Is it innapropriate for in laws (female) all to share a changing room with my 6 year old son when they take him swimming?

[boymumtoone]

Not sure if this is inappropriate or if I am looking into it too much but my 6 year old son's grandma, auntie, 2 cousins and great grandma all go swimming together once a week during half terms which is great for my son and he has a lovely time swimming however the other day a comment was made that my 6 year old saw his aunties boobies and I was confused at first but my son told me after that when they go swimming together they all share one changing room at once (my son, his grandma, his auntie, his two little cousins and great grandma). Hence him seeing his aunties "boobies".

i don't think I'm comfortable with them all getting dressed and naked in front of my 6 year old son especially being the age his is as he is at an age where his notices a lot more (rather than being a baby that doesn't take any notice of things like that).

obviously I know taking him swimming would mean that somebody would need to share a changing room with him to get dressed but my son being exposed to multiple (naked) women in one changing room is what I'm feeling slightly uncomfortable over.

would anybody else feel the same or do you think I am being silly maybe ?

and what age would be considered not right for the opposite sex to share a changing room with my son?

It’s too dangerous for him to go into male changing at his age x

Oh for goodness sake! He’s 6. He’s with women. Who else do you think should be in the changing room with him?!

And yes, you’re being silly.

At my gym, boys are allowed to be in the female changing rooms until they’re 8 years old.

Honestly I'm horrified. Horrified that you would even think this, never mind start a thread. Yes it's fine. He's 6!! With his relatives. How could this be wrong in any way?

Well what's the alternative? Stop him going swimming with them?

This honestly wouldn’t bother me at that age. I think you’re probably overthinking it. But if it’s an issue going forward you could always send him in his swimmers under his clothes and he could just be ready to go and need not go into a changing room with all of them.

But you know it’s always so hard to know, I wouldn’t be happy with my 6 year old daughter for instance going into a cubicle with men relatives and seeing them undress so I can completely see where you’re coming from.

At my local public swimming pool, children can go into the opposite sex changing rooms until they are 7.
I understand your discomfort, not because your relatives are doing anything wrong but because at 6 your son do notice about those things and so on.
However, maybe you can find a middle ground by speaking with your relatives about your concerns.
I would definitely not send him to the male changing rooms on his own.

I thought most changing rooms say it must be same sex after 8 years old.

So your son goes swimming with an all female family party, did you not think about the setup of getting changed? If it bothers you so much don’t let him go.

Would you be comfortable for your 6 year old daughter being in a cubicle with multiple male relatives getting undressed?

Would you rather he go into the mens?

That's not the whole issue. The issue is that they all share one cubicle together getting undressed ?

At that age, I wouldn’t be worried. Why would I?

But more to the point, why are you so worried about your son being in a changing room with his relatives? Do you have a problem with them?

And, frankly, if you’re really that concerned, why are you not there with them?

It’s healthy for children to see ordinary bodies every so often in a non-sexual, totally normal context like a changing room or a beach. Presumably the aunt isn’t flashing him, just getting changed!

Kids in lots of countries see breasts on beaches, saunas, in art galleries, feeding babies, changing rooms (and even in adverts and so on in countries a little less prudish than the U.K. It would be totally normal to see a fair amount of breast in a French ad for shower gel, for example!)

It shouldn’t really be the case that children, are shielded from all sight of other people’s bodies until they get to the age of watching porn. Bodies are just normal parts of life!

Totally agree with this.

His grandma takes him swimming I always know he would have to share a cubicle with her. I find it a bit uncomfortable that all 6 of them share one cubicle getting undressed?

I highly doubt 6 people can fit in a cubicle, so its more likely this is a communal wonens changing room. The other option would be the mens alone .

Or, a large family changing cubicle. And they are family. Changing.

And What does he do after swimming, just go home dripping wet and cold?

OP, this is a total non issue.

Maybe they feel safer than if it was just one on one? Fewer accusations can be thrown around. Same if the sexes were reversed, to be honest.

Six people aren’t going to fit in a standard cubicle so I presume you’re talking about a family cubicle. Which is what they are, a family.
He’s too young to be in the men’s alone. If he sees his aunties boobs it’s not the end of the world, she is his family and he’s still very young.

They are all getting changed. They are not doing anything weird. Just getting changed.

I wouldn't have any concerns about this situation. He's too young to go into the men's on his own. They're just family members getting changed after swimming. What else are they meant to do? It's not a big deal if you don't make it one.

You are being silly.
He’s 6. He needs to get changed with someone. Why does it make a difference that he’s with multiple female relatives rather than just one?
It sounds like you’re just looking for an excuse to criticise. You could ask them to not do nice things with your son if you think they’re doing it wrong.