only child in swimming changing rooms by themselves acceptable or not

[crazyashell]

He is 8 so not a really young one but I am very reluctant to let him go in by himself.
Unfortunately at his age they are expected to and I do think myself he is too old to go into the ladies so I do agree with the rule.
However I just think that an 8 year old on his own is a bit vulnerable.
What do others with one dc think about this.

[AMumInScotland]

Presumably he goes into the gents loos by himself when you're out by this age? I don't see that there is any more "risk" for an 8yo being alone in changing rooms. He's big enough to yell and make a fuss if someone acted inappropriately, which I assume is what you're worried about?

[MadBadandCoveredinSequins]

Have you seen the other thread that's running about this? It's fairly evenly split (I think) between those who think 8 year old boys are too old to go into the ladies' changing room and those who don't.

I would be very uneasy about my daughter going into the men's changing room if ever she went swimming with her dad. Not that I think she'd be at risk in any way - she'd have her dad with her and I don't believe that the gym changing rooms are full of psychopaths - just that she would find it weird and it might make some of the men self-conscious too.

So in the same way, I think boys of 8 are too old to go into the ladies'. My daughter is beginning to want privacy and would be horrified if one of her male classmates walked into the changing room.

[UniS]

good point Mabad, i had forgoten about teh prudery of 8/9 yr old girls. had to LOL but not OL when on a beach with my 7 & 9yr old neices, very uptight about changing under a towel.
having a fling it all off 3 r old I forgot.