There was just one thing that was really bothering me by the end of the trip and I was hoping some of you DISers from other parts of the globe could help me out.

I'm a childfree-by-circumstance woman of 41 years. I live in Tennessee, but I grew up in Indiana.

Until this trip to WDW I was not aware it was customary to take boys of 10-12 years of age into the women's bathroom with you. [
Around here I've seen women taking in their infant and toddler sons and grandsons....that's common. But it seems pretty much accepted that once a boy starts school he's capable of using the Men's room.

Yet on this trip I saw, time and again, much older boys being brought into the bathroom. One was there seemingly on his own. He was only a few inches shorter than I. I honestly thought he'd mistakenly come in the wrong restroom and politely asked "Did you know this was the women's bathroom

Then a woman came up and said "he knows. He's with me. He's just tall."

All I could do was stare quizzically at her. I've never heard of a five-foot-tall four year old before. And as far as I'm concerned, anything older than four or (possibly five) is too old for a Woman's bathroom.
:confuse
So is this something more common in another part of the world that I'm just not aware of? Or are more people at Disney just into letting their boys hang out in female public bathrooms?

 

[Kimberle]

10-12 is much to old. There are family bathrooms if the Mom is uncomfortable.

 

[powellrj]

Welcome to the new world. You must have missed all the boys in womens bathroom posts as of late.

 

[Uncle Remus]

Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 46

Dang, some folks really plan ahead!

 

[PeterPan09]

It's worse than that. We've been having issues at our gym with Moms and Grandmas bringing boys into the women's locker room where women are showering and changing clothes. I had a huge argument with a grandma one morning when she insisted that anyone who would have a problem is wrong because they are ashamed of their bodies. Sorry lady, but I don't think your school age grandson has any reason to be in the shower area where women and girls are showering and changing. I don't care WHAT your practice is at home.

 

[deegack]

IMO if you are uncomfortable with them in the stall with you doing your business they can use the appropriate gender restroom not wandering around the women's room.

 

[deegack]

10-12 is much to old. There are family bathrooms if the Mom is uncomfortable.

Disney has companion restrooms not family restrooms. There is a difference.

 

[Kellydelly]

Really? You think a four or five yr old belongs in a men's room alone? I don't. My son is seven and I would allow him to use the ladies room if I felt the men's room was potentially unsafe. Who cares if a young boy is in the ladies room, they can't see anything .

 

[kirbydog48]

Many moms of sons are terrified of potential child molesters in public bathrooms.

 

[minkydog]

Get your flame suit ready

 

[RitaE]

oh Yay! It's another bathroom thread. Let's all say the same things we've said 53 times before!!!! Go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[penn19]

I've got my whole evening free. Some of the other threads have run their course.

 

[Hannathy]

IMO if you are uncomfortable with them in the stall with you doing your business they can use the appropriate gender restroom not wandering around the women's room.

Yep and anywhere but a deserted interstate rest stop in the middle of nowhere at 3 AM ( then as a woman should you be there?) any child of school age SHOULD be in the appropriate gender bathroom.

The only other exception is serious special needs children. But that is it!!


I would have said something to them also and probably called a Disney C, a 10 yr old does not belong in there and if so then they should have been in the stall with Mom, otherwise how can they possibly be keeping them safe-and that is the only reason they are there right?

 

[NikitaZee]

Age 12? Are you sure about that OP?
On second thought, nevermind. I've read and chimed in enough of these arguments around here!

 

[okeydokey]

Really, again?

 

[scotlass]

Really? You think a four or five yr old belongs in a men's room alone? I don't. My son is seven and I would allow him to use the ladies room if I felt the men's room was potentially unsafe. Who cares if a young boy is in the ladies room, they can't see anything .

I agree.

Do the stalls at Disney not have doors ??

Do the people uncomfortable with this have men & ladies rest rooms at home or do you all use the same ones...with the doors closed.

My DS came with me into rest rooms until he was atleast 8, because I wanted him safe.

 

[hambirg]

Was he in a stroller?

 

[Coconut36]

Really? You think a four or five yr old belongs in a men's room alone? I don't. My son is seven and I would allow him to use the ladies room if I felt the men's room was potentially unsafe. Who cares if a young boy is in the ladies room, they can't see anything .

Ditto.

People are welcome to call the police or security if it bugs them (and I doubt they would do anything about it) but my 7 year old will accompany me into the women's room if there is no trusted male to take him in the men's room and there are no unisex/family bathrooms. I don't care if someone questions it or not. My kid safety trumps all and I have not a bit of remorse about it.

You are not a parent so you don't really get to stand in judgment of the safety measures or necessary actions of other parents. I sincerely doubt if you had a 5 year old child you would send them off into a public restroom alone (a restroom you can not enter at all) so you have no business deeming when a child should or should not accompany a parent. I don't know what "part of the world" you claim to be from where 5 year olds are running around alone but I really doubt your claims or your area has a decent amount of family/unisex bathrooms so you don't see it often.

What I don't get is what difference does it make if there is a young male child in the women's room. Are you going with the stall doors wide open or something? Is the kid peeping in the doors/under stalls? If both are no then get over it.

I also question the age guesstimate especially from someone with no children who might assume a child is older than they in reality are.

 

[brockash]

So I'm just back from a mostly-ideal 20th Anniversary trip to WDW. Other than a few minor complaints the trip was your perfect pixie-dusted romance.


There was just one thing that was really bothering me by the end of the trip and I was hoping some of you DISers from other parts of the globe could help me out.

I'm a childfree-by-circumstance woman of 41 years. I live in Tennessee, but I grew up in Indiana.

Until this trip to WDW I was not aware it was customary to take boys of 10-12 years of age into the women's bathroom with you.

Around here I've seen women taking in their infant and toddler sons and grandsons....that's common. But it seems pretty much accepted that once a boy starts school he's capable of using the Men's room.

Yet on this trip I saw, time and again, much older boys being brought into the bathroom. One was there seemingly on his own. He was only a few inches shorter than I. I honestly thought he'd mistakenly come in the wrong restroom and politely asked "Did you know this was the women's bathroom?"

Then a woman came up and said "he knows. He's with me. He's just tall."

All I could do was stare quizzically at her. I've never heard of a five-foot-tall four year old before. And as far as I'm concerned, anything older than four or (possibly five) is too old for a Woman's bathroom.


So is this something more common in another part of the world that I'm just not aware of? Or are more people at Disney just into letting their boys hang out in female public bathrooms?

Wow, there's no way I'd let my 5 or 6 year old go to the mens room alone at a busy place like Disney World. I don't know if it's a cultural thing I'm not from the south, but I'd bet there's a good amount of parents from the south that would also not think it was the best idea to let a 5 or 6 year go to the mens room alone at a busy theme park.

I personally, couldn't care less how old a boy is that goes into a womens restroom, -assuming they're not causing any problems ect. I mean the womens rooms obviously has stalls, so I wouldn't think twice about it. Not sure what the problem would be, or why it would bother someone.