Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I think this is a big part. The guy really can't bring his daughter into the male restroom for obvious reasons. If he took his daughter into the women's restroom, the moms with their sons would go all aflurry. And because he wasn't accompanying his daughter, some on here have chastized him. He can't win.
For whatever reason, that little girl felt threatened. I don't think you can just pass that off and say it's her problem- she's a kid! At that age, if you see a group of boys in a place you don't expect to see them- no matter how old they are- it can freak you out. Judging from the father's reaction, possibly something had happened in the past. His reaction was probably a bit much, but 8 years old is getting on the old side to go in with a parent.
The little boy going in with his mom was 5 - the 8 yo was the girl who was distraught about seeing a 5 yo in there with his mom.
I still take my eight year old into the ladies room with me if we're at a mall, public park, or other place that is likely to have creepy people in the bathrooms. If someone doesn't like it, too bad for them. No one has ever said anything to me, and I'm rarely the only mom in there with a boy. :shrug:
I think that if mothers are going to take their boys into the ladies room with them they need to take them in the stall no matter who is "going" at the time.
I've had plenty of experiences were mom brings in the boy(s) into the bathroom stall with her, they go, and then she lets them out so she can go. Then the boys proceed to walk up and down, looking under the stalls at people. Yes, they are curious but that's just not appropriate.
Maciesmom: You need to stop getting so defensive and accept that other people have opinions that don't agree with yours. It's nothing personal. You just seem to get upset in every thread.
I've waited outside a bathroom while kids were in their screaming, laughing and throwing things around so Stanford has a valid point. You didn't bother acknowledging that that happens, you just blamed that poster for waiting too long to have to go to the bathroom?
I'm sure if your kid was dancing outside the door and an adult was in there talking on a cell phone you'd be very unhappy that your kid had to wait because someone was in the bathroom needlessly taking up time. What if that person said to you "Tough luck, your kid should have gone to the bathroom earlier." You'd have every right to be angry at that response.
I wouldn't let a young kid into a public (mall, baseball stadium, park) bathroom alone. There are way too many lunatics around. I remember several years ago reading in some news article that there was a web site that listed the public bathrooms that are known as "hook up" places. Many of the places listed were major department stores. I was completely horrified.
I think this is a big part. The guy really can't bring his daughter into the male restroom for obvious reasons. If he took his daughter into the women's restroom, the moms with their sons would go all aflurry. And because he wasn't accompanying his daughter, some on here have chastized him. He can't win.
On many, many occasions, I had my 2 young daughters in similar situations. I just endured the dirty looks and comments from the mothers, since it was a better option than having them soil their clothes. I also discovered after talking to them that they preferred us using the ladies room, as opposed to an enclosed stall in the mens room. And, if possible, we'd wait until the room was clear before using the facilities. If my daughters asked, people were more receptive and sympathetic.
On many, many occasions, I had my 2 young daughters in similar situations. I just endured the dirty looks and comments from the mothers, since it was a better option than having them soil their clothes. I also discovered after talking to them that they preferred us using the ladies room, as opposed to an enclosed stall in the mens room. And, if possible, we'd wait until the room was clear before using the facilities. If my daughters asked, people were more receptive and sympathetic.
Oh my dad took me in as well to the women's room- however I distinctly remember him getting yelled at by women. Often the women had children of their own with them. It didn't bother my dad but it was VERY upsetting to me. I have always had chronic bladder problems (underdeveloped bladder), especially as a kid, waiting for people to clear out was NOT an option and after once having an accident waiting so I could go into the men's room with dad, we stopped that game.
I also remembering not going into bathrooms when I was 7 or 8 because mom was in the stall and she let her sons run around the bathroom. Didn't matter that they were younger than me- it still freaked me out. Also, how is the OP sure how old the child was? My boyfriend's niece is 6 years old but looks about 10 to me- she's quite tall for her age. You have to hear her talk to get how young she is.
Well, I made my son come in to the female rest room with me until he was about 9 or 10...lol....I always was a very careful mother! I have this imagination, some paedophile, in the mens room, and my son coming into the same air space as him makes me feel nauseous. If the man didn't like you taking your sons in with you, well tough luck! Better safe than sorry, thats what I think. Look after your sons - there are a lot of weird, evil people out there!!! Why take chances? I take NO chances with my precious son. Too bad on anyone who doesn't like it.
Maciesmom: You need to stop getting so defensive and accept that other people have opinions that don't agree with yours. It's nothing personal. You just seem to get upset in every thread.
I've waited outside a bathroom while kids were in their screaming, laughing and throwing things around so Stanford has a valid point. You didn't bother acknowledging that that happens, you just blamed that poster for waiting too long to have to go to the bathroom?
I'm sure if your kid was dancing outside the door and an adult was in there talking on a cell phone you'd be very unhappy that your kid had to wait because someone was in the bathroom needlessly taking up time. What if that person said to you "Tough luck, your kid should have gone to the bathroom earlier." You'd have every right to be angry at that response.
I let my 7 and 10 year old sons go in to the mens room together with me outside the door, and if I am alone with my 7 year old, I usually bring him in to the women's room with me depending on where we are and how crowded it is.
What I find tricky, is what to do with my kids (especially if I am alone with just one of them), when I need to go the ladies room, especially at the beach where there are changing rooms and I do not want to leave them outside alone (this happened last week, I was alone at the beach with my 7 year old and I brought him in the ladies room with me, and later I noticed there were changing stalls so I did not know what to do....although the stalls were not that visible from the bathroom area).
I'm not a fan of seeing badly behaved boys in the ladies room (or ladies fitting rooms--even worse!) but I have a child (male) and understand the need of when you 'gotta go, you gotta go!'
I think if the mom can keep an eye on the child and explain that boys need to realize this is a ladies bathroom, so be nice and behave...do your thing and leave, do not peep at people and so forth under the stalls.
Public bathrooms are not safe to send your child to alone unless you are right there or if the child is of the maturity to yell, say no and fight back if someone makes a gesture.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Well said.
