[bkallens]

I'll have to figure this out myself a few years down the line, as I am expecting a boy, but I'm just curious what everyone things. I was in Target today waiting in the ladies room when out of the stall came a boy who appeared to me to be about 8 or 9. This seemed a little old to me to be in the opposite gender bathroom (plus he apparently didn't lift the toilet seat and left a mess!). How do you handle your opposite sex children in regards to public restrooms?

[angelic_ky]

well i don't have a boy but i feel with so many sick ppl out there you can't be too careful

[mcmama]

Who was the adult with him? They are responsible for seeing to it that he does not leave a mess. Also, he may be big for his age.

Yeah, with all the stuff that goes on now in public restrooms, from senators and governors on down, it isn't enough to just teach our kids good touch bad touch. Now we have to teach them to say "GET A ROOM".

My boys were going on their own to mens rooms by age six. With the younger one, it helped to have an older brother. And they knew, if they didn't come out soon, I'd be at the door yelling - HEY! YOU GUYS OK IN THERE? Pretty embarrassing, so that got them out quick - also other guys who were creeped out by someone;s mom yelling at the door!

[MiracleBaby06]

ive always wondered about the opposit, a dad with his young daughter. do u risk taking them into a mens room where men are going in urinals or allow them to go in the girls room alone

[mcmama]

There's probably less risk in the ladies room. I've seen in some highway rest stops that there are family areas with diaper changing tables for both mens rooms and womens rooms. I don't know of any fathers who would take their little girl to the mens room out of fear that she might be molested in the ladies room.

[purelegance]

personally, i think by 1st grade. but that's mostly because i taught 2nd grade for 4 years and i can't tell you how many times i've come out of a stall to see a student. (some were in 3rd or 4th grade by that point). it's awkward for everyone involved.

[Alejandros Mommy]

This is why I love family restrooms Alejandro stopped going to the ladies washrrom when he was 5 or so. Then we used family washrooms. It was better and I could lock it up and know that he was ok. BUT I have had to do what Janet said every once in a while. Let him go into the men's all by himself...and I end up hollering into the washroom as well.

[ProudMommy77]

I'm glad to hear some opinions from Mom's of boys, as they allow boys up to 7 to change in the womens washroom at our local pool. I find it awkward when I take the girls to swimming, and there is a lad in particular who appears to be more than 7, and he just stares at us the entire time. I do realize that perhaps he may have a learning disability (being a teacher, I realize that they exist), so perhaps that was what the staring was, but it was uncomfortable.

[Jaycobsmom620]

Jaycob is 7 and I still take him into the restroom with me when we are out and about. I am afraid of some of the horror stories I have heard about public restrooms. Every once in a while he goes in the mes room by himself and I find myself worrying about how long he is taking or the people I see go in and out of the mens room while he is in there.

[bkallens]

Thanks for the input so far. I have quite a while to go until this is an issue, but it's nice to hear the perspectives. I guess it just surprised me waiting in line for the next stall and seeing him come out instead of a lady. I'm assuming that the adult was in one of the other stalls at the time since no one was waiting for him when he came out.