Should I take my 10 yr old son in the ladies restroom?

[Boncho]

I have a 10 year old son and this year at Disney, he will be going in the ladies washroom with me if there are no family bathrooms. Embarassment or not, I believe in the saying 'better safe than sorry".When we are at home I allow him to go to the mens washroom and I wait outside the door; he knows he has to hurry because he has a time limit. There are too many perverts and sickos in this world and you never know where you are going to find them.Last year at Disney almost every time we went to a washroom in one of the parks, there were boys with their mothers so he didn't feel uncomfortable.
Unless there is someone he can go to the mensroom with, even at least another 10 year old, I would take him with me - it only takes seconds for something to happen.

 

[alicenwonder99]

I think 10 is much to old to still be going into the ladies restroom.

You can stand right outside the door of the mens restroom and wait for him. I would think he would be embarrassed to have to use the ladies.

I totally agree!!!

 

[scoolover]

Send him into the men's and wait outside. Have a great one.

 

[luvmyboys]

Up until a few months ago, my DS 7 was using restrooms by himself (at his own insistence) with me waiting outside. I would prefer he go with me, but my DH and DS always complain that I am too overprotective & paranoid. Well, almost three months ago at our local mall, my DS went to the men's room, and while I was 10 feet away in the hall room, and older man also using the urinal "exposed" himself to my son, was staring at him while DS used restroom, and was "touching" himself. My son didn't say anything until we were on our way home, but I got a description of the man and called mall security when I got home.

As a result of this incident, my once independent son is now terrified to be away from me in public places. He won't talk about what happened anymore, but since he is still so affected by it we decided to take him to a counselor.

Needless to say I have terrible guilt about not listening to my inner-voice and just taking him in with me. I try to use family bathrooms when they are available, but when they aren't, my sons go with me! I could CARE LESS if that makes other women uncomfortable. My DS is very well-behaved and understands the need for privacy (not one of those kids who peeks under others' stalls!) Until he is old enough to not be prey for the sickos out in the world, I will continue to take him with me.

 

[Todd&Copper]

I am in my 30's now and wouldn't care if I saw a 10 y.o. boy in the ladies' room, but I know that when I was a young tween/teen, I would have been very upset to see a boy that old in there. I think the chances of him encountering/being approached by a pedophile at WDW is pretty low (but I'd make sure Michael Jackson wasn't in town, just to be safe). The crowds would probably deter any inappropriate behavior.

 

[mousebit]

Attention DIS moms with 10 year old boys who need to use the restroom! This is not an issue for you. You are a DISer; therefore you are a planner. Download the location of the companion restrooms from allears and put a copy of it in your planner that you take with you into the parks. Make planned restroom breaks as part of your schedule. No big deal! I realize the locations of the companion restrooms are not always as convenient, but I also know that 10 year olds have pretty good bladder control. They are used to planning their bathroom trips at school recess times, so there is not usually the same urgency as with toddlers. A little inconvenience is not too much to ask for your child's safety. And you respect the feelings of others.
I know that if my 10yo granddaughter ran into a boy her age in the women's restroom, she'd be mortified! Come on, it's a tender age--think about everyone instead of just yourself and go a little out of your way to respect others. You'll be the bigger person.

 

[disnutz]

Last night in Carrol County, Maryland (a very nice, quiet suburb of Baltimore) in a Ruby Tuesday a young boy of 7 went to the bathroom with his siblings who then left. He was then sexually molested by a man in the bathroom who told him if he made a noise he would hurt him. The boy left the restroom and told his dad. The man has been caught and arrested.

Forget about it!!! DS (7) is not going in alone!!!!!

 

[stonecreekboys]

I will absolutely take my sons in the restroom with me until the are at least ten, and possibly twelve. I see other boys in the restrooms with their moms at Disney. Better to be safe than sorry. When my eight year old begins to balk about it, I tell him, "I'm sorry, but other boys come in here too. When you are older you won't have to do this."
There are just too many weird people in the world and you wouldn't have any control over what they are exposed to in the men's restroom.

 

[Chester's Mum]

I recently (January) travelled to The World with my 11 year old son-dad stayed home. He's 5'5" tall and except for the baby face looks like he could be 14-15. I thought it inappropriate to take him into the ladies room. He did use the men's with strict instructions to "always use a stall, come back out if anyone even looks at you funny, and remember to wash your hands" (lol, I know that one's a given), while I hovered maternally outside. One time I even called his name through the door because he was taking too long. After that he told me every time he had to take a bit longer.

I personally don't have a problem with a respectful, well behaved 10 year old boy who looks 10 in the ladies, but my son would have been completely humiliated had I taken him in there with me. It depends on your son. Is he respectful of other peoples rights and privacy? Does he look his age or younger? Would he follow your instructions if he were to go to the men's room by himself? Will he feel humiliated every time you take him into the ladies? He does have to learn some time. No flames please, I'm a mom too.

I love the whistle idea, never thought of that before.

 

[stonecreekboys]

One more thing... At the very least you could stand at the mens restroom and tell your son to come out immediately after he is through and give him the rundown on what NOT to do and who to avoid. I went back and read some of the other replies. Honestly, is it really that big a deal to have a boy in the bathroom when all the stalls have doors? These aren't changing rooms. I can't see a ten year old boy trying to peak under the stalls. Sounds like something my five year old son would try and do. I just get in there and get out as soon as I'm done. And for the others who seem to get offended, I will apologize as well, but I love my kids and can't replace them, and will continue to bring my boys into the restroom for a little longer at the risk of upsetting someone who just doesn't understand my predicament. Sorry, but I back the protective moms!

 

[kathy_mandy]

I think 10 is much to old to still be going into the ladies restroom.

You can stand right outside the door of the mens restroom and wait for him. I would think he would be embarrassed to have to use the ladies.

i agree !! it woould be embarrasing for him ! but it still up to u !!

xx kathy_mandy xx

 

[hollyb]

Yes I would take him in the womens bathroom. My DS is almost 9 and he still comes with me. I will never forget what happen to Adam Walsh. You never know who is in there.

 

[dhcoffey]

Myself as a grown woman and mother have no problem with a 10-year-old boy in the ladies room at the same time I am. However, I have two daughters and one is 13 and one is 8. They would both be mortified to have a boy in the bathroom with them and that is the one reason I object to it. I know safety is an issue and I feel for you but I'm concerned for my daughters, too. Just MHO.

 

[hollyb]

I forgot to had. Isn't there doors to give you privacy? Who cares if a boy sees you wash your hands? On the other hand the boy also closes the door to go.

 

[hollyb]

Myself as a grown woman and mother have no problem with a 10-year-old boy in the ladies room at the same time I am. However, I have two daughters and one is 13 and one is 8. They would both be mortified to have a boy in the bathroom with them and that is the one reason I object to it. I know safety is an issue and I feel for you but I'm concerned for my daughters, too. Just MHO.

The boy is not alone in the bathroom he is with his mother. What is going to happen? Plus you will be in there too.

 

[Tinkerbelle32]

Twelve years old!!! Come on!! They would be in seventh grade!!! I understand the saftey point of the moms but a seventh grader is pushing it!! My two cents!

 

[LOLA2]

Ok everyone is addressing bringing the boy into the restroom while he has to pee...or whatever...that he belongs in the mens room with you standing guard at the door...but what do you do when you have to go?? Are you going to let him outside the bathroom door of the ladies room with everyone...and I mean everyone walking by...I think the potential danger is worse here...no one is commenting on what to do in this situation???

This is the main point of the thread, what to do when you have to go to the bathroom, not your child but everyone keeps on jumping in with the taking their boys to mens room because they have go pee. I think more mothers are comfortable with letting their sons go in mens rooms to pee with mom waiting at door, but in my opinion and op opinion it does not seem safe for a 10 yo to sit out on a bench with freakos walking by. But it seems like I lost this one, majoraty of this thread feel uncomfortable with a 10 yo boy standing in the entrance of the bathroom. Why I don't kwow - I have never
done anything that would make me feel uncomfortable with having a boy standing at the door. If people are embarressed with the sounds they are making, the same sounds go on in the mens room. What the boy would SEE if ladies washing their hands (what a crime a know, getting a lesson on hygene) Anyways to those parents who feel it is just wrong to leave your child alone outside when you need to do your business, please don't let these other posters discourage you. Have your young man hold the doors open for the ladies as they come in (geez another life lesson on how to treat a woman ) A 6,7,8,9,10 yo boy will not want to be by stalls looking in. Okay maybe boys under 5 but hey if you have a problem with kids under 5 coming in to bathrooms I guess I just don't know what to say to that.

 

[hollyb]

I think it is beyond going into a stall and going. It's the I spilled on my shirt and now I'm standing here in my bra trying to dry it off or because we are changing our princesses into their costumes and not taking up a stall to do it.

What makes you think that a women is any safer then a boy? Men and boys are not the only "bad" people in the world.

 

[CaipiraBob]

I am going to be traveling to WDW with my 10 year old son. Should I let him use the mens restroom? Or take him in the ladies room with me? I am asking this questions about not just in disney, but also at the airport.

Thanks

As a father I heartily agree that you should take him with you to the ladies room. I'd be just as understanding the other way around and have seen it, and approved of it. These are days when you can't really chance the alternative.

All the best!

 

[Dogslider]

All the folks that are defending taking an older boy into the ladies room are talking about grown women not caring- WHAT about the other girls I really don't think a 12 yr old girl would be very happy about a boy that age watching her or for her age worse, hearing her in the bathroom, or what about 13,14 any teen? Where are they supposed to go? I still say 10 is to old in any circumstance to be in a womens bathroom and yes I have children and have travelled with boys and NEVER took them in the BR at 10! I would not appreciate sending my 10 yr old girl in alone and finding out later that there was an older boy in there.Not appropriate.

Thanks! You saved me from having to type all of that. I am the mother of 3 boys (youngest is 15) and now raising 2 grandsons. But, I was once a upon a time a young girl and at 12-13 probably would have been mortified to have boys my age in the restroom with me!
By that age kids should have enough warning that they have to go to be able to make it to the family restrooms Disney. Do people think it okay for a single dad to take their 10-11 daughter into the mens room?
I would think at 10 you are sending your children off on the school bus, they go to school all day, cross the street, go to friends houses to play etc....
I am not trying to minimize anyones concerns, I am one of the biggest worries around, even still with my 15 yr old. But there comes different points in their lifes where they are ready to move on whether you are ready for it or not and I think a 10yr old going to the restroom by theirselves is one of them