what age should a mom stop taking her son to the ladies restroom?

Answer 1

My son is 7, and I am no where near ready to let him go in the restroom unattended. I can weather any looks, or protests from women who consider it inappropriate. At the end of the day it is my job to protect him, and I think allowing him to go somewhere where he is exposed and vulnerable would be completely irresponsible. I can remember a few years back a young boy was killed in a beach restroom in San Diego, while his family waited outside. Maybe I am overprotective, but I'd rather be that than live through any of the horrible things we know can happen.

Answer 2

My son will be 6 in a couple of weeks and I still take him into the ladies room w/ me and my daughter if my husband isn't w/ us. I probably wouldn't let my son go into the mens room alone until he's like 10 and I'd stand right outside the door and if he took to long to come out, I'd be going in to find out what's going on. There is too much going on now-a-days to trust a small child to go into a mens room alone. Especially a child that can be easily grabbed or carried. At 6 my son is still small enough for me to carry in my arms if need be so a stranger would be able to do the same. I think the child should be large enough to scream for help and kick and maneuver away from a predator. There are tons of MALE sexual predators out there and they pray on small children who enter restrooms alone. Although they know the "mother" may be standing right outside the door, the predator may feel that being a woman, she may hesitate to come into the mens room to investigate, which gives him time to assault a small child. I would rather be safe than sorry. My son is going into the ladies room w/ me until I feel he's big enough and tall enough to defend himself so like I said, until about 10. I'd rather have my son around for as long as possible instead of wishing I "had" just took him into the ladies room w/ me.

Answer 3

I have a 3 year old son. I am guessing I would stop taking him in at the age of 9. But, then I want him in and out of the mens room. And I will be standing at the door waiting for him.

Answer 4

Depends on the size of the store --how many entrances there are to the "mens" room, and many other factors. I still take my 6 yr old in with me if it's a huge place -- but let him go into the mens when its a single door, or one entrance and I can wait for him. I give him his needed independance, but if it seems to be an unsafe situation, I don't let him go by himself. Even in our "nice" neighborhood there have been several sexual preditors listed on our state site -- some even around our neighborhood. I'm not going to let him go across the store and to the potty quite yet, I'm going to wait outside the restroom while he does his thing.

Answer 5

This is difficult... is there a man around to take him to the boys room? If not you have to take into consideration where you are and keep in mind your sons safety! Also know that ladies rooms are much more private than men's rooms. So it's not like when dad is taking a daughter to the bathroom. He won't see anything in a ladies room except a tampon dispenser!

Answer 6

Well, that is easier said than done. I know that at the age of 8 my son put his foot down and said he was not going in the ladies room with me ever again. That is fine for him but I am still a nervous wreck every time he uses the men's room and his dad is not there to go in with him.

Answer 7

I just had this converstaion with a friend. She has a 6 year old boy. My take on it is this: He will see less and it is less risky to bring him into the ladies room than if he goes into the men's room unattended. There are more male sex offenders out there than female, so I think it is worth a little embarrassment for him until he is truly old enough to go into the men's room and not get exploited. I can't give you an exact age though. That's a tough one.

Answer 8

My son stopped that at about 6, he started refusing to go in the ladies room. I hate it too, I'm always afraid of weirdos in the mens room. I always tell him don't look at or talk to anyone, and go pee in a stall not the urinal.
If I think he is taking too long I will yell in there or even walk right in, I don't care what anyone thinks.

Answer 9

Depends on the location of the restroom - in a huge mall I would wait until he was older, maybe 7 or 8 - but in a small store or public place, restaurant, library - let him do it on his own at about 4 or 5.

Answer 10

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