OT- Angry at new Gym Help!

[soontobewed07]

I went to our new gym today and it is a family friendly gym. I went to walk into the ladies locker room with my 10mo son and was asked to leave and use the family locker rooms around the corner. I walked in and it was a bathroom w/shower and very wet no place for me to dry his or my hair etc. This really made me angry that I had to change him in a wet bathroom. I pay the same amount that everyone else does and I could not bring him in because he is a boy if he was a girl I could bring him in the Girls locker room which has carpet lockers mirrors etc... I was told that my DH could bring him in the Boys locker room and before 1pm I could use the girls locker room because no one else uses it. I guess that is a solution but I am still angry. Should I be ? Am I being silly ? Should I take this any further. By the way they never mentioned this when I went on the tour.

 

[soontobewed07]

I didn't mean to post this here I ment to post it on the family thread. Sorry Mods Please move it.

 

[Aneille]

He's a baby so I don't really see the need for you to use the family locker room.

My kids sometimes take swimming lessons at a very nice gym. Its has mutiple pools, kids area that is the likes of the WDW cruise ships with free daycare, tennis courts etc yet they too have a terrible family changing room.

After swim class we would use the family change room and all it is 2 showers, 1 mirror, 2 tiny changing areas and a small wall of lockers. Two strollers take up the entire standing area.

Its a huge facility with probably hundreds of members with children. They obviously put tons of money into being a "family" place yet their changing area's for the families are awful.

BTW - I have used the women's room with my 2 girls and my almost 2 year old son and no one has every asked me to leave. Actually quite the contrary the older women in there are usually telling me how cute he is and gushing. If I was asked to leave, I think I would be upset as well.

 

[mom2alix]

Our gym has a policy that opposite children are allowed in the locker rooms age 3 and under. I can't imagine why anyone would object to your 10 month old? Was this a gym employee or another patron? I would speak to the manager and clarify their policy. If there are no dry places in the family bath, where would you be expected to bf if you needed to? Most of the moms at my gym take the baby to the locker room. They really need to rethink their policy or remodel their family bath!

 

[Melissa_E]

Our gym has a policy that opposite children are allowed in the locker rooms age 3 and under. I can't imagine why anyone would object to your 10 month old?

I absolutely agree! My gym has a 4 and under policy. Although that didn't stop one lady from bringing her teenager in.

 

[TDC Nala]

I didn't mean to post this here I ment to post it on the family thread. Sorry Mods Please move it.

Ok sure thing

 

[Calliaz]

Our YMCA doesn't have a family bathroom. I am not at all comfortable letting DS wander around the men's locker room alone, so he goes with me into the ladies' room. It's not like he cares even at 4.5; however, I understand that others could be uncomfortable. At 5 they require that opposite sex children go in their own side. I don't think that's really safe yet for my child, so he'll walk through the Y wet and I'll change him at home.

It would be so much better if there were curtained areas for changing and showering and everything else was open to children under 10. Who really needs to blow-dry their hair or drink from the drinking fountain in the nude?

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

10 months old, what's he going to see, hello!

Oh yea, I'd be taking it further

 

[my2kidsmom]

Our YMCA has a policy where an opposite-sex child of kindergarten-age and younger can be in the locker room. My 5 1/2-year-old son (he's in Kindergarten) gets changed for swim team practice with his 10-year-old sister in the female locker room...I just do it quickly so as to be sensitive to the other people in there.

I agree...I would be talking to a manager/supervisor...he's a baby, who's he looking at besides you??

Lisa in PA

 

[bumbershoot]

Who really needs to blow-dry their hair or drink from the drinking fountain in the nude?

Oh man, if only people didn't feel the need to do those things naked at gyms...

 

[Mkrop]

I would be mad. I would be gald that the place had a family locker room but if it is not usuable then what is the point. I would be complaining about that. I think it is riduculous that someone asked you to leave with a 10 mo old. I went through this with swim lessons at our local Y, no one asked us to leave but the girls from camp were squealing bc my son (4 at the time) was in there as well. I did my best to go to an area where no one was or even squeeze us into a bathroom. It was hard, he is not mature enough to handle the men's locker room and he has balance issues so even changing himself is a problem. I wasnt sure what I was suppose to do, if the weather cooperated I took him home wet, if not it was a pain in the neck

 

[jodifla]

10 months old seems extreme. But five and older seems reasonable....at the gyms I go to, people change right out in the open, so it's not appropriate for opposite sex children.

At the gym I currently go to, ALL parents and opposite sex kids have to use the family locker room, which isn't as nice as the women's locker room, but it does have two bathrooms, five separate changing rooms with showers, three sinks with hairdryers, etc.

So I think it's common now to do the opposite sex child thing, just not with one so young.

 

[jazzmine]

10 months old, what's he going to see, hello!

Oh yea, I'd be taking it further

I agree! Especially if this wasn't mentioned when you took the tour, this should not even been an issue at this point. You sometimes have to wonder about people!

 

[soontobewed07]

I spoke with the general Manager and he gave me the option to go to a dry bathroom or use the girls locker room until 1pm. This is our local Y which is why it surprises me. (I hope that is okay to say) I am going to write a letter to the local paper and see if I get any response. I just felt ousted I can understand the opposite sex thing over the age of 4 or 5 but a 10 mo what the heck does he care?

 

[labst60]

Dress him in pink whenever you go to the Y and no one will know he's a boy!!

Just kidding (obviously) - that is nuts!

I have 2 DD's so I have never faced that situation - but wouldn't blink 2x if a 10 month old baby is in the ladies changing area. I think anywhere between 3-5 is a reasonable age to need to use the family changing areas (if there are ones) and obviously older than that to have to go in the men's room alone (if there are no family changing areas.)

If you feel VERY strongly about this, you could call a handful of local Ys to see their policy and then set up a meeting with the director of your Y to discuss the policy - armed with the knowledge of the practices at the other local Y's/health clubs.

 

[Princess Steph]

I work at a facility that has an "over 16" rule because of the whirlpool, sauna and steamroom that could be dangerous to children. We also have Family changing rooms available.

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

I don't think your wrong-especially when your gym was advertising itself as a family friendly gym. They need to provide better facilities to their families or change their policies regarding the regular locker rooms. Personally, I belong to a gym and I could care less if someone brought their child into the ladies locker room. Most of us have BTDT and are sympathetic to the challenges of parenthood. Your gym still has a way to go in getting with the times and providing for the needs of their customers.

 

[emma'smom]

The rule at our "Y" is 6 and under can use either changing room. We actually stopped this practice when dd turned 5. However, when DH takes her to the pool, we have her walk through the office entrance rather than going through a locker room unsupervised.

 

[lindsmom]

I would also wonder what happens at 1:00? Is it because younger (high school and under) girls are coming in there and have said they're uncomfortable? I've seen moms sort of open a locker door or two for a partial barracade in the corner to acknowledge there's a little boy in there; but really, he's only a baby. If he were 6 months younger and in a carrier would they complain?

I am, of course, assuming this little guy isn't running around checking out all the women Just kidding!

I'm not sure where in Mass you are - I've been to the Y on Cape Cod and there have been little guys old enough to run around in the women's locker room. And they WERE checking out the women!

It also seems offensive that you were told he could go with your husband. Sounds presumptive to me in this day and age.

 

[eeyoremum]

A 10 month old baby is nothing to get anyones nickers in a knot. If the child was 10 then I would complain (and I have at the local pool).

My DSs are too old for the family change room too (13 and 8) so if I take them they need to use the mens. I always tell him 15 seconds or less or I am coming in (I do this if he need to use a public washroom too). I have had men say to me...but its the mens room and I say nothing I have not seen before. It is all about protecting your kid.

I would says something about the baby though it is silly to not allow him in the ladies room.