Would you be offended by a father accompanying his small daughters into the ladies toilet?

[NickECave]

I have two dds aged 4 and 2. My dh often takes them out and about in town on his own and inevitably needs to take them into public toilets. The thing is that male public toilets are often extremely dirty and unsanitary and I'd much rather he took them into the ladies. My question is would you be offended by a man coming into the ladies toilet when he is obviously accompanying a small girl? I don't personally know anyone who would have a problem with this but would be interesting to see if lots of people disagree with me.

I've taken DS into the men's before, because DP stupidly told him "this one is for boys" and he refused to go in the "girls'" toilet. It wasn't that bad though I was rather nervous in case someone came in to use the urinal

I now tell him that the men's is a daddies' toilet and the women's is for mummies, and children can go in both.

When DS1 was about 3yrs old, I took him to the Ladies toilets and he could hear someone unwrapping a tampon in the next cubicle.

He declared loudly, "Ohhh Muuuum that Lady's eating sweeties in the Loo!"

Why is that StuckForWords?

You'd better stop taking your young DSs into the women's changing areas as well then.

"IvanaNapMon 07-May-12 11:34:19

• nonone in our family, that is. And that was in response to Booyhoo "

i'm confused. what post is this a response to?

I don't think I'd like it much. I don't really know why tbh, but I have only ever seen one place that had unisex toilets, and the children thing would be moot as it was in a nightclub.

Generally, I think that the disgusting toilets are going to be disgusting for men and women, the women's ones that are well maintained will also have well maintained facilities for the men.

It wouldn't bother me. But it sounds like it would bother your DH, and therefore I think he should just do what he feels comfortable doing really.

not at all

Worra, a little girl could just as easily have said that!

Changing rooms have cubicles - nobody wanders around with their cliterous on display.

I think I am allowed to feel uncomfortable if a man was in the ladies toilets. I understand the issues for this man, but I also think women's feelings are important too

Oh, really! A girl child isn't going to be traumatised by the sight of a willy! I always used to go into the men's with my dad and don't even remember any willies.

Not a problem. I'd rather that than the little girl went into the smelly germ-ridden men's toilets.

I used to work in a family pub, I had to clean the toilets so knew what both sexes rooms were like - the womens was awful and the mens was nice - not due to the standard of my cleaning but due to the fact the womens didn't have adequet ventilation as an internal room where the men's did.

I never used the men's because of it nor would I have expected anyone to! Even when the pub was closed!

There is a large department store I know, where the ladies is known by locals to be the nicest in town. It's lovely.

I have however been reliably informed that the gents there is disgusting - worse than those of a really bad nightclub.

I do think adults should use the correct toilet and children should accompany the adult.

What would be a better question is "should men's public toilets be improved so that they are as suitable for children to use as the women's toilets?" In which case the answer should be yes. There seems to be a lot more men taking their kids out without a woman/mother than years ago, so men's toilets should be improved to accomodate this.

I wouldn't be in the slightest bit bothered.

My DH marches straight into the ladies at a large department store in town as that's where the baby change is. Not in the disabled toilets, within the ladies loos. He thinks it's regressive and sexist and hopes that someone complaining about him being in there will get it changed (him complaining it was in there was met with him being asked where his wife was ).

Over the years I've seen girls in the sink part of the ladies changing into clothes they've just bought, rearranging themselves and their underwear, having help changing their dressings, changing tights etc. They do this because there is an expectation of 'females only'. This is why I think it is wrong for a man to go in there.

Worra, a little girl could just as easily have said that!

I know, it was just a fond memory I thought I'd share

i wouldnt mind once i realised why he was there, but agree others without young kids/ empathy for his situation would mind.

just a thought... is it some sort of 'offence' for a man to enter the ladies loos

StuckForWords - changing roomd don't all have cubicles - the ones we use don't, there are lockers and benches. Boys change in there until age 8 just as girls change in the mens until age 8 (I assume the mens is the same I've never been in there) We use three local centres, two have limited cubicles (2 or 3 available) and one has one row of cubicles and one communal space. We use the communal space as we're used to it and it's easier than cramming into a cubicle.

"There's nothing wrong with popping into a disabled toilet as long as disabled people are given first priority!"

how can you give them priority though? Come out as soon as they arrive needing to use the facilities?

No, it wouldn't bother me at all.

a knock knock and polite check if ok wouldn't go a miss however.

My ex used to take DS into the ladies when he was a baby to use the baby table etc.

He would knock on the door ask if anyone minded and then come in do the business with DS's nappies and leave.

He was never once refused or approached.

they can use them aslong as they don't mind having teh disability as well.