What age for kids to go to the restroom alone?

[bigAWL]

And a side question if they are too young to go in alone, how about going into the a restroom with a parent of the gender? I discussed this a while back on the Disneyland Resort Paris forum, where there are mostly Brits and European posters. So I was wondering if most Americans had a different point of view?

I'm a father with three little girls (ages 6, 4 and 1). I have routinely taken my girls (the older two) into the men's room with me whether in a theme park or restaurant or wherever. At what age does this become inappropriate? And at what age would it be better to let her go into the ladies' room by herself? I suppose a lot depends on the child, and maybe some depends on the venue.

What do you think?

 

[Blanche_Neige]

I went last year with my son 6y old, I would still take him to the ladies bathroom with me. I only had one person that made a comment that he should be in the boys room (most people assume he's older since he was 4'6'' at the time)...

When I'm with my husband he takes the boys in the men room.

My husband said that if he had daugthers (6 or 7), he would probably let them go by themselves in the ladies room. But I didn't feel the Same way for my 6y old boy...

I just came back from Disney with the whole family. While we were there we went to the water park. I had to take one of the twins to the bathroom, he's almost 6y old, and never wants to go in the girls room... Anyways, At the waterpark the bathroom is also th changing room, Well he was so busy staring that stop complaining that he was in the ladies room right away and I realized that he was getting older!!!


Too bad Disney didn't think of family bathrooms.

 

[CastleCreations]

My girls are 5 and 6 and they go in alone, if it's a bathroom that I know. I made this mistake at Universal, where the bathroom has exits on both sides, for a minute, the girls were gone.. they had gone out the other exit. If I know there is only one way in and out, I let them go together.

 

[SmallWorld71]

I don't think there is a magic age. However, I think it is generally O.K. to take boys in to the ladies room a lot longer than it is O.K. to take girls into the men's room. Unfortunately, the set up of many men's rooms with the urinals, makes it inappropriate where there are only individual stalls in ladies rooms.

OP - I would say it is probably on a case by case basis. Your 2 girls are old enough to go in by themselves IF you are in a familiar place (the local grocery store for example) and can stand outside the door. On the other hand, if I was in a totally unfamiliar or large place, like an airport, I would be hesitant to let them go in alone. Luckily, more and more places have family restrooms. Of course, when push comes to shove, the safety of our kids trumps everything.

 

[belle&sebastiansmom]

My DD4 does not like to go to the men's room with daddy. She says it's dirty. IMO because of the "openness" of the men's restroom, I don't think it's even appropriate for her to go into one anymore. She'll get quite an eyeful, if you know what I'm talkin' 'bout!! Now, this presents problems when she is out and about with daddy and she's "gotta go." She's too young to go to the women's restroom alone. So far, she's made only quick trips with him, so it hasn't really been an issue.

Now, on the other hand, I don't have as big a problem with little boys going to a female bathroom, since all the stalls are private. I will be one of those moms that takes her little ones in the restroom with her simply because one can't be too careful these days. It's a sad and scary world we live in, and I have to think about the safety of my kids first.

In regards to the other post about the water parks using the bathroom as a changing area, it is a shame that they don't have private areas, because changing in front of anyone makes me uncomfortable, but an older boy doesn't need to be there in that situation either.

 

[disalver]

Just the two of us went to DL when my daughter was five. She was just old enough that I was uncomfortable taking her in the men's room. She went in the women's room while I waited outside.
1) she did not notice the out-of-order sign on the stall
2) when she used it, it exploded on her
3) she came out whimpering and wet.

A quick clothing purchase and the use of my jacket on a cool March afternoon got us by. If there is a moral, this is it; the earlier you let them go into a restroom alone, the greater the chances of something going wrong. If you are doing something similar, consider having a bit of extra clothing in your pack.

 

[BeckyScott]

I don't think there is a magic age. However, I think it is generally O.K. to take boys in to the ladies room a lot longer than it is O.K. to take girls into the men's room. Unfortunately, the set up of many men's rooms with the urinals, makes it inappropriate where there are only individual stalls in ladies rooms.

Yep.

We only have boys, so I only know that side of it.

Oldest DS is 10 and he goes by himself, pretty much everywhere. I keep an eye on the door, though. I guess we've been like that for a couple of years now. Once he hit about 8 he just wouldn't put up with going in the ladies room.

I have, on occasion, when oldest DS was in the restroom and I thought he'd been in there too long, asked dad-looking guys or male employees if they could stick their heads in there and tell me what was going on. You know, places like Wal-Mart, not overly busy but not a place I could go in there after him myself. They've always been really nice about it, and since I'm hovering outside the door anyway, I think they understood the situation.

Youngest DS is 7 but is autistic. Most of the time he goes in with me, unless of course DH is along. I have let him go in with his brother before and that seems to work okay, if we're someplace familiar. I only let him go in by himself if it is a small restroom where I can go in after him without it being a problem. In his case, it's more than safety-- he likes to play in the sink for 10 or 15 minutes, mess with the automatic eye, oooh, he's fascinated with the urinals making a "waterfall" he'll watch that all day, locks doors and then can't figure out how to unlock them, plus he has trouble fastening his pants and has no problem just walking out the door with them down around his ankles. I know at school he goes by himself, but the para has to regularly go down there and make him quit playing around. So.

 

[Annabelleasb]

I think it depends on the age/location. Even at a fast food restaurant, my son is 11 & I give him 1 min. & if he's not back, I open the men's door (slightly) & call his name--my 7 yr. old daghter is not allowed to go alone.

 

[tadamom]

I think it depends on the age/location.

I agree with this. My DS6 is the oldest and he still goes in to the bathroom with me and DD when we go somewhere. If there is a family restroom, we do those but they are few and far between. So far this hasn't been a problem in our household.

 

[noahdove]

Just to let you know, I plan on taking my 8 year old great nephew in the ladies room when we are at Disney...I'm not sure how he will think about it, but that is my plan as of now

 

[brettgirl]

Safety and your sense of security is number one! My son goes into the Y dressing room with me, I immediately cover his eyes and place him in a corner to change and stay under a large towel until all is clear as I don't know how the ladies feel about a young boy. DS has terrible separation anxiety, autistic disorder mild and just plain anxiety. He goes into all bathrooms with me (with his dad if he is with us), I will be bringing him in with me at disney. We are also a family that does not hide our bodies, so there are no body parts my children have not seen so they are not overly curious about others (it is just a body-big deal).

 

[Diamondintheruff]

I make my two boys (9 and 5) go together into the men's bathroom. Even if only one has to go. It is helping me feel better about the transition to entering bathrooms by themselves.

 

[npmommie]

Just the two of us went to DL when my daughter was five. She was just old enough that I was uncomfortable taking her in the men's room. She went in the women's room while I waited outside.
1) she did not notice the out-of-order sign on the stall
2) when she used it, it exploded on her
3) she came out whimpering and wet.

A quick clothing purchase and the use of my jacket on a cool March afternoon got us by. If there is a moral, this is it; the earlier you let them go into a restroom alone, the greater the chances of something going wrong. If you are doing something similar, consider having a bit of extra clothing in your pack.

I am laughing at this, and I know if my dh read this he would say if that was him and our dd I would give him holy H E double toothpicks for that happening!!!!

My dh has done both, he has taken the kids into the mens room and he has let my dd go into the ladies by herself.
different circumstances and locations.....

 

[npmommie]

this made me think of a funny.
We were traveling and my dd had to pee. so we stop at a rest stop on the highway........hubby stays in the car with the sleeping baby, i take dd to the ladies room, it is filthy, beyond filthy so disgusting you can't even imagine trying to go in there, so i tell her , lets get daddy to take you in the other men's bathroom, she is jumping up and down, saying she has to go NOW right NOW!!!........so we run into the next door mens room, the men all did a double take when we walked in,
I just said sorry, we won't look at you! and we went in a stall. they laughed and went about their busines, we didn't look, they didn't look, she peed all was well. but the men's room was clean. imagine that.

 

[tinkerjess]

im such a freak about this subject!! my son is 8 and i bring him w/ me and some woman gripe, but i just smile and say nothing back. one of my friends brother had something really bad!!!!!!! happen to him when he was 7 in the mens restroom. well i think you can never!!! be to safe. i also think it is a little bit more safer for a girl to go to the ladies restroom by herself than a boy going to the mens restroom alone.

 

[JackJack08]

I don't think there is a magic age. However, I think it is generally O.K. to take boys in to the ladies room a lot longer than it is O.K. to take girls into the men's room. Unfortunately, the set up of many men's rooms with the urinals, makes it inappropriate where there are only individual stalls in ladies rooms.

OP - I would say it is probably on a case by case basis. Your 2 girls are old enough to go in by themselves IF you are in a familiar place (the local grocery store for example) and can stand outside the door. On the other hand, if I was in a totally unfamiliar or large place, like an airport, I would be hesitant to let them go in alone. Luckily, more and more places have family restrooms. Of course, when push comes to shove, the safety of our kids trumps everything.

Yep...just what I was going to say!! DS5 comes in with me and probably will until he's about 10. DH is away with work alot and when we go out, we have no choice. People can say what they like to me....I can shoot them down before the words get out of their mouth!! DS's safety is more important than offending some little old lady. And what is the big deal....we are all in a stall?

 

[DisneyCatMom]

I agree, my son is 8 yrs old-unless it is a single stall and I can stand outside the door, then he goes in the ladies room with me. Recently at a local library a 6 yr old boy went to the bathroom and was molested. His mother was just feet away looking at a book. You can never be to safe.
If you are at all hesitant about sending your little girl into the men's room, then ask a CM to go with her to the ladies. I can't imagine that they would say no if they are available.

 

[DevilDuckie]

Unfortunately you have the awkward combination of girls in a men's room- so much easier the other way!

The six year old is probably old enough to go in alone (I know it's hard to let go!) and even to be "the big girl" and take the four year old. Disney is pretty good about family restrooms, which are your best bet if possible.

 

[momamy]

I dont mind boys in the bathroom. As a parent i know you can never be to careful! With girls and boys disappearing in a flash. i say i say a few minutes of strangers uncomfortable feelings are worth more then a lifetime of guilt worry and grief!

JMO please dont flame me! My suits at the cleaners