5 year old in the ladies. Is it okay?

I’m disabled and although I can’t speak for everyone obviously I’d have no issue at all if I saw a mum with a little one using the disabled loo, it’s often baby change aswell anyway. We tend to all go
in the disabled if I’m with my sons (6/11) or they go in the mens with their dad. 11 does go in the mens alone now but I don’t like it…

This, stupid woman for suggesting it.

Completely acceptable for a 5 year old to use the women's.

Nothing wrong with that. At both my local swimming pools the signs say when they turn 8 they need to use the changing room of their own sex.

Good grief. 5 is fine. There are lockable doors. Unisex toilets are the answer.

My ds is 10 and mostly comes in with me.

Autism is a disability.

I’m horrified at the thought of sending a boy under 11 into the men’s alone tbh. I remember in the 80s there was a public toilet in our local park where a middle aged man hung around outside. He would follow unaccompanied boys in. My mum reported him to the police and at neighbourhood watch meetings many times but it was the 80s so not much happened. I shudder still at the memory. Surely the risk is far higher sending them into the men’s alone than any risk they pose by going into the ladies with a parent

No way in hell would my 5 year old son be using the men’s on his own. Ignore that woman

She said her son is autistic so may be support needs that may require an accessible toilet.

8-9 years old is fine to me - basically I wouldn't be phased by any child who was still very very clearly under the age of puberty.

My son was about 9 before I let him go in the men's alone! My girls probably slightly younger, although my youngest is 9 in a month and if we go somewhere busy (shopping centre or supermarket) I take her still.

My 8yo son still comes in with me. He goes in the men's sometimes too but depends where we are. Never had anyone comment and it certainly wouldn't stop me. Ladies have cubicles so I don't really see the issue. Especially at 5!

Yes a lot will care but most won’t.

@ilovesooty So if it said 8 like the majority of places you wouldn’t complain ? Do you have any sons yourself ? The way you say “thankfully” as if a 7 year old child poses some massive threat. So inappropriate

You see, women’s toilets are cubicles so no one is seeing anything. So boys with their mum in the ladies doesn’t bother me. My girls hated to go in the men’s as they couldn’t men stood at the urinal. And they said they smell. I know men who take their girls into the ladies. Again this wouldn’t bother me either. Some men while shout ‘dad bringing child in alert’ in case anyone objects.

As for swimming. Out changing rooms are one big communal area with cubicles. Me enter the pool from a different end to the ladies but that’s because there are toilets and a shower. But basically rows and rows of cubicles in one big space. I know that private pools do tend to have a ladies communal changing room and the same for men. Without cornices or one or two cubicles but mostly communal. So this could prove a trickier situation when taking opposite sex children in.

8 is the usual cut off, isn’t it? I don’t think the age should increase for disabilities; that’s what the disabled toilets are for.

No one over 8 is allowed in opposite sex changing rooms at school/swimming lessons, this seems fair enough to me.

I would absolutely not allow my 5 year old son to go off into the men’s loos alone she wants you to trust a group of random men not to harm your young child I would tell her where to go

5 is totally fine!
My eldest is 8 and has just started to want to go into the mend himself which I let him depending on the situation but I’d be happy with any aged boy with their mum in the ladies if they were needing to be with a parent. That will vary on the child and situation so no single acceptable age. Our gym says kids over 8 have to use their gender changing room but I ignore that as we are in a cubicle anyway.

Your opinion. Please yourself. If it were a toilet I'd be pretty much un bothered but I don't want to share changing space with boys over 7 and the girls probably don't either. The rule is there to be followed and thankfully it's observed.

That is a very good question, why is she feeling threatened by a 5yo actually not even 5yo.

Sounds like a bussy body who likes to moan. In some countries 5yos aren't even in school.

Ignore that woman, 5 is ok.

Also, why do some people say this shit to others? Why is a 5 year old boy making her feel uncomfortable?

I wouldn't of let my 5 year old sons go in a mans toilet by themselves no way.
I'd of told them to mind their own business.

My sons 12 and if we’re in a very busy venue-
football stadium etc I still expect him to come in the ladies. Much to his disgust!
we were in Cardiff utilita arena at an olly Murs concert Monday and there were grown women using the men’s toilets as the ladies was so long, this I find more of an issue then a child using the ladies!

The vast majority of women don't care about prepubescent boys being in the ladies, toilets or changing.

But actually I think a heck of a lot will care about trans women especially in changing rooms. And being aware trans are far more likely to sexually assault women than men in general.