Which swimming pool changing room should dp take dd6 into?

[MilaMae]

Dp takes dtwin boys 7 and dd6 swimming. The huge communal family changing rooms geared for swimming lessons get locked(selfishly don't even go there)by mums who choose to have the whole thing to themselves.

Soooo dp has been taking dd into the mens. Apparently she's been pointing and laughing at "willies" and dp thinks she's too old now but doesn't want to send her into the women's on her own.

I've told him to stop being so precious and just carry on in the men's but he really thinks it's not right. Obviously dp in the women's isn't OK?????

Surely it doesn't matter and isn't going to scar her,no different from the boys seeing grown up willies.

It's communal and she has a tendency to charge around penis pointing,he said he was mortified this evening.I'm suspecting the embarrassment is the real reason.

I feel she's too young to go in the women's on her own,the boys would be ok but would take hours without dp chivvying so who is right and what is changing room etiquette for dads and girls?Does it really matter if she catches a glimpse of the odd willy,she's surrounded by them at home.

The penis pointing is recent as she's become more aware,up until 2 months ago it never happened. She has had a rolicking each time as we are not afraid to lay down the law either. I wanted the advice on the best place to change dd not a lecture on how awful our parenting is.

Nobody cursed our dd as dp jumped on her straight away and we don't know if anybody even heard(he was still mortified).

All power to you taking 5 kids swimming with perfect behaviour everytime, just because you manage it it doesn't mean others are awful parents because they don't.

Our dc are well behaved out and about 80-90 % of the time,occasionally they slip up. To be frank slipping up 2 weeks before Christmas when dp has masses on at work and is frankly exhausted isn't something I'm going to lambast his parenting over.

I wanted advice on the right place for dads to change their girls and I got it from others without a parenting lecture.

Swimming pools usually stipulate that children should go in their own sex changing rooms from aged 8.

I do think you should complain if the communal area is locked. Which one is DH going to be most embarrassed about - unruly DD in men's, or glaring women in communal? If the women are that bothered, they can go in the women's changing room.

could you take something to amuse her once she is dressed and your hubby is sorting the others out? Has she a handheld computer game that she could play on? Magazine?

I'm assuming too that all the children are dressed in clothes that are really easy to take off and put on again so they don't have to wait for ages while someone struggles with lots of buttons or pulling on tight sleeves, or waits for a zip to be zipped, laces to be tied? Mine wore flip flops in summer and wellies and fleece socks (like you would wear for skiing) once the weather turned cold so no faffing around with laces or tight socks. It helps to ensure a quick in and out from the changing rooms. I also got them 'helping' each other out and oldest usually had the job of counting towels and putting them in the big towel bag. No idle hands therefore..

We do crocs(however cold it is ) but dtwin 1 is a real dream boat when tired,totally zones out.

I hear you re the family room,honestly we've all complained several times. One mother even shut out a group of us when one of the children was disabled,they just ignore the banging and make a sharp exit. We've given up complaining to the management,it's honestly pointless.

We'll carry on in the mens until she turns 8 if that's common practice(which it sounds that it is). She should be swimming by then so the swimming lesson torture will be over. I think dp was concerned it was wrong for her to see other men's willies and that was causing the high jinks.I obviously told him it wasn't a bad thing (which I presume is correct) and it was just pre-Christmas sillies.

Thankfully it was the last lesson until Jan.

Personally I reckon if blokes are happy to get changed in communal changing rooms and leave it all dangling out (most are), then they're not going to be that bothered by a little girl (young enough to not obviously know better) running around pointing at them. At least it certainly wouldn't have bothered me even before children - if anything you're more concerned about being seen as being a pervert with little girls running around naked!

Oh, and I don't see anything wrong at all with her seeing other men's body parts either. Until they get sexually aware it does more harm than good to make a big deal about it being naughty IMHO.