Would you let a 4 yr old use bathrooms alone?

[Nancy F]

I don't have any children. And I never mind seeing a mother with a small boy in the ladies room. Better safe than sorry. And there are family bathrooms you can use.
Nancy

 

[dizneechic]

This is exactly why I don't... even my 8 y/o.
Things like this scare the bejeebers out of me!
http://www.boston.com/news/local/ma...ape_at_library_was_freed_sex_offender/?page=1

 

[lillygator]

nope, no way.

 

[Nancy F]

Her Grandmother was right outside the only entrance waiting for her. The guy was hiding in the bathroom and nearly killed her. He went out the window. This kid was 8 I believe so her Gran thought she'd be okay. Not sure what took her so long to check on the child.

http://www.plan2succeed.org/man_arrested_in_attack_on_girl.html

They caught the guy who did it and he was sentenced to 35 to 70 years. I hope he does the full time.
Nancy

 

[notsosnowwhite]

No, I wouldn't allow my ds to go by himself.
I've been in many situations when my boys have had to go to the women's room with me. No one has ever made me feel in any way that this inappropriate. It's not worth any possible risk when he can comfortably use the women's restroom.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

No way! I have a 4-yr-old and there is NO WAY he is going anywhere without supervision. My oldest is 7.5 and I've just started letting him use men's rooms by himself. I just don't trust people and he's more of a follower so I don't have confidence that he'd know that it's OK to say "no" to people.

 

[djp0630]

No way! Some restrooms have 2 exits, can you even imagine what would happen if he went out the wrong door. Plus all the people at Disney.

 

[Kallista]

I let my boys go to the restroom by themselves at 4. I stand outside the door. They know to yell "Mom!" if there is a problem.

The probability of a child being attacked by a stranger is vanishingly small. it happens, but very, very rarely. You can't your life be run by fear.

I worry a lot more about my youngest talking the ear off random strangers. He's struck up a few friendships with complete strangers in the mens' room.

 

[Kat&Dom]

Her Grandmother was right outside the only entrance waiting for her. The guy was hiding in the bathroom and nearly killed her. He went out the window. This kid was 8 I believe so her Gran thought she'd be okay. Not sure what took her so long to check on the child.

http://www.plan2succeed.org/man_arrested_in_attack_on_girl.html

They caught the guy who did it and he was sentenced to 35 to 70 years. I hope he does the full time.
Nancy

How completely sickening and frightening! They need to lock these people away and throw away the key - they can't be rehabilitated so why release them back into society - let them live in the general population of the jail and let the jail house justice have its way with them. I think that anyone that hurts a child in such a brutal way should never get a second chance.

 

[brianz09]

No way! Too many weirdos - even at Disney.

 

[abcboys]

I have 3 boys and my youngest is 4. Sometimes I will let the 4 year old go into the bathroom alone if I know nobody else is in there and its some place small. But at disney world no way would I let him in there alone. Not that I'm really scared someone would do something to him as it is that most of the time when he does go in the mens room alone I either have to sneak in there to help him wash his hands or when he's done we have to go into the ladies room so I can help him wash his hands there.

4 year olds are not too big to go in the ladies room even though if he's like mine he'll already try to protest "mom that's for girls!!"

 

[DipsyDoodles]

You are a great mom, I can just tell by your concern, he is so lucky to have you!! Go for the family bathroom, it will give you peace of mind.

 

[brockash]

There's no way I'd let my 4 1/2 year old use the bathrooms by himself at Disney. I have a 7 year old ds, and I'm not sure if I'd even let him do it there.

 

[bwilcox]

Personally, no-in your position, I would use the "family" restrooms, or whatever you want to call them. I don't care how small the probability is of something happening. As a parent it is my job to do what I feel will keep my child safe. I just wouldn't feel safe sending my 4-year-old into a restroom by himself somewhere with as many people as WDW.

 

[PrincessInOz]

I would NOT let a 4 y.o. use the restrooms alone. Way too many weirdos out there in the world and that includes the Happiest Place on Earth.

I have a 9 y.o. ds. At 6, he was still going into the ladies with me; unless DH was with us. The alternative was a family restroom.

At 9, he's going in by himself but we constantly check our watches...down to the second!... and stand outside waiting for him.

 

[tlh0726]

Back in 1996/97 I did let my then 4.5 use the bathroom by himself in WDW. You did not hear about attacks and such as often as you do now.
Fast forward, no way is my current 4 year old ready to use the restroom by himself other than at preschool or home. When DH has the kids out by himself, we let DD 5.5 use the ladies room by herself while DH waits outside the door. Nicest way to put this, Gentlemen you need to clean up your act!

I have no problem with boys using the restroom with their mother's no matter what their age. As long as they are not looking under the stall, peeking through the cracks, or tall enough to see over the top, who cares.

 

[Belle5]

No!

 

[quasar4legs]

No.
The same people that you are concerned about at Wal-mart also go to WDW.

Better safe than sorry.

 

[PollyannaMom]

At 4, DS still came with me if his dad wasn't out with us.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

No way! I also wouldn't care if he protested. I am the parent and that is the end of it.
Something to keep in mind- forget that it is a bathroom. Would you let your 4 year be unsupervised in a public place? Would you really let them out of your sight? People are worried about their kids "running off" with them right in front of them. Why would anyone purposefully send their child somewhere public unsupervised at that age?