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Public restroom in the mall, sometimes, the doors are just broken. The door popped open twice already on me , and big boys were standing out there staring.
Simple solution. Don't use the stall with the broken door.
I think it is far worse when proud Dad's bring their daughters in the men's room. Unlike the women's restroom, men's restrooms are "open." Which means men stand in front of urinals, urinating. Also, in an attempt to not get urine on their pants, they don't always press that close to it, rather step several inches away from the urinal, allowing clear viewing if you get the drift. Urinals are something we are stuck with, it's part of the way guys are socialized growing up. And when a guy is finished, he hauls his equipment back in, and zips up; sorry but this is not something girls should be seeing, at any age. Pretty amazing when you consider how hyper vigilant most parents are these days being so over-protective of their children. Many parents often don't even take the time to notice a "family" restroom that is often present in some of the newer shopping malls. Although, boys ages at least eight years old and up should be using the men's restroom, truthfully, women have stalls, and everything is kept private.
Although urinals don't have doors, there are a lot of dividers in most newer buildings nowadays. Even without a divider, it is not that "open" as described and if someone is just walking towards a toilet stall or washing their hands, it's not likely one can see any "equipment".
My boys are age 8 and 9. At this point they will not come into the women's restroom with me, especially my 9 year old (he is almost 10). Within the last year I have definitely made my 8 year old come with me in the bathroom if we are in a location I don't have a comfort level with. I don't really care what people think---I just trust my gut on whether or not I feel it is safe for him to go alone. If they do go alone into the men's at the movie theater or some other busy place I usually wait right by the door outside and mad dog every man walking in (annoying I know but I can't help it). I am also known to yell in asking if they are okay if it seems like they are taking a long time. I'm not a helicopter parent and don't fear a pedophile around every corner but there are certain public locations I feel I need to be more wary of. That being said, I wouldn't think twice about seeing kids up to age 10 in the women's restroom but I have 3 boys so I get it!
Depends on the restroom. No way would I let my 11 year old son into a restroom in Penn Station, NYC alone. Hell, my husband never wanted to go in there during his 15 years of commuting. Most restrooms though....no problem.
Bad things can always happen though. A few years ago where we lived, some boy had been molested in a mall restroom. The mom was standing outside the restroom. You just never know what creeps are lurking about.
Although urinals don't have doors, there are a lot of dividers in most newer buildings nowadays. Even without a divider, it is not that "open" as described and if someone is just walking towards a toilet stall or washing their hands, it's not likely one can see any "equipment".
And its not exactly going to blow their mind if they do.
Although 8 or 9 years old ought to be old enough to go in the men's loos by themselves I don't see it as a big deal if their mums take them into the ladies (as long as they behave, not try and peek into the stalls or run around being silly). I don't see it much here (in toilets anyway, I do see older boys in the ladies showers at the swimming pool) but that's probably because they can use the baby change room that has a toilet (and often a kiddy toilet too)
I'll tell you what's worse than the bathrooms though...we went to the public beach on South Padre and there were teen boys in the women's shower area, showering with their (I hope) mothers. There were no shower curtains or any way to have any privacy. We ended up rinsing off in our suits and then going into the handicap bathroom stall to change.
This is why I quit going to the YMCA. I more than once was in the locker room changing with my son when a father came in with his girl, Once it was a girl in my son's class. Complaining to the desk did no good.
I stopped taking my son when he was six. But I guess I just don't see bogeymen everywhere.
Yep. I'd say that if there's a significant risk of the boy getting lost/confused or scared, it's probably best for mothers to take the boy into the women's restroom.
But when kids are 7/8 or so, they've started having experiences of being in men's restrooms already (or boys' restrooms in school) and probably won't be lost/confused or scared. Plus, most men are highly protective of children, including ones that they don't know.
I am of the mind that the parent knows what is best for her child. If a child appears to be too old to be in a woman's restroom, but his mother finds it necessary, I assume she has a reason.
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