How old is to old to have your son in the girls bathroom?

Question

He uses the stall by himself i just wait for him to finish. But i dont want him in the guys bathroom to many pervs out there..

Answer 1

I'm a grandmother raising 2 grandsons. I had 3 daughters, so never had this problem! My older GS came in with me until he was about 8 and then, like everyone else, I stood outside the men's room waiting for him. My younger GS is almost 5, but very small at only 28 pounds and it's no problem having him come in with me, but when his brother is with us, I'll sometimes have him take his little brother in to the men's room and help him if we're in a "friendly" location like our synagogue or a small store or restaurant. The younger one likes it a lot- going into the men's room- and it's good practice.

Answer 2

I know what you mean--I went through the same thing with my son. I was probably one of those overprotective moms who took mine in the ladies' room with me when other people probably thought he was way too big for it! It didn't help that he had an absent/neglectful dad who was pretty much never around to help with that!

It really depends I think on where you are and how safe you perceive the environment to be, as well as the maturity level of the child. You can start teaching him now about using & locking the stall instead of the urinals even in the boys' bathroom until he is older for extra privacy and safety, and how to run away and/or scream for help if he gets unwanted attention from a stranger anywhere!
Try to look for restrooms that are less crowded, or in places that you feel may be less risky--for instance, I'd let him go to the mens' bathroom at our small church (or boys' restroom in childrens' area of a larger church) long before I would let him go in one at a mall, sports stadium, airport, etc. Use these places to transition him into going by himself, and wait just outside the door.
There have been times that I asked a decent-looking man or an adult male I knew to go with him & keep an eye out for him (but you know that was over 10 years ago and I'm not sure I would rely on that method now.)
I wouldn't put an age limit on it, but when he gets to the point that he is old enough to be totally embarrassed about going to the ladies' room with you he will probably put up such a fuss that you know it's time to let him be more grown up, or else he will decide he can wait till he gets home!

Answer 3

depends on the location. Say you're at the airport or some huge sports stadium where there's going to be 30 stalls in the mens' room and multiple doors in/out. Then I'd drag my 10 year old son in the womens' room. But if you're just at the mall or Target, then I'd say by age 7 or 8 boys should use the mens room with mom standing outside in the hallway.

I think most boys will TELL mom when they are uncomfortable using the ladies room. That same boy might be willing to go into the womens room with mom in a really busy/large/strange place though.

Answer 4

I sent my 6-year-old son alone into the men's room at a busy and very loud restaurant recently and nearly had a heart attack waiting outside the door for him when he didn't come out for more than 10 minutes. I eventually opened the door a little and yelled in to see if he was okay (he was). But now I'm definitely going back to bringing him to the ladies' room with me until he's a little older (unless there's a family restroom, which is really the most reasonable solution). I think the ladies would certainly be more comfortable with a 6-year-old coming into their bathroom than the men would be with a 38-year-old woman coming into theirs. I'm also certainly not going to leave my 6-year-old standing around in the mall by himself while I go use the restroom, so in that situation I'd bring him with me, too.

Answer 5

My son was very small for his age and was still going to the ladies room with me when he was about 7 or 8 years old. I would make sure it was empty before entering and would wait outside the stall for him. When he finally refused to use the ladies room, I would stand outside the men's room and if he took too long, I had no qualms about cracking the door and calling his name to make sure he was okay. There are too many perverts out there and the safety of my children was more important to me than anyone's privacy.

Answer 6

My son is nine and he just started. It became a bit troublesome bringing him into the womens bathroom. He was actually 8. I just stand outside the door of the men's bathroom and tell him if anyone comes near him to scream. I'll go in there if he is having trouble. I don't care who tries to stop me, if my son were to yell for me, I'd get in there. It's hard. I take my son a lot of places with me so this issue came up alot.

Answer 7

7. That's what I would say. If I saw a nine or ten year old boy in the girl's bathroom, I would just leave because I wouldn't feel comfortable. But you can go into the guys bathroom or dad can go with him. Teach your son to say no to perverts and sexual assulters and stuff. Maybe let him go to a family bathroom if you can.

Answer 8

Well you've got to let your son do his own thing, if you keep making him go in the girls bathroom, and he starts to feel comfortable with that, then sooner or later, hes going to start thinking that that's whats normal to do. You've gotta start him in the boys bathroom sometime, and you can even stay in there and make sure those "pervs" dont mess around with your son.

Answer 9

If he can use it by himself, you should wait outside the men's room. As long as he knows how to lock the door to the stall, he's old enough.

Answer 10

Until you believe he is old enough to go into the men's room alone. You are quite right to be more concerned for his safety than other people's feelings.

On the other hand, if he's 12 years old and still going into the ladies' room with you, then you have an over-protection problem.


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