I had an interesting dilemma the other day. This sort of quandary shouldn’t come up very often, I don’t think, but I’d be interested in hearing your opinions.
I have a 3 year old son who needs help using the loo.
Being his mum, I always I take him with me into the ladies’ when out and about if no family option available.
The other day was Sports Day at his pre-school, where the pre-schoolers joined in with the bigger kids (4-11 yo). My son said he needed a wee, so I took him inside. But then I wondered - which loo do I choose?
Do I take him in to the girls’ loos?
For - I am female, and being an adult my sex has thus far always taken precedence in the loo decision.
Against - girls only a year or two older than him might be in there and they are sort of his peers. It’s not a normal public space like a restaurant or station, it’s a school. They might feel uncomfortable. I know I wouldn’t have liked to see a boy in my year using the girls’ loos when I was only a bit older than my son.
Or the boys’?
For - he’s a boy. Boys frequently have their mums helping out/boys are frequently in women’s spaces when going to the loo or changing for swimming, so boys might not mind my presence as much as girls might mind his?!
Against - I’m not male!
I know I’m overthinking this, but I was genuinely quite stuck for a minute. I did have to make a very quick decision in the end though, and choose the boys’.
What would you have done?
Extra info:
In his pre-school classroom there are 2 cubicles, with half doors, not sex segregated. But the pre-school classroom was locked.
I did actually find unisex loos for the second wee trip! They were in minging condition though. The boys’ loos were pretty clean and seats intact.
In any case, hopefully he’ll not need my help getting on the loo by the time Sports Day 2023 rolls round..!