Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

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

999 replies

NickECave · 07/05/2012 11:20

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.

OP posts:
AKMD · 07/05/2012 13:04

I wouldn't care.

TheFarSide · 07/05/2012 13:05

Disabled loos are not exclusively for disabled people unless they are one of those that needs a special key to unlock.

They are relevant to the discussion because they are part of a general loo problem ie facilities that are inadequate to cope with the full range of needs, including the needs of people with children.

CockyPants · 07/05/2012 13:05

I have dd 5, too, OP. I'd rather bloke took her to ladies than the gents where there's no privacy, and I'd be scared in case any creepy men in there.
Or disabled.
Or fab John Lewis family loo. why aren't there more family loos??
I'd hope most women would see dh caring for dd and think what a lovely dad he is!

2shoes · 07/05/2012 13:06

HAVING A CHILD IS NOT A DISABILITY how ever big your buggy is.

MissCoffeeNWine · 07/05/2012 13:06

Apparently to many here it means 'sexless' Hmm

doormat · 07/05/2012 13:07

mosman that is cheeky

TheMonster · 07/05/2012 13:07

No, but it would mean he could take his children to the toilet.

AdoraBell · 07/05/2012 13:07

It wouldn't bother me, is your OH uncomfortable doing this? If so then the Disabled toilet suggested up thread may be a good solution, but of course that leaves him open to criticism for taking up the facility when a disabled person needs it.

Voidka · 07/05/2012 13:08

What 2shoes said.

TheMonster · 07/05/2012 13:08

I do the same, mosman. I don't think it's cheeky at all.

TheFarSide · 07/05/2012 13:09

Agree that having a child is not a disability, but having children does generate a need for more spacious loos that both sexes can use.

doormat · 07/05/2012 13:10

op i wouldnt mind a grandad or dp/dh going into the ladies, would rather that where there is at least some privacy...

the far side..not all disabled loos have keys...and they are for the disabled not the able bodied who walk in with prams armed with shopping bags....

edam · 07/05/2012 13:10

Surely it's the adult who determines the choice of loo - mothers take boys into the ladies and fathers take girls into the gents?

SauvignonBlanche · 07/05/2012 13:11

Cockypants, I think you'll find most people would be thinking what an entitled so and so he was and would be wondering why a 'great dad' couldn't keep his DD clean and safe in the gents.

doormat · 07/05/2012 13:11

i agree farside, it would be an advantage to have child friendly loos..but there are none obviously..this should not mean we take the piss out of the disabled

jellybeans · 07/05/2012 13:12

Wouldn't bother me.

threeleftfeet · 07/05/2012 13:12

Many places have the baby changing facilities in the disabled toilet, and so I've got used to the idea it's OK to go into the disabled toilet with a child.

I do use the disabled with DS if there is a large queue in the ladies and none for the disabled. I am as quick as possible, in case someone disabled is waiting, but so far this has never happened!

Back to the OP, no I would not have a problem with that.

2shoes · 07/05/2012 13:12

then you have to campaign for them , just like disabled people had too,
you have to give up your time and energy to get them,

Mosman · 07/05/2012 13:13

I've never been able to get my head around why people stand in line for the ladies toilets whilst the disabled loo is empty. I'm hardly going to push past a disabled person to get there first but if it's empty then it's fair game.
Especially given the baby change facilities are always in the disabled loo. There's never been a voice over the tannoy telling me they can see I am peeing not changing a baby in there.

threeleftfeet · 07/05/2012 13:14

edam so you're happy for your DD to see lots of grown men pissing and to be met with the stench that comes from many male toilets?

2shoes · 07/05/2012 13:14

Mosman would you like the disability too?
seeing as you want the toilet ?

outyougo · 07/05/2012 13:14

It must be galling for disabled people who have campaigned for better facilities to see those facilities occupied by men who can't be fucked to complain about men's toilets which are routinely so unhygienic that they can't be used.

I honestly had no idea this was a problem. DH has never said anything although he has no frame of reference, having never been in the ladies. I merrily wave my boys off into mens toilets all the time. They have never said they are to dirty to use.

Voidka · 07/05/2012 13:14

Because most people have more common courtesy for others than you obviously do Mosman

doormat · 07/05/2012 13:15

but there might be someone there whilst you are honking up ya knicks

tittytittyhanghang · 07/05/2012 13:15

Wouldn't bother me in the slightest but imagine some people would be offended by this so agree with other suggestion of using the disabled toilets. IMO only the radar key toilets are exclusive, otherwise they are just toilets which offer access for those with disabilities. And usually have the baby changing table lumped in with it for good measure.