To ask about when kids go into the toilet alone?

[Fallofrain]

Hello,
I dont have any kids so this might be a silly question, but i read in a thread the other day that lota of people dont feel comfortable with their kids going to the toilet on their own till their a teenager.

Is that common? If so how would people that feel that way then manage this woth opposite sex kids? How would they expect it to be managed on school trips or scouting groups etc?

Not trying to be goady, just read the thread and realised while the initial bit sounded reasonable and wasnt sure how it worked in practice!

Oh and out with friends! I mean like if i took my friends 11 year old out should i be going in the bathroom with him? What if it was your kid put with their friend and his dad?

You seriously can't go in the toilet with an 11 year old of the opposite sex.

Mine went on their own as soon as they felt comfortable doing so. 9/10ish.
Probably younger with DD2

tabbyWell thats what i thought! But people in the thread were adamant about teenage being the "right" age, and then i wasnt sure if that was just if they were with their parents or if that applied in other situations

For me it depends on the kid. I saw a fully grown man with pretty special educational needs having his toilet cubicle door held shut by a woman I presume was his mother in a shopping centre the other day, so clearly his mother still feels he isn't able to go into the men's on his own. I'd also imagine that women are more comfortable sending girls alone to the ladies than boys alone to the gents.

Sorry, editing fail. That should read 'pretty severe special educational needs'

Oh, also, if on a school trip with boys but without a male staff member, I check there's no one in there first before sending any kids in and the kids always go in groups. If it's just one kid on their own I have them use the disabled toilet.

There was a case of a child being sexually assaulted in Sainsbury's toilets of all places as they had gone to the toilet alone. Like with all things you have to weigh up the risks.

My ds refused to go in the ladies with me from about age 7/8, so I let him take the lead on that.

From 7 or 8. Teenager ie 13 is NOT normal to accompany them, unless of course we are talking about some level of disability. I presume we are only talking about male children because of course in MN world only men do bad things .

I haven't had to make this decision yet, but it will be when I feel that my DS is comfortable going on his own. I don't have an age in mind, it will be based on when we feel it the right time. It won't be when other people tell me it the correct age.

Funny thing to think of if you have no kids yourself!

It depends on the child and where you are.

It makes me very uncomfortable and stressed with a 12 year old boy. I wish there was a separate toilet for this reason.
Girls can carry on being with mum but you can't watch over a son

I got to about 7 before, if door to toilets was viewable from table, mum would spout "the toilets are just over there, I can watch you walk over there or do you want me to come with you?"

I have 3 sons and my eldest is 8. Depending where we are he will go on his own but there are many places where I will still take him to the ladies with me.

marilyn i look after my nephew at times and suddenly thought after reading it that it had never occured to me to ask if i was meant to be! Didn't want to derail original thread though as it was about a specific relates questions

My 8 yr old twin boys go together (without me) most of the time

If I’ve only got one of them with me, I usually take them into the ladies with me, although they are becoming increasingly reluctant to do that...

My DS is 9 and stopped wanting to go into the women’s a few months ago. I still hate letting him go in the men’s alone, I’ve heard too many horror stories.