My son is six and in the first grade so at school of course and at home he knows exactly what to do without my help but out at a mall or sporting event I still don't want to let him go in a males bathroom alone, if my husband is with me of course there's no issue but if it's just he and I and there's no family restroom my son doesn't really want to go into the women's restroom with me, he will but he doesn't feel comfortable.
Thanks for advice
2006-11-23 17:46:15 · 19 answers · asked by ggilu 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Grade-Schooler
It all really depends on when you think your child is ready. Some children with 6 would be fine in a public bathroom alone. Others would not be.
And of course, it also depends on when YOU are comfortable. If you aren't comfortable now then don't do it. Wait another year and see how you feel then. It is perfectly fine. I'm sure all the females in the public bathroom will NOT be offended if you bring a 6 year old boy in. Remember most of them are probably mothers themselves!
Also don't forget when you do decide to let him use the public bathroom alone that he fully understands "stranger danger". I'm not saying that to scare you, just as a precaution. Because anything could happen anywhere which I'm sure you already know being a mother yourself.
I wish you good luck on this delicate matter!
2006-11-23 22:07:28 · answer #1 · answered by lorelei.siren 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Six is about the right time. If you go to a pool, normally the maximum age for a boy to go in the womens locker room is five. If he has a problem then a male in the bathroom will help him out. Remember to stand outside the door because if he comes out and youre not there he might freak out.
2006-11-24 01:00:18 · answer #2 · answered by нσℓℓуωσσ∂ ηєνєя ℓσσкє∂ тнιѕ gσσ∂ 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I started letting my son go into the men's restroom alone around the age of eight. However, even though he's almost ten, I'm still careful about what restrooms I let him go into alone. I think a mom should trust her instincts about when her child is ready and even then, if the situation feels unsafe, it's better to let him be a little embarrassed than take a chance on his safety. You know your child best, so go with your mommy intuition and you're unlikely to go wrong.
2006-11-23 21:45:22 · answer #3 · answered by Tea 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I started letting my 13 & 14 year old sons use the restroom by themselves in public when they were about 9. Even though they're teens now, I still don't feel comfortable. Anything can happen to them in there. That's why I try to stay near in case they need me. I know, I probably seem like a hovering mom, but I've heard too many horror stories to be apologetic about it.
2006-11-25 06:10:52 · answer #4 · answered by Alicia L 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I am not letting my little man do this any time soon myself. I feel that once he is questioning the whole going into the womens bathroom with me I'll think about it. Till then no hope in hell. I feel for you darling cause I wouldn't let my little guy go into the man's bathroom by himself at that age. Good Luck this is a subject I will be reading every answer in cause I have no idea how I am going to handle this.
2006-11-24 07:42:42 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
my son's 10 1/2 and he is okay with going but up until; last year I had a hard time letting him go. Im was so paranoid that some pervert would be in the bathroom just waiting for little buys
2006-11-24 05:43:10 · answer #6 · answered by blank 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Basically, until my sons are/were as tall as adults, they may not use public restrooms alone. My 9 year old comes in to the ladies room with me, if we are alone. If my 13 year old (6 feet tall) is with us, they go in to the men's room together. Fortunately, my sons have long hair, so this minimized stares and reactions, I think.
There are far too many stories about children killed in restrooms, including at a public library in philly and a casino in reno. There was also a boy caught in a sex act with a man in our local mall.
Send my little son alone, unseen, into a room where ANYONE AT ALL can go? Absolutely not. Insanity, that's what that would be.
(Since we homeschool, my kids don't freak about the boy/girl thing. I notice that their friends who attend school are very freaked out about the boy/girl thing and act traumatized to go into the girls room. Their parents ought to correct that.)
2006-11-24 00:58:27 · answer #7 · answered by cassandra 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
This is a really tough age and I know what you mean. If I am at a place that i trust I will let my 6 year old boy go in by himself but i stand at the door and obviously pay close attention to how long he is in there. I also make sure to ask him before he goes in if he has to pee or poop...that way I know how long to give him before i get all worked up.
2006-11-23 17:52:08 · answer #8 · answered by jessi n 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
When he begins the first grade it is time to let him use the men's room unsupervised. By then he should be aware of what to do and how to handle himself. You can always reiterate the advice about not talking to strangers and emphasize the importance of going in, doing his business, washing up, and coming straight out.
If he is a dawdler or daydreamer, I advise making a contract: if he is not out in five minutes, you are going in and he will lose his men's room privleges until he can get his business done quickly and efficiently.
2006-11-26 02:35:44 · answer #9 · answered by Lucky 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I took my boys into the female toilets until they were about 7
and then after that I would stand outside the male toilets and wait and call out within a few minutes if necessary to make sure everything was ok. Other times I would take them to parents rooms if they were available and even wheelies toilets and stand guard and make sure that if a disabled person came along that
we would move it along, but there was never a demand for the disabled toilets for the few times this occurred.
But I mostly tried to avoid it if possible.
2006-11-23 18:50:27 · answer #10 · answered by Sara 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋