To think you shouldn't let a child go to public toilets alone if they're not capable of reaching hand basin and washing hands.

[ilovecolinfirth]

Went to a large supermarket yesterday evening, and a young girl (no older than 4) followed me and my son into the toilets. She then put herself on the toilet with the door wide open. As I was sorting my son out I became aware of her calling out for help. When I came out of the cubicle she started asking me to pick her up so she could reach the tap. I didn't feel that was really my responsibility so instead I pressed the tap on so her hands could reach the water, and I put some soap on her hands and passed her paper towels. I was surprised to see her in there on her own and asked who she was with (assuming maybe her dad was waiting outside and didn't want to take her to the gents). Instead she told me her mum was shopping for food and she knew she was in the loos. I opened the door for her (I think the door would be too heavy for her) and left her with the nearest member of staff. Mum quickly seemed to find daughter. Am I being unreasonable to think you shouldn't let your child go to the toilet on their own unless they're capable of washing their own hands.

DS is 4 in November and I wouldn't consider sending him into the toilet yet without an adult to help when needed.

That's all very well but I have a 9 year old small for age ds.

According to mums net he should have gone in changing rooms, toilets etc from the age if. 7/8 onwards but he quite simply couldn't reach things, open heavy doors etc.

People look at him and assume he's about 6 years until he starts to talk.

Yeah, my child is small for his age too. However, I would have been very surprised if she was over the age of 4 by the way she was talking and the way she sat on the loo with the toilet door wide open.

I wouldn't do it.

Glad you sent the info about being 7 or 8 to use toilets and changing rooms. We've not reached that age yet but I was wondering when would be appropriate.

Swimming pool where he used to have lessons said age 8. However I ended up having to go into boys changing room once to retrieve him/help him when he got into bother.

Luckily as it was private hire for lessons there were no boys over the age of 10.

There is no way even at 9.5 he would manage in a public pool with lockers etc.

I have seen people doing some really digusting things in public toilets. I would always accompany a child until they are quite old.

That's true despot. Dh reported someone to British Transport Police in Euston station once. What they were doing (right next to low child level urinal too) was apparently a common occurrence.

I refuse to go into public toilets alone even at my age (in my early twenties a man followed me into public toilets in the middle of the day - they were in a busy centre, not a back street somewhere). Luckily there was an old lady with a walking stick who started hitting him and he legged it.

Imagine if that had been a child, and there had been no one in there :(