How old is too old for mother in bathroom with child ?

donyellemoniquex3
donyellemoniquex3 Posts: 2,384 Member
in Chit-Chat
In a public bathroom. Not in their house, btw.

Replies

  • quirkytizzy
    quirkytizzy Posts: 4,052 Member
    I'd say 7, 8 maybe. But I don't have kids, so I'm not sure.
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    I think it depends on the child.
  • groversa
    groversa Posts: 450 Member
    6. I work at a daycare, we start potting training at 2, by the time they are 3-4 they can do everything perfect by themselves. We keep close incase they need anything, but by 4 they are all very able to go to the bathroom by themselves. The only time they might need help is if they need help getting up to the big seat.
    :)
  • cjsmommy7
    cjsmommy7 Posts: 135 Member
    I recently asked a similar question about changing rooms at my local pool. As a single mother of a boy i wasnt sure if i would be allowed to take him in the ladies changing room with me but with some of the strange people about these days didnt feel comfortable with him going in mens room on his own. Luckily they were very nice and said he was allowed to use ladies change upto age 8 (hes 6 by the way and can do everything by himself but in this day and age you have to be so careful. Sad but true)

    I also worry when he needs toilets i always try to find single cubicles so i can wait nearby or take him in the ladies i wait outside the door. Hes not usually chuffed about it !
  • fit4lifeUcan2
    fit4lifeUcan2 Posts: 1,458 Member
    If its a public restroom I went in with my children till they told me not to. Of course I always stood outside the stall once they were old enough to do things for themselves but the boys started to go in with their father to the mens room when they were about 6. One complained that it was gross seeing the men standing at the urinals so they went in the ladies room with me for awhile after that. But once the boys got a little older they got over that and went into the mens room again.

    You need to go by your children and their level of maturity and how they feel about things. Some boys just don't feel comfortable going into the mens room because of the urinal thing while with others they may feel like they are now part of the "man club".
  • clowmow
    clowmow Posts: 68 Member
    For as long as both parties feel comfortable. No age limit.
  • lausa22
    lausa22 Posts: 467 Member
    Probably about 5-6 years old.
    My nepthew is 5 (6 in June) and he goes the bathroom in public by himself, of course a family member waits outside the bathroom for him.
  • clowmow
    clowmow Posts: 68 Member
    Ok I thought you meant go into the bathroom together generally, not 'help them' kind of thing.
  • taliar93
    taliar93 Posts: 111 Member
    Well since my mum and I go to the toilet at the same time usually it's never been an issue since she's in the stall next to me, but it also depends on the area, a lot of our public bathrooms have had offences occur against women and children, so i think it's always a good idea to go in pairs, regardless of age, but if I had to put an age on when she stopped going in with me all the time? Like 14 I guess (helicopter mum)

    *Edit* As in she would turn around lol, most kids should be able to wipe themselves by 4, otherwise... Awkward much?
  • kimad
    kimad Posts: 3,010 Member
    My kids are 7 and they can go in and do their own business on their own.
    If we aren't in a busy place (like a smaller restaurant) I will point at the washroom and tell them to make it quick and walk right back. We have had no problems. If we are in a busy mall or whatnot, I will go with them and stand at the door. If I need to go, they can stand at the door/stall too.

    ETA: to take this in another direction, our swimming pool has signs up that state a child by the age of 6 should be in their gender appropriate changerooms. While I agree with this 100%, I don't feel a 6 year old can be in said changroom by themselves. I have a boy/girl and I would NEVER leave my son in the men's changeroom while I am in the female. My gym has a special needs changeroom which I always ask to use and put up a stink if I get resistence. THey need to have family changerooms for this very issue. A 6 year old is by no means able to shower, use a locker, get ready all on his own.... And with potential creepers, no thanks
  • tatd_820
    tatd_820 Posts: 573 Member
    I have a 7 and 4 year old girls. No way would I let my 4 year old go by herself (in a public place). I don't even like my 7 year old to go alone but I will let her if we are close to the restrooms. The ladies room can be quite nasty. I am still teaching her/them how to clean the seat before sitting on it, to not touch anything, to always flush and then wash hands with soap and water. She can't reach the sink at a lot of places, much less the soap or towels and needs help still (and she is on the tall side for her age). At home, she goes completely on her own and only calls me to help wipe when she poops.
  • Hbazzell
    Hbazzell Posts: 899 Member
    I don't have kids and don't want them so I am biased but I find it really disturbing to be in the locker room changing with an 8 year old boy, or even 6 year old boy in there. I think it is inappropriate to make other people deal with that. I have even hear little boys ask their mom's why other women's bodies looked a certain way etc. It is not ok. Bathrooms are one thing because there are stalls but locker rooms are different. Also, if your kid sticks his/her head under my fitting room because you arent watching them I am going to be a huge ***** about it. However, I think it is on the retailer/gym/fitness center to have family locker rooms. It should be a requirement.
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,078 Member
    My boys haven't wanted to go to the ladies with me for about 2 years now, they are 8 and 7...it's fine when my husband is with us because he can go with them. But I hate for them to use public toilets, I have heard some horror stories about boys being molested. I tell them to go together whilst I stand outside and tell them to shout if anyone goes near them.
  • lindseym1983
    lindseym1983 Posts: 209
    If I could enter the restroom with my son who is 10 and stand outside his door to make sure he is safe, I would. I don't think there is an age limit to protecting your children.
  • VpinkLotus
    VpinkLotus Posts: 849 Member
    My oldest two are almost 5 and 7. I still go with them in a new place we haven't been to before. But if it's a restaurant or somewhere we have been to a million times I allow my 7 year old to go on her own so long as I can see her go in and come out. I only really let my almost 5 year old go alone if if someplace really familliar like if we're using the bathroom on the way out of his school or something like that. Sometimes he will ask to go alone somewhere and if he does I just stand in the hallway outside the door. He's starting to reject using the wonem's bathroom. Don't blame him. Lol.
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  • bregalad5
    bregalad5 Posts: 3,965 Member
    My gym has signs that say age three, but they point out the "family changing rooms" for kids over that age. As someone who occasionally substitute teaches at an elementary school just down the road from my gym, I already feel super weird when I see girls I know from school changing around me, and I can't imagine how awkward it would be seeing boys I know... So yeah, I tend to just go in the stalls to change, haha.
  • DesireeLovesOrganic
    DesireeLovesOrganic Posts: 456 Member
    My daughter is 7 and I still go with her (she goes in her own stall but I am in the bathroom.) My son is 10 and he goes into the men's bathroom alone (since about 8?) but I usually wait right outside depending on the place, you never know if a creeper is in there and if I hear scream or anything, I would have no problem barging right in.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I think it depends on the child.

    ^^ This


    Some kids mature faster than others, and some kids are more likely to be scared in a public bathroom than others might be.
  • Alyssah09
    Alyssah09 Posts: 357 Member
    Depends, probably about 6. There are some places I will not let my kids go in ALONE, I will wait outside the stall, but I don't like the area so wont them be by them selves
  • pepgab
    pepgab Posts: 80 Member
    My daughter is 7 and I still go with her (she goes in her own stall but I am in the bathroom.) My son is 10 and he goes into the men's bathroom alone (since about 8?) but I usually wait right outside depending on the place, you never know if a creeper is in there and if I hear scream or anything, I would have no problem barging right in.

    I agree about the creepers. I have a 7 yr old boy. Depends on were I'm at if he goes in the men's room or with me into the ladies room.
  • ClassicStyles
    ClassicStyles Posts: 49
    With my daughter, I always, always went with her. I still go with her and she's 24. Now we do the girltalk in the bathroom, adjust makeup and chat about the day. Seriously, unless she told me otherwise - I was always with her. She started to go to the restroom on her own, in a public restroom, maybe at 10 or 12.

    My son is now 14. If he was with me out while shopping.. I didn't care - he was with me - I would never ever let him go alone. I guess when he turned about 10 - 12 is when he started going into the men's room alone. I have been very fortunate, his father has always been with us - most always. If there was ever any question - I would take him with me.

    Its a sad sad world out there with perverts in every corner hiding to get your children. Why risk it? I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to my children because I was embarrassed or too afraid to break the rules... my kids safety.. #1 above all.

    Theresa

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