How old should little boys be when they use the men's room instead of the Ladies' room with Mum?

[missinglalaland]

I only have two girls, so I don't know the ins and outs of parenting boys. Sometimes I am surprised at the height and age of boys being steered into the "ladies" room by their mothers. Often with Fathers waiting outside!!! (Lazy gits.) I am thinking that in a place like a train station you should expect to see mum's being fairly protective, but I get a bit annoyed in places like National Trust toilets, when the boys seem embarrassed/interested.

What's the proper etiquette?

Even if they aren't embarrassed, then 8 year old girls who they might bump into might well be.

"They won't be competent and independent though if they never get to do anything without a parent hovering over them all of the time.
"

Who says they never get to do anything without a parent hovering over them? Using public loos isn't everything.

'IME mixed loos tend to be more likely to have pee on the toilet seat and floor.'

Thats why a lot parents don't want children using the mens toilets.

I can't imagine boys of 10 and 11 not being embarassed to be taken into a ladies loo with their mum.

Orm your LO can't be eight, he's tiny and in a buggy (and I am 24 and 7 stone.... )

(I don't think I was even born under 7 stone LMAO!)

It just comes down to do your best to sort your own kids, and don;t waste time worrying about other people becuase they usually have reasons. DS2 has gone alone for many years, yet people still think ds1 comes with us becuase we don;t let go- how does that work then???? Weirdos.

And if you are worried about small boys seeing you use the toilet shut the cubicle door.

i really dont get why it matters, dont all ladies toilets have doors so the boys wont be seeing anything. My sisters kids are 8 and 4 I would only let the 8 year old go in disabled and 4 yr old with me in ladies, 8 yr old would not even step foot in a ladies toilet.

Also I think the fact that young children have an impairment due to age limiting an ability to safeguard them selfs, this gives them right to use any disabled toilet no requiring a radar key.

Are we talking about boys of 10 or 11? I was talking about an 8yr old.

And FWIW I give DS2 the choice if he wants to come into the ladies with me or the gents on his own. Usually he goes to the gents on his own. But I would be really pissed off if I had to make him go on his own into a gents loo that worried him or made me feel uncomfortable.

Orm - I'm afraid he is 8! Frightening isn't it? He's taking a long time to click with many things - he's way behind with his maths, it took him ages to read, he's much more 'babyish' than his peers, less confident. I just don't it's fair to assume that all children develop at the same rate.

peachy! not orm

"Also I think the fact that young children have an impairment due to age limiting an ability to safeguard them selfs, this gives them right to use any disabled toilet no requiring a radar key."

Do you park in disables parking spaces too if you have children with you?

Orm - We were talking about boys of 10 and 11. No-one has criticised 8 year olds going into a ladies loo.

Of course it's not fair Orm.

After all, ds3 licks toilet bowls if let in alone: thanks but an adult's discomfort over that? guess which option I am taking.....

And LMAO at talking to yourself on here- that'll be where you come from that will, all the inbreeding and stuff

GIddy because little precious princess has more rights than sexually aware dirty little boy

Well, of course little boys should go to the ladies with their mums!

But I don't think, in this context, 8 is a little boy. And 10 most certainly isn't.

"GIddy because little precious princess has more rights than sexually aware dirty little boy"

Oh, don;t be stupid.

ScroobiousPip my was me thinking about the pee on the toilet seat that lesley33* mentioned but, other than that, I guess it wouldn't be that bad an idea. After all, Ally McBeal managed it In my town there is a public toilet where there is a 3/4 inch gap under the door but a (tiled) wall above the door, same as you'd have at home.

"They won't be competent and independent though if they never get to do anything without a parent hovering over them all of the time."

"Who says they never get to do anything without a parent hovering over them? Using public loos isn't everything."

Orm if a parent is still taking a 10 or 11 year old into the ladies, I would assume that they are being over protected in other areas of their life too.

Yes mens loos are often messier, but children need to learn how to deal with this as our sons can't keep going into the ladies for ever. I told my boys to stand up and wee if the toilet seat is yucky.

urm no my kids tend not to park their own cars unattended not even comparable...

anyway how can you assess on passing if a child is disabled or not. My DN is very disabled but you wouldnt see that to walk past him as he leaves the disabled loo or worse ladies loo accompanied by his mother

wantingonemore I did say I was talking about the 8 year old nt child, I would never give any one a mouth full in reality as who knows , But I do get annoyed with the attitude of people like that,

MoreBeta Thu 26-May-11 17:53:45
The rule we used with DSs was as follows:

DW on her own take boys into Ladies up to age 8 and send into Disabled thereafter.

Me on my own or with DW take boys into Gents.

Boys are not generally allowed in Ladies changing rooms after age 8 in sports clubs.

see no mention of the 8 yr old having any issues.
and she said disabled not family room or accessible toilet, but disabled.
that is what I was posting about .

Giddypickle - exactly. They are horrid. My frequent incredibly stress filled experience was of taking two boys to a Gents loo in a tiny filthy cubicle and desperatley trying to preventing them toucing the floor, loo seat or walls and then promptly stuffing their hands in their mouth.

No way I would let them go alone.

My little boy is seven and comes in with me as I think hes still a bit young to use the mens however when hes with his dad he does use the mens!

But Lesly how do you on sight distinguish between NT 11 year old and NT looking ASD 11 year old such as my son?

Judging and assumning is a waste of time.

any way mens toilets are a notorious preying ground for perverts, so that is enough to deduce a risk prevention approach in this case.