Send 10 year old boy to mens room??

[Dislifer]

I guess I should send me 10 year old boy to the Men's room by himself, but boy it bothers me!!! We will be going to WDW and my 10 year old boy is the only male. I know Disney has some "Family" bathrooms but you can never find one of these when you need one!
What is everyone's feeling on this?
Last time we went, my son was 9 and he came into the ladies room with us, waited in line, did what he had to do and quickly exited with another adult in our group. There was one situation. I was using a bathroom and could hear some older woman saying "UGH!!! What is a boy doing in here???" "UGHH!!! I guess he doesn't know how to read the sign on the door!!!"
Well, I couldn't wait to get out and let her have it! I told her in the world we live in I was not about to let me 9 year old son go to the Men's Room alone, etc. etc. My poor son was close to tears after this snotty lady!!! After I said what I had to say (which is unfortunate that I had to say anthing), the older woman agreed with me!!!
What is everyone's thoughts/experiences on this???

 

[crzy4mickey]

well last December I was in the same situation! It all started at the airport. I was very reluctant to send my 10 yo son in the restroom by himself. He was so against going into the ladies room. So I let him go into the mens room by himself. I first told him if anyone even looked at him strangley to get out and run making a lot of noise. I always taught my kids that if someone was trying to take them, touch them or anything out of the ordinary, always yell things like "stay away, I don't know you"..."stranger, don't touch me" etc. So it has been drilled into his head. I would always wait at the entrance of the mens room door and look at everyone going in and out. It may sound crazy but hey...you never know! I was actually more relaxed with him using the mens room in WDW...i still stood by the door and waited. Once I even yelled in asking him if everything was ok....he was mad at me for doing that but it was taking a little longer than usual. Oh well, you can't be too careful these days! It's just a mothers instinct to protect her young!

 

[aaronlisar]

Although I know why you would be concerned I just don't think I could bring a 10 yr old male into a womens restroom. If I were you I think I would just wait outside while he does his business then proceed into the womens restroom while he waits outside for you. Just my opinion though.

 

[momxx5]

I have 3 boys, so I send them in pairs - safety in numbers.

While I am the worrying type, I would probably bring him into the ladies bathroom with me.

Or if he insists on going into the men's room, maybe you can give him a whistle or walkie-talkie.

 

[WDWendy]

My husband and I disagree SOOO much on this topic. I do not think boys should go in the mens room alone. My son is getting too old to go into the ladies room unnoticed with me, so when DS and I are without my husband, I will stand VERY close to the entrance (okay, so I practically take over the entrance because I want to see faces for people entering that bathroom AND I want them to know I am standing close and listening for him) and if he is taking too long I will yell in and ask if he is alright. I really wish more places had family restrooms.

My Dad's best friend was a police officer and the stories about public bathroom problems just make the hair on my arms stand up. THEY ARE NOT SAFE AT ALL!!!!!

 

[NewEnglandDisney]

At 10 years old, unless he is developmentally disabled, a young man should be going to the bathroom by himself. That is wayyyyy to old to be going to the ladies room.

Otherwise you may be really causing damage - no joke. He's just shy of puberty, and if I had been him at that age I wouldn't have been in tears because of the lady's comment, but out of embarassment.

Let your son go to the bathroom by himself. I'm not sure what you are worried about, but remember - you are at Disney World. That doesn't mean you should totally let your guard down universally, but at his age he should know enough to yell, scream, or even bite at (if his mouth was covered) a stranger if need be. There are people everywhere and it's not like someone is going to hide him under a coat and kidnap him.

Speaking for boys/men everywhere - PLEASE let him go to the bathroom by himself!

N.E.D.

 

[Storminator]

Prefacing this by saying I'm not out to offend anyone - 10 years old is way older than a child needs to be to go into a men's room by himself. I could see being concerned about your 4 year old, but a 10 year old knows how to use the facilities and yell if there's an issue. Kids need some independence and letting them go potty by themselves is a good place to start.

 

[MickeyMacks]

While visiting an attraction in Toronto last summer (Casa Loma) where the men's room and ladies rooms were in different areas, I took my son who had just turned 7 in the ladies room with me since I didn't want us to get separated in the crowd. (Normally I've been letting him use the men's room since he was 6 and I just stand right outside the men's room door while he does his business, but in this case I couldn't). When I came out of my stall a lady came up to me very angry and yelled that boys don't belong in the girls room, basically rushed us out of the room.

She implied my son had been "spying" and I don't know whether he was or not, but I was so embarrassed and angry that I grabbed my son's hand and dragged him out of the building. Once we were outside I realized our coats were still inside and we had to stand in a long line to get back into the building. They let me go to the coatroom while my son stayed in the lobby.

My son was bewildered and crying because the lady yelled at us, we left the castle without seeing the rest of it, and I had gripped his hand too tightly as we had run out through the crowd. I still don't feel that I did anything wrong by bringing my son into the ladies room in that case. If the woman thought my son was spying, handling it with a sense of humor would have been much more effective.

People, people, these are just curious little kids we want to keep safe, not perverts!!!

I wish I'd told her that but I was so surprised and embarrassed by what she said about the spying. I'm sure my son didn't ruin her whole day the way she ruined ours.

I don't take my son, now almost 8, in the ladies room any more but I do stand outside the men's room while he's in there. He knows that if anything weird happens, to yell and I will be there to help and/or accost the next person who tries to come out of that room! If he's taking longer than I think he should, I stand by the door, push it open a crack with my foot and ask if he's almost done. Hurries him along and lets anyone else in there know mama's keeping watch. I've been doing this for a couple years now and never had a fellow express offence at this. (I wonder if women would be as gracious to a man waiting outside the ladies room for his daughter??) I'm not so worried that something's going to happen to my son in the men's room, but at many malls the washrooms are near a mall exit/back door and parking lot - just not a safe place for a kid to be alone.

Depending on your child's maturity and ability to follow your directions about where to meet you, personal safety, etc. the "standing guard" approach works quite well.

 

[TSWJan78]

What about Family Bathrooms... There have to be a few in WDW

 

[WDWendy]

I just wanted to add that there is no need for people to make "Ugh, it's a boy!" comments. I'm sure it is not the first OR the last time she will see a young boy in the ladies room. It is something most Mom-types worry about.

 

[IwasatWDWforamonth]

I went in the boys bathroom at the Crystal palace,,,, I still cant believe it WHY didnt someone STOP me.
I dont mind little boys going in the girls bathroom as long as they are with their mom .

 

[bryon]

10 and still going into the bathroom with mommy? That is not right.

10 is much to old for a boy to be going into the ladies room. As long as someone is waiting outside, what is the problem?

At 10, I don't think there is a situation that could come up in a public restroom in Disney that a 10 year old could not handle.

Let your "little" boy grow up.

 

[Crankyshank]

I generally have no problem with little boys in the ladies room, but 10yrs old is too old. The 10yr old boys I know would be mortified to go in the ladies room in the first place and are a little too curious about what's underneath women's clothes

As far as the story about the 7yr old spying. If he truly was "spying" or peeking or whatever, I'm sure it would have ruined her day. It's one thing to want to keep your child safe, it's quite another for the child to be peeking in the stalls.

 

[tn_disney_addict]

Okay, just for a bit of humor on this touchy subject...

My best friend and I let our sons go in the boys bathroom together when they were around 5 or 6...they thought they could get away with horsing around and splashing water etc. and that they were "safe" from the mom's (we could hear them being obnoxious)....You should have seen their faces when my best friend went in the men's room to get them!!! They were happy to go in the ladies room for another year or two

 

[Terry S]

Girls restrooms have stall doors, you don't see anything what is the big deal. The thing I don't like is when my husband had to take my daughter in the mens room, they don't have stall doors.

My son is now 9 and tall for his age. I make every effort to find a family bathroom at WDW. I know where they all are. If for some reason there is no family bathroom I take him into the womens, he doesn't really care that much. He turns his head as much as he can even though there are stalls. I am sorry it is a scary world out there and I have heard to many horror stories.

 

[mybgirl]

I will have to take my DS in the rest room with me.


Cannot leave him by himself. When i go in.



I hope everyone will be ok with it.


take care

and god bless


mary

 

[mybgirl]

Girls restrooms have stall doors, you don't see anything what is the big deal. The thing I don't like is when my husband had to take my daughter in the mens room, they don't have stall doors.

My son is now 9 and tall for his age. I make every effort to find a family bathroom at WDW. I know where they all are. If for some reason there is no family bathroom I take him into the womens, he doesn't really care that much. He turns his head as much as he can even though there are stalls. I am sorry it is a scary world out there and I have heard to many horror stories.

take care


mary

 

[shellybaxter]

When I had a really bad knee and was using an ECV my husband had to help me walk to and from the restroom. I used the handicap restroom alot (is this also the family restroom??). There was one everywhere the regular restrooms were. They were just big open restrooms with a toilet and sometimes a urinal (and a baby change things I think). This may be the option for you. Please don't bring a 10 year old into the ladies room. The ladies in there deserve some privacy.

 

[Disneyonmymind]

I worry too. I have a DD8 and sometimes she is with her Daddy. I found this info on allears.net. Print it and take it with you. Plan your RR breaks to use one of these locations and, no worries.

Good luck
Jackie


The following is a list of Companion or Family Rest Room locations where members of the opposite sex can enter the restroom together when assistance is needed.

All First Aid locations have companion-assisted restrooms.

Animal Kingdom

Discovery Island opposite Flame Tree Barbecue, just before DinoLand USA entrance on the right
Harambe Village in the Mombasa Marketplace
Chester and Hester's Dinosaur Treasures in Dinoland USA
Near Maharajah Jungle Trek on the left before the entrance
Inside Maharajah Jungle Trek to the right as you exit the Bat House
Conservation Station at Rafiki's Planet Watch

Disney-MGM Studios

Opposite Star Tours
Right side of Millionaire building on Mickey Avenue
Rock 'N' Roller Coaster
Opposite The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Fantasmic! amphitheater
Right side of Lights, Motors, Action!

Epcot

Spaceship Earth On Left as you face SE
Spaceship Earth on Right as you face SE near Gateway Gifts
Future World West opposite The Land
Future World East opposite Test Track
Refreshment Port (right side of World Showcase - before Canada)
Morocco on the right
Germany on the right
Norway opposite the Viking ship

Magic Kingdom

Lower level of Cinderella's Royal Table in the Castle
Pirates of the Caribbean
Near Splash Mountain
To the right of Space Mountain
Mickey's Toontown Fair
Transportation and Ticket Center East Gate

Polynesian Resort

Great Ceremonial House 2nd Floor opposite 'Ohana

Blizzard Beach Water Park

To the rear of the Locker area on the north side of Main Change.

Typhoon Lagoon Water Park

Near Guest Services

Downtown Disney Marketplace

Once Upon a Toy Store - inside restroom area
Between Guest Relations and Once Upon a Toy Store - outside

AMC Theatres - No companion restrooms
Pleasure Island - No companion restrooms
West Side - No companion restrooms

 

[Worfiedoodles]

Well, my DS is 7, and I'm not about to let him go into a Men's room by himself. I don't care who it upsets. This is my child, and it is my job to protect him. If it makes someone else uncomfortable, so be it. A child's safety is paramount, and much more important than any "discomfort".

There are no "cori" (criminal record) checks to get into Disney. All you have to do is pay the admission. Shame on me if I am lulled into a false sense of security because I am in a happy place. I actually think it might be easier to do something inappropriate to a child, because they are happy and not as aware of strangers as on a normal day.

I think any parent should feel comfortable doing whatever they feel is necessary to protect their child. This may mean a different standard for ages in the restrooms. That's o.k. Various rides, etc. are appropriate for children at different ages. Entering the restroom alone is also, I believe, an individualized judgement.

Instead of criticizing someone for a standard that seems inappropriate to one person, we should commend the parent for caring enough to want to safeguard their precious child.