Would you let a 4 yr old use bathrooms alone?

[WantToGoNow]

Although I am not a fan of older boys in the women's restroom, I think a 4 year old is too young to be going to the men's room alone. If there would happen to be a creep in there, there would be no hope for a 4 year old to get away/fight him off. My son started using all men's rooms alone around age 7 - he's 8 now (6 weeks away from being 9) and would rather pee hisself than go in a women's restroom.

 

[CSS1996]

No way! I would never let my 4 year old go into the men's room alone. I feel nervous letting my 8 1/2 year old go in alone.

 

[mjkacmom]

I wouldn't. But I haven't needed to worry about it. My girls are female (of course!) so I would go in with them anyway.

Disney does have several family restrooms where you can stand right outside the door and he's the only one in there. I might note where they are on the map and purpose to use those.

Actually, I have learned from these boards that Disney doesn't have family bathrooms. There are companion bathrooms, to help someone with a disability, but they aren't on the maps, probably not to encourage people to use them as family bathrooms.

Edited to add, as much as it bothers me to see older boys in the ladies room (because it bothers my older girls), I can't imagine anyone questioning a 4 year old.

 

[DeniseinNS]

I will not let my 4 year old use a public washroom by himself, there are too many bad things that could happen. My 8 year old daughter I will let go into the washroom alone if I am right outside the door or if we are in a restaurant that is not very busy and I can see the bathroom door from where we are sitting, if it's a busy place I go with her.

 

[sweetdana]

The companion bathrooms would be in ideal option. And if that isn’t available, better with you in the ladies’ rooms, barring a super empty morning in the park. Sometimes at 9 AM there is no one in either room, let him go and stand outside. There are a number of older boys that go into the ladies room with their moms. I have seen WAY TO old boys like 6-8-10 even. I think there should be a posted rule after X age boys and girls must go into their appropriate restroom. I do not think 4 or even 5 is too old, as sometimes they need a little assistance. I also think the cut off shouldn't be much higher than 6. Ideally most malls even now have family bathrooms, air ports, even the zoo we go to does. … Why shouldn’t Disney?

 

[jodifla]

4 is too young for a men's room alone in most circumstances, certainly at Disney.

 

[okeydokey]

Actually, I have learned from these boards that Disney doesn't have family bathrooms. There are companion bathrooms, to help someone with a disability, but they aren't on the maps, probably not to encourage people to use them as family bathrooms.

Edited to add, as much as it bothers me to see older boys in the ladies room (because it bothers my older girls), I can't imagine anyone questioning a 4 year old.

Anyone can use companion bathrooms according to the email I received from Disney when I asked them that question recently. They are not just for disabled people that need a companion to help.

 

[jpeka65844]

Chiming in to say "no way" on letting my 4 1/2 yo use the RR alone. Although the other day at Target, he did make me wait outside the stall. They're so small anyway, we both would've had a hard time fitting......

 

[Kallista]

Disney bathrooms are busy, and therefore bad places for pedophiles. But its going to depend on the four and a half year old. I can't imagine my kids needing "help" at four and a half with the actual task - and I'm not opposed to letting them go and squirting their hands with sanitizer when they come out if they can't reach the sinks, but kids have a wide variety of developmental skills.

This is where my kids were at at 4 and a half, too. They're very capable, independent kids who don't need much help.

And as you said, Disney bathrooms are super-busy. It's not a good place for a pedophile attack.

If I don't see them or hear from them in 5 minutes, I don't feel bad about giving them a shout ("Did you die in there?") either.

I don't mind people brining older kids into the ladies' room, though. It's not a big deal.

 

[dizneechic]

The companion bathrooms would be in ideal option. And if that isn’t available, better with you in the ladies’ rooms, barring a super empty morning in the park. Sometimes at 9 AM there is no one in either room, let him go and stand outside. There are a number of older boys that go into the ladies room with their moms. I have seen WAY TO old boys like 6-8-10 even. I think there should be a posted rule after X age boys and girls must go into their appropriate restroom. I do not think 4 or even 5 is too old, as sometimes they need a little assistance. I also think the cut off shouldn't be much higher than 6. Ideally most malls even now have family bathrooms, air ports, even the zoo we go to does. … Why shouldn’t Disney?

And I can see the lawsuits now. It's an invitation to those who may want to do something bad (heck even just looking at a child is enough for some perverts) or even worse something bad happens and because they HAD to use a restroom and not stay with their parent.

Fortunately many families have 2 adults with them so can have the same sexed parent take the child with them into the appropriate restroom, but if not there shouldn't be anything preventing a child to go with his/her parents when needed. Family restrooms would be ideal, but at least boys of any age in the womens room wont see much since our stalls have doors - unlike the mens room .

 

[DisneyRose&Boys]

My guys are 13, 14.5, and 16, so obviously their days of coming into the women's room with me are over , but Saturday night, 14.5 and I were coming home from a 4 day field trip and the bus had stopped at a TA-type rest area. He went into the restroom by himself but came out in about 2 minutes looking completely terrified. He told me that he was in a stall doing his "thing", happened to look up, and saw a phone camera over the top of the stall. He thought it was one of his buddies, so when he finished, he washed his hands and waited to see who came out of the stall. He planned on telling the kid to not be a #$%@head. But when he saw that it was a strange man, he bolted out of there and came to tell me.

I was literally right outside the bathroom door waiting in line for Domino's. By the time I got a manager, the pervert was long gone. The manager logged it in the book, but there wasn't anything else to do.

Luckily 14.5 wasn't hurt any further, but now the thought of some pervert having my son's picture on his cell phone... makes me sick.

Don't let him go alone. It's not worth the fear. If anyone says anything to you, assume, please, that she has no sons of her own.

Rose

 

[rodeo65]

happened to look up, and saw a phone camera over the top of the stall. He thought it was one of his buddies, so when he finished, he washed his hands and waited to see who came out of the stall. He planned on telling the kid to not be a #$%@head. But when he saw that it was a strange man, he bolted out of there and came to tell me.



Absolutely horrifying!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[puffkin]

I think if I was in a bind, I would definitely let my 4 year old go by himself. He is very independent and capable at this age. Plus he is tall (so can reach) and he looks and acts much older than he is. DS really fights me now about going in the woman's room. Usually DH is with and takes him. I think in another six months or so he will be using public bathrooms by himself in most spots if DH isn't with us.

I actually feel much more comfortable with the Disney bathrooms than with more quiet out of the way bathrooms. They are so busy that it is highly unlikely a pedophile would be in there. And I just don't let myself live in that kind of fear either. I think 7-8 year old boys in a ladies room is way too old. I mean, they use bathrooms all day at school by themselves...and honestly it only takes boys a few seconds to go. They should definitley be using the boys room at that age (unless they have some type of developmental issues obviously). They are old enough to know if something isn't right and to yell if the minute chance there is a weirdo in there.

Also, I am trying to think at Disney World of any bathrooms that have more than one entrance. We go a lot, and I can't think of a single one. Does anyone know where there is one????? I know the airport and stadiums often have this, but I am pretty sure Disney has eliminated these for safety reasons.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I think if I was in a bind, I would definitely let my 4 year old go by himself. He is very independent and capable at this age. Plus he is tall (so can reach) and he looks and acts much older than he is. DS really fights me now about going in the woman's room. Usually DH is with and takes him. I think in another six months or so he will be using public bathrooms by himself in most spots if DH isn't with us.

I actually feel much more comfortable with the Disney bathrooms than with more quiet out of the way bathrooms. They are so busy that it is highly unlikely a pedophile would be in there. And I just don't let myself live in that kind of fear either. I think 7-8 year old boys in a ladies room is way too old. I mean, they use bathrooms all day at school by themselves...and honestly it only takes boys a few seconds to go. They should definitley be using the boys room at that age (unless they have some type of developmental issues obviously). They are old enough to know if something isn't right and to yell if the minute chance there is a weirdo in there.

Also, I am trying to think at Disney World of any bathrooms that have more than one entrance. We go a lot, and I can't think of a single one. Does anyone know where there is one????? I know the airport and stadiums often have this, but I am pretty sure Disney has eliminated these for safety reasons.

I don't know what kind of bind anyone could be in that they couldn't take their 4 year old to the bathroom. I'm not being snarky but I don't get it. As for the kid protesting too bad so sad. I'm the parent and these are my rules. The end.
I don't feel any safer in a WDW bathroom. It would be just as easy to walk off with someone's kid in there as it is everywhere else. Maybe even easier because of the chaos that is often going on with so many people there. As for bathrooms with 2 exits I believe there is at least one like that at DHS that is close to the Star Tours area.
4 is way too young to be unsupervised ANYWHERE. I don't care if it is the bathroom or the playground. If I saw an unsupervised 4 year old I would probably alert security as I would think they were lost.

 

[Serling126]

Also, I am trying to think at Disney World of any bathrooms that have more than one entrance. We go a lot, and I can't think of a single one. Does anyone know where there is one????? I know the airport and stadiums often have this, but I am pretty sure Disney has eliminated these for safety reasons.

I believe there is one that is located in between Adventureland and Frontierland... that is the only one that I can think of off the top of my head. Check this map: http://www.wdwinfo.com/maps/MK.htm

I think 4 yrs old is too young to be using the bathroom alone... things can happen so quickly, they might not even have the chance to scream for mom... Better safe than sorry at that age. I do not have a problem with moms bringing boys in to the ladies room.

 

[jodifla]

I don't know what kind of bind anyone could be in that they couldn't take their 4 year old to the bathroom.:confused3 I'm not being snarky but I don't get it. As for the kid protesting too bad so sad. I'm the parent and these are my rules. The end.
I don't feel any safer in a WDW bathroom. It would be just as easy to walk off with someone's kid in there as it is everywhere else. Maybe even easier because of the chaos that is often going on with so many people there. As for bathrooms with 2 exits I believe there is at least one like that at DHS that is close to the Star Tours area.
4 is way too young to be unsupervised ANYWHERE. I don't care if it is the bathroom or the playground. If I saw an unsupervised 4 year old I would probably alert security as I would think they were lost.

I will tell you the one time I had to let my 3-year-old go to the bathroom alone! We were in a children's science museum that was PACKED with school field trips, he'd been potty trained for only about two months, and had to go! So I start to take him into the women's room, only to see a line of about 20 women/little girls at the women's room!

There was no waiting that long at his age and his newbie stage of being potty trained, so I had to send him in alone or have an accident. It worked out fine, but I was pretty worried.

 

[letsgoagainsoon]

Anyone can use companion bathrooms according to the email I received from Disney when I asked them that question recently. They are not just for disabled people that need a companion to help.

See, that's what I always thought, too. A child, especially at 4 yrs old, is someone who needs a companion in a restroom. Glad you got some clarity on that.

 

[puffkin]

I believe there is one that is located in between Adventureland and Frontierland... that is the only one that I can think of off the top of my head. Check this map: http://www.wdwinfo.com/maps/MK.htm

If you are talking about the one in the breezeway between Adventureland and Frontierland near the shop that sells the surf clothing...that one only has one entrance/exit. We use that bathroom all the time...it is actually a running joke in our family that it is the most used Disney bathroom for us.
I don't recall the bathroom near Star Tours having two exits, but I am not 100% sure on that one. I really can't think of any at Disney.

I will tell you the one time I had to let my 3-year-old go to the bathroom alone! We were in a children's science museum that was PACKED with school field trips, he'd been potty trained for only about two months, and had to go! So I start to take him into the women's room, only to see a line of about 20 women/little girls at the women's room!.

That is almost exactly what happened with us. I was by myself with him and there was a long line for the ladies room. He really had to go and saw the mens room and took off on me. He was 3.5 but did just fine. I did take him into the ladies room to wash his hands again, but he did try...he also got a lecture about not listening to me but then he countered back with I didn't want to be a baby and pee in my pants. How do you argue with that

 

[ireland_nicole]

See, that's what I always thought, too. A child, especially at 4 yrs old, is someone who needs a companion in a restroom. Glad you got some clarity on that.

Actually, a child, especially at 4 years old, is easily able to accompany a parent into the appropriate restroom.

Please try to understand that there are less than 6 in each park. Imagine there being less then 6 bathroom stalls that you could use in the MK.

Let's be a little bit responsible re: use of resources. There are a lot of people who go to WDW that can ONLY use the companion restrooms, and it is for them that they are intended.

 

[bwilcox]

Let's be a little bit responsible re: use of resources. There are a lot of people who go to WDW that can ONLY use the companion restrooms, and it is for them that they are intended.

Not according to Disney, who owns the bathrooms. If you have a problem with the number of companion bathrooms, take it up with Disney. As it is now, WDW has informed people that those restrooms can be used by single parents with children.