Took DC swimming this morning, DS2 is 4 so came in with me and DD's. There's no family changing room and children under 8 are allowed in with adults of the opposite sex.
He was stood a few feet already dressed with older dd while I was getting DD(3) changed, just stood still talking not messing around . Another woman came in with two girls and said something to him like come on you go into the pool now as there's no need for you to stay just to watch the girls getting dressed when your ready'', it looked like she put his hand against his chest and sort of under his armpit to try and turn him and guide him around to the door rather than to actually push him over but he jumped back from her and tripped hitting his back on the edge of the bench. I went over and she did apologise and say she didn't want him to get hurt but that she just felt startled to see a boy just stood around and apparently her dd's who had gone to the other side of the room to get changed straight away were uncomfortable.
DS has long hair so this is luckily the first time this has happened to us (though a few weeks ago I was told to put a bikini top on 'her') but I've seen quite a few boys and mothers of boys being told off for just being there before. When I mentioned this to the staff I was advised that I should change him in cubicle from now on and as there was no room to install family changing rooms they have had to consider making a rule that if you bring little boys into the women's or girls into the men's then they have to be changed in a cubicle as there has been lots of similar issues recently.
I've got two kids who need help changing and I'm pregnant so the cubicle is too small, its much easier for us to change in the main room where we we have no problem. The kids behave and I watch they don't get in any ones way so there's no need for me to put them in a private cubicle.
So AIBU to think that is a ridiculous suggestion and to not hide DS away in the cubicle when hes never done anything wrong and so isn't the problem? That there should be proper signs saying the changing room is for women/men and children U8 and providing the private cubicles for anyone who isn't happy with that? And perhaps the adults who are unable to control themselves from shouting at and hurting children in the changing rooms should just be banned all together?