Help please !!!My little boy when we're out in public hates to use the ladies room.?

Question

I'm a single mom of a five year old son...he goes crazy when we're out and he has to go,and I bring him to the ladies room.I sometimes try using the male restrooms..he's fine with that,but i'm not.I get the meanest looks..I actually get afraid.Its scary.....My son a very independant kid,he can use the restroom himself,should I save myself the heartache and embarassment and have him go to the men's room by himself ?I'm so afraid of the stuff that happens now to kids in split seconds...HELP ME PLEASE !

Answer 1

Mine uses the girls restroom and that is something i told him I'm sorry but you will have to use it because their are a lot of bad people in the world and I can't go into the mens room. End of story.

Mine is almost 6. But the truth is you are the parent and he will get over it. And using it by himself NO!

Answer 2

Try if you can to find a single-stall restroom for him to use and just stand outside the door. I wouldn't send a kid alone into a men's room though. I think they should start making all restrooms like that personally - too many bad things happen in those things. I'm 23 and I don't even go into public restrooms alone lol. Maybe you could try to invite a male friend or relative when you go places too? You kind of have to use your own judgement about the place too - some places might be ok for him to go in by himself but some places like ball games or malls would be a bad idea.

Answer 3

I'm not so sure I would allow my 5 year old in the bathroom by himself just yet, but I never gave my kids the idea that they had a choice. When I did start letting them go in the restrooms by themselves, I'd hang out right by the door, so if they shouted at all, I could hear them and go inside. We had lots of serious talks about screaming for help the second something is wrong, etc. I was nervous the first few times, but got more comfortable with this arrangement after a while.

Of course, if *I* also have to go, he'd just have to go with me into the ladies room. Sometimes there's just no negotiating. Good luck!

Answer 4

To be honest I didn't like it; your spelling and grammar was awful, you spelled 'close' and I think you meant clothes. And there are many more spelling and grammar errors. And your only 13 and your writing about a 17 year old? I think it would be better if you wrote about someone your own age it would be easier. Also Meghan acts like a 10 year old not a 17 almost 18 year old. I couldn't really get into it, the character's were flat even when they were shouting. Sorry.

Answer 5

Public restrooms are not the safest places. My only suggestion would be that you try your hardest to have him use the bathroom before you leave home, but since that's not always possible depending on how long you will be out, you'll just have to continue taking him to the women's restroom until he's old enough to safely go by himself in the men's room. It's better to be safe than sorry, and having him be mad about using the ladies room is better than having something bad happen to him when he goes to the men's room alone.

Answer 6

I completely understand your concern for your son's safety. However, since he is at the point of NOT wanting to go into the Ladies Room, then you should start letting him go by himself into the Men's Room. Being in the Ladies Room embarrasses him.

When I am in the Ladies Room and, I see a young boy in there, I prefer to wait until his Mother takes him out to do my business. It's not right that women use the restroom in the presence of a little boy.

And, neither is it right for a woman to accompany her son into the Men's Room. That's just plain paranoia. I work in retail and I see plenty of women wait outside the Men's Room for their son.

You can't keep him in a protective bubble forever. His self-esteem won't develop properly.

Answer 7

He's getting older and relating more to his gender. He's also asserting himself in becoming more independent, not a "mama's boy." He's about preschool age, and wouldn't a preschool have separate bathrooms for boys and girls?

He should be fine going in by himself. Just stand right outside to wait for him, and know if he is going #1 or #2 so you can judge if you think too much time has gone by.

Certainly a kidnapping or things of that nature are every parent's worst nightmare, but the actual likelihood of it happening is minuscule. (And it's an even smaller percentage of kids being taken or molested by a stranger, it's almost always someone they know). Just realize that your fears, while understandable, are mostly unfounded.

Answer 8

You are not wrong for being protective of your son. You are absolutely right about the sickos this day and age. HE does need to be with an adult and unfortunately right now it's just you. He's a modest little boy, but explain to him why it is the way it is.

Let people give you dirty looks, it's none of their business, I see children that age going into the ladies room all of the time for the same reason that you described.

We live is such a sick world now and you can never be too careful

Answer 9

I think 5 is still a bit young to be going into the men's room alone (not to mention he may be a little too trusting)

Maybe there's a way to tricking him into thinking that the 'ladies room' is just a bathroom that the guys already finished their business & have went back into their movies & home.

I wouldn't let him go himself into a bathroom not at 5. The only thing I can think of IF it comes to that is Have one of those 'leashes' that they sell for kids that have a habit of traveling away from their parents. Maybe you can let him go in with that.

Otherwise unless you have a date with you or a male friend of other sorts. hey'll have to take him.

Answer 10

The acoustics in a bathroom are fabulous. Let your son go in on his own but tell him he must sing loudly or talk loudly so that you can hear him outside the doors. It worked like a charm with my son at that age.
If you feel he's been in there too long, walk right in. I can't begin to tell you how many men will see a mother hovering near the door and offer to peek inside to ensure the child is okay.