you see since im in a wheelchair and cant stand up 9 out of 10 i have to use the female restroom if there aint a disabled one round (still happens. i have a nice smile so i never encouter issues with that. and i aint complaining.

but more on topic...depending on the reason, it might or might not be a problem. i can see both sides.

[Edited 7/30/10 16:32pm]

KidaDynamite said:

When I have boys with me, the come WITH ME wherver I go. If they have to use the bathroom, I take them right into the female restroom to handle their business and when I go to try on clothes, they come right into the fitting room with me. I did it with my brother until he was about 10 I don't give a damn, I do not like leaving him or any other kid I have in my care unattended, people are too quick to snatch kids up and I'm not trying to live with that.

KidaDynamite said:

When I have boys with me, the come WITH ME wherver I go. If they have to use the bathroom, I take them right into the female restroom to handle their business and when I go to try on clothes, they come right into the fitting room with me. I did it with my brother until he was about 10 I don't give a damn, I do not like leaving him or any other kid I have in my care unattended, people are too quick to snatch kids up and I'm not trying to live with that.

And that's it right there.

Fury, I would have told you to go fuck yourself.

CarrieMpls said:

sextonseven said:

I'd be hesitant to bring an 8-year-old girl into a men's restroom. There are standing urinals all over the place. Some men's rooms don't even have partitions between the urinals so any curious child can get an easy look-see at what guys are packing. Some men might not be comfortable with that.

[Edited 7/30/10 10:42am]

I guess I was thinking about the other way around.

I wouldn't hesitate to bring a boy of 7 or 8 into a store fitting room or ladies room.

But yeah, maybe the other way around isn't such a good idea.

I'm also referring to situations like the one the OP is talking about - women bringing boys in their care into the ladies' room or fitting room.

PunkMistress said:

KidaDynamite said:

When I have boys with me, the come WITH ME wherver I go. If they have to use the bathroom, I take them right into the female restroom to handle their business and when I go to try on clothes, they come right into the fitting room with me. I did it with my brother until he was about 10 I don't give a damn, I do not like leaving him or any other kid I have in my care unattended, people are too quick to snatch kids up and I'm not trying to live with that.

And that's it right there.

Fury, I would have told you to go fuck yourself.

but yeah thats an excellent point.

JowiiCoco said:

KidaDynamite said:

When I have boys with me, the come WITH ME wherver I go. If they have to use the bathroom, I take them right into the female restroom to handle their business and when I go to try on clothes, they come right into the fitting room with me. I did it with my brother until he was about 10 I don't give a damn, I do not like leaving him or any other kid I have in my care unattended, people are too quick to snatch kids up and I'm not trying to live with that.

I wouldn't be surprised if I saw your children in one of those with a couple of toys to go round.

Order your clothes online - that way you don't have to deal with people who sexualize EVERYthing, even a second grader.

Fury said:

this customer seemed offended that i politely told her that her 4ft tall son couldn't be in the ladies fitting room. "he's only 7". ma'am...he cannot be in an area where other females are in various stages of undress--your comfort level is not the same as others. she huffed and told the son to sit on the bench outside the fitting room.

thoughts?

I would've rolled my eyes said, excuse me and walked in with my child. It's a seven/eight year old. I'm sure he's seen his mother various stages of undress. Besides, the other woman, don't care either.

PunkMistress said:

KidaDynamite said:

JowiiCoco said:

I wouldn't be surprised if I saw your children in one of those with a couple of toys to go round.

Nah, my kids would be able to stay outside for a minute. They'd stay right where I told them to, because they know I'd beat the shit out of them with a clothes hanger if they even moved 1 inch.

And I get questioned for saying I'm forced to deal with other peoples kids.

People need to realize that kids 7-8 are curious wanderers. I've had kids peek their head and hands under my dressing stall. The cracks between the doors of the dressing stall are wide enough to sneak a good look sometimes as well. Kids will even try to open stall doors as if it's a portal to Narnia.

It's just a security thing. I don't want your kids treating the dressing rooms like a jungle gym while I'm undressing and changing clothes. It's simple.

I remember what's it's like to be a kid. Everything's an adventure. But as a parent you have to exercise control over your kid before I slap the shit out of them.

If you wanna do some shopping with your kids, either do it early in the day or late during the day so the dressing rooms are pratically empty, and you can let them roam free like animals all they want.

The idea is to be considerate of other shoppers.

My son is over 4 feet tall, and he is five. He goes in the stall with me, if need be, and if we were at a store, I would take him into the changing room--though his patience level is nil, so I try not to shop for myself with him.

2Naby7 said:

People need to realize that kids 7-8 are curious wanderers. I've had kids peek their head and hands under my dressing stall. The cracks between the doors of the dressing stall are wide enough to sneak a good look sometimes as well. Kids will even try to open stall doors as if it's a portal to Narnia.

It's just a security thing. I don't want your kids treating the dressing rooms like a jungle gym while I'm undressing and changing clothes. It's simple.

I remember what's it's like to be a kid. Everything's an adventure. But as a parent you have to exercise control over your kid before I slap the shit out of them.

If you wanna do some shopping with your kids, either do it early in the day or late during the day so the dressing rooms are pratically empty, and you can let them roam free like animals all they want.

The idea is to be considerate of other shoppers.

Oh, quit being sensible. Don't you know this is the org - land of kneejerk reactions?

bluesbaby said:

My son is over 4 feet tall, and he is five. He goes in the stall with me, if need be, and if we were at a store, I would take him into the changing room--though his patience level is nil, so I try not to shop for myself with him.

Holy shit. I'm only 4'11".

CarrieMpls said:

sextonseven said:

I'd be hesitant to bring an 8-year-old girl into a men's restroom. There are standing urinals all over the place. Some men's rooms don't even have partitions between the urinals so any curious child can get an easy look-see at what guys are packing. Some men might not be comfortable with that.

[Edited 7/30/10 10:42am]

I guess I was thinking about the other way around.

I wouldn't hesitate to bring a boy of 7 or 8 into a store fitting room or ladies room.

But yeah, maybe the other way around isn't such a good idea.

Unless there is a family change area, what choice do I have? I would NEVER send any of my sons into a communal change room by themselves I began letting my guys go into the mens room when they were about 8 but only if there were 2 of them together. My littlest guy has to come in to the ladies with me. If there is no family bathroom but there is a disabled bathroom, we'll all go in there. After that 911 story where the kid had his throat slit while his grandma waited outside the restroom, I've been super cautious.

As far as a single dad with girl kids, that's tougher.

At the Regina Spektor show the line to the ladies room was 40 deep even when intermission was over, so I went to the men's room some guys behind me said "good on you!" they didn't seem to care if I saw anything

ZombieKitten said:

CarrieMpls said:

I guess I was thinking about the other way around.

I wouldn't hesitate to bring a boy of 7 or 8 into a store fitting room or ladies room.

But yeah, maybe the other way around isn't such a good idea.

Unless there is a family change area, what choice do I have? I would NEVER send any of my sons into a communal change room by themselves I began letting my guys go into the mens room when they were about 8 but only if there were 2 of them together. My littlest guy has to come in to the ladies with me. If there is no family bathroom but there is a disabled bathroom, we'll all go in there. After that 911 story where the kid had his throat slit while his grandma waited outside the restroom, I've been super cautious.

As far as a single dad with girl kids, that's tougher.

At the Regina Spektor show the line to the ladies room was 40 deep even when intermission was over, so I went to the men's room some guys behind me said "good on you!" they didn't seem to care if I saw anything

I'm talking about changing rooms at places like the swimming pool by the way, not clothing stores. No way in hell am I taking the kids if I am clothes shopping

2Naby7 said:

People need to realize that kids 7-8 are curious wanderers. I've had kids peek their head and hands under my dressing stall. The cracks between the doors of the dressing stall are wide enough to sneak a good look sometimes as well. Kids will even try to open stall doors as if it's a portal to Narnia.

It's just a security thing. I don't want your kids treating the dressing rooms like a jungle gym while I'm undressing and changing clothes. It's simple.

I remember what's it's like to be a kid. Everything's an adventure. But as a parent you have to exercise control over your kid before I slap the shit out of them.

If you wanna do some shopping with your kids, either do it early in the day or late during the day so the dressing rooms are pratically empty, and you can let them roam free like animals all they want.

The idea is to be considerate of other shoppers.

I was going to say this. I'd actually prefer an 8 year old in the dressing rooms then a 5 year old. A few times I've seen a little head sneak under my door or the worst is when they open the curtain on you to the public, especially when I was a mortified teenager hating my body. So I think its alright if the kid is in the actual change room with the parent, but thats not usually the case as its too small an area so they leave them in the outside area, which is when they go wandering.

ZombieKitten said:

CarrieMpls said:

I guess I was thinking about the other way around.

I wouldn't hesitate to bring a boy of 7 or 8 into a store fitting room or ladies room.

But yeah, maybe the other way around isn't such a good idea.

Unless there is a family change area, what choice do I have? I would NEVER send any of my sons into a communal change room by themselves I began letting my guys go into the mens room when they were about 8 but only if there were 2 of them together. My littlest guy has to come in to the ladies with me. If there is no family bathroom but there is a disabled bathroom, we'll all go in there. After that 911 story where the kid had his throat slit while his grandma waited outside the restroom, I've been super cautious.

As far as a single dad with girl kids, that's tougher.

At the Regina Spektor show the line to the ladies room was 40 deep even when intermission was over, so I went to the men's room some guys behind me said "good on you!" they didn't seem to care if I saw anything

did you click on my link?

about a little girl in Perth

prb said:

ZombieKitten said:

Unless there is a family change area, what choice do I have? I would NEVER send any of my sons into a communal change room by themselves I began letting my guys go into the mens room when they were about 8 but only if there were 2 of them together. My littlest guy has to come in to the ladies with me. If there is no family bathroom but there is a disabled bathroom, we'll all go in there. After that 911 story where the kid had his throat slit while his grandma waited outside the restroom, I've been super cautious.

As far as a single dad with girl kids, that's tougher.

At the Regina Spektor show the line to the ladies room was 40 deep even when intermission was over, so I went to the men's room some guys behind me said "good on you!" they didn't seem to care if I saw anything

did you click on my link?

about a little girl in Perth

I did that's HORRIBLE

the story I heard was from the states, I think the 911 operator may have been on Oprah? She was soooo traumatised by the call.

ZombieKitten said:

prb said:

did you click on my link?

about a little girl in Perth

I did that's HORRIBLE

the story I heard was from the states, I think the 911 operator may have been on Oprah? She was soooo traumatised by the call.

any child hurt/killed is horrible....

you only have to turn your back for a second....Remember James Bulger anyone?...and that WAS KIDS!!!!!

i know we cant wrap our kids up in cotton wool, but we can keep them on a long (invisible) leash.

JowiiCoco said:

KidaDynamite said:

I wouldn't be surprised if I saw your children in one of those with a couple of toys to go round.

Nah, my kids would be able to stay outside for a minute. They'd stay right where I told them to, because they know I'd beat the shit out of them with a clothes hanger if they even moved 1 inch.

The answer is no, opposite sex children should not be in anywhere with you. (toilets, changing rooms, etc)

Just because children may get up to no good, get snatched by paedos or something if they stayed outside is not justification to take them in somewhere they shouldn't be.

It's one of these situations where it's not about the parent or the child but the other patrons. So if you do do it, and you get asked to remove your child, by the establishment or other users, you should do it.

The flip-side of this is noisy children in restaurants. If you don't like it find a resaurant that doesn't allow families/children.

mcmeekle said:

The answer is no, opposite sex children should not be in anywhere with you. (toilets, changing rooms, etc)

Just because children may get up to no good, get snatched by paedos or something if they stayed outside is not justification to take them in somewhere they shouldn't be.

It's one of these situations where it's not about the parent or the child but the other patrons. So if you do do it, and you get asked to remove your child, by the establishment or other users, you should do it.

The flip-side of this is noisy children in restaurants. If you don't like it find a resaurant that doesn't allow families/children.

correct.

Fitting rooms should be ok to take in kids

Restrooms r not - that's what parent rooms r for

mcmeekle said:

The answer is no, opposite sex children should not be in anywhere with you. (toilets, changing rooms, etc)

Just because children may get up to no good, get snatched by paedos or something if they stayed outside is not justification to take them in somewhere they shouldn't be.

It's one of these situations where it's not about the parent or the child but the other patrons. So if you do do it, and you get asked to remove your child, by the establishment or other users, you should do it.

The flip-side of this is noisy children in restaurants. If you don't like it find a resaurant that doesn't allow families/children.

I don't know where you live, mcmeekle (UK?), but in the areas I've lived, getting snatched up happens often enough to kids that, to me, it is a justification.

I'd say, though, that 8 is probably the extreme high end of the spectrum. A 9 or 10 year old, or older, can wait outside the restroom or fitting room area. By then I'm confident that they can at least make some noise and get me if anything fishy happens.

I used to take my sons inside the ladies room till they were around 7 and no one seemed to mind. After that age, they refused to use the ladies room so I had to wait for them outside the men's room.

Daddies should never take little girls to the men's room though.

For myself, I seldom use public restrooms and never took my kids with me when I went to try on clothes, so that issue never came up.

But I do see other people's little boys in the rest room or fitting room from time to time...to me it's no big deal though. If that's the only way to make sure the little one is safe, I'm okay with it.

How comes they don't have children or family restrooms anyway??? That would be the best solution.

I've been in pool locker rooms where women brought their tall ass man-sized 10 year old sons in there with them, and I didn't really think that was appropriate at all

And men taking daughters into the men's room, should not even be an option, unless it's totally empty or a single stall!

PunkMistress said:

mcmeekle said:

The answer is no, opposite sex children should not be in anywhere with you. (toilets, changing rooms, etc)

Just because children may get up to no good, get snatched by paedos or something if they stayed outside is not justification to take them in somewhere they shouldn't be.

It's one of these situations where it's not about the parent or the child but the other patrons. So if you do do it, and you get asked to remove your child, by the establishment or other users, you should do it.

The flip-side of this is noisy children in restaurants. If you don't like it find a resaurant that doesn't allow families/children.

I don't know where you live, mcmeekle (UK?), but in the areas I've lived, getting snatched up happens often enough to kids that, to me, it is a justification.

I'd say, though, that 8 is probably the extreme high end of the spectrum. A 9 or 10 year old, or older, can wait outside the restroom or fitting room area. By then I'm confident that they can at least make some noise and get me if anything fishy happens.

I'm in the UK.

I wouldn't want anyone to leave any child anywhere. Anything, however unlikely, can and does happen.

But I'm of the opinion, having three daughters, that I'm in no position to dictate where my girls can go. If I was asked to remove my children I would respect those wishes. IF they were in the wrong place.

We're not talking crime-of-the-century here though.

prb said:

a lot of shopping centres have parenting rooms, where mums can go and breast feed...AND men can safely take their daughters to use the facilities.

a lot of these rooms have curtained areas, where if you are a shy feeding mum, you can sit behind.

i actually told a young dad one day to ignore the other women who were glareing at him, he had just as much right to be there as his partner did.

saying that, i still wait outside the mens room when my son (11) is inside, where i am in yelling distance.

its a sad fact, the world isnt safe these days.

this story has always stuck in my mind

http://news.ninemsn.com.a...x?id=95062

There was a similar story that occurred in Primm, Nevada, just outside Las Vegas about 10 years ago maybe. I was there at the time the child was snatched and killed by two men in a restroom at the hotel.