at what age is this just a litle too uncomfortable for the other patrons of the john? i understand up to maybe age five or six (and that's pushing it)...but after that you need to send the little one to their own bathroom and stand outside the door like a hawk, or if you have to go, you need to hold that whizz til you get home. i was at work and this lady tried to have her kid (i mean shit he was bigger than gary coleman) come in the bathroom with her with other females in there...that's a no-no, sorry.

I think my sisters stopped at 5 or 6.

But whenever there was a male around (me or my brother-in-law), we'd take them.
It's awkward, even at a young age, but most of the women in the bathroom knew the deal.

I've had it happen many times where the kid looks under the stall door while I'm sitting on the toilet. You just have to shrug it off. I would say like 6 is the max. It would be pretty scary sending your 7 year old son into a mens room on his own. Ick!

Imago said:

Dan, stop using your nephew as an excuse to go into the mens room.

For me it really depends on the situation.

When I was traveling alone a month ago to Virginia I made my sons go with me in the bathroom. The older one knows to just stand there and not look under the stall and I made the younger one go with me in the stall. So I can sort of keep him from peeping on other people. I don't really give a crap what other people think because no way am I sending my 8 year old and 5 year old into a male restroom in some random convenience store along the side of an interstate.

Here where I am more comfortable I will sometimes let him go alone.

It really just depends.

hokie said:

My mother wouldn't take me with her at 13

But that was long before my sex change surgery

KidaDynamite said:

I might be going out on a limb here...and maybe I'm one of those people you guys hate ....but I want to add that it also depends upon the child, and his or her confidence (ex: will he alert you if something is wrong?).

Here in my area, unfortunately, there were a series of incidents where kids as old as 12 years old were being assaulted in the bathrooms at fast food joints. A 6 year old was just recently assaulted between shelves in the library! His mom a few feet away. I dont care what anybody says, I kept my children close if I didn't feel right.


As for older kids, seriously, if the mens room looks like an unsafe situation, (Picture a greyhound station bathroom that's empty except for a couple of dudes that just doesn't look normal....) we are making the change. My son has exited restrooms on a few occasions, after seeing somebody he didnt' want to be in there with. I had no problem directing my child to the ladies room. I feel like women's stalls are private enough and your kids should be taught to respect the privacy of others. I hate when I see some dirty faced brat looking up under stalls.

5 or 6? I don't think so. You must not have kids or must not ever have had to take a kid to a public bathroom.

My son will be five in a few weeks and I take him into the bathroom with me when he has to go for two reasons.
1. Men are dangerous
2. he needs help washing his hands

He doesn't peek under stalls or whatever and he is just a child. If that makes the women in the ladies room uncomfortable too bad. I am thinking of my kid's safety. I haven't seen or heard anyone get uncomfortable when I bring my son into the bathroom. Often when we're out there is no man with me that I can send him into a men's room with.

i stopped taking my son when he was 5- in school uniform ( he is very tall 4 his age) but i stand outside that door like a hawk.

or, if i have my work keys with me- i use the staff toilets

i use the disabled change rooms at the pool, it does have a sign saying parents can use it as well.

- no way im sending him in the mens room by himself

of course- if his dad is with us- he goes with him.

when my nieces were younger and had to go, when they went in the ladies room, i always stuck my head just past the door and told them in a voice that anyone could hear "don't forget to wash your hands, i'll be right out here" . never had a problem.