Until you feel they can handle going to the bathroom thenselves youre their mom you do what you feel is right

@lookingglass most of the places I go to are locker rooms, so therefore women are naked when they are changing and hopping out the shower. So to me it isn't weird to cover their eyes if they are older than a certain age. It is not only for their comfort, but for the comfort of those around that are getting changed.

I still take them with me. They are 9, 5, and 3.

Lookingglass- you make an excellent point about having boys go in the mens room alone where penises of atrangers are clearly visible vs in the ladies room where theres no sight of a vagina. I never thought of it that way before.

That story about mcda is disgusting....i dont understand why anyone would touch a child in that way! Its sickening!!! Makes me not want to go out with my kids....i wiah we as a society could be more trusting, it makes being a mama today so much harder.

About 8 months ago 2 brothers were sexual abused while they went into the bathroom together at McDonald's.

Their mom was standing at the door.

They were not able to yell for help. Lucky one of the boys got away and got help. They were 8&10

I know that doesn't happen everyday but it's still not worth chancing. Especially since the easy solution is for him to go in with me.

We started letting my son got in the men's room around 6 years old. I would get him to walk in, and tell me if it was empty or not. Then I stand by the main door and talk to him the whole time. He knew if he didn't instantly respond I would be in there like a shot!

I think the people responding they will take their boys in the ladies room until 10 yrs old have clearly not reached that age for their kids yet. My son is 11 now and absolutely no way in heck would he agree to still be using the ladies room. It's just not realistic or really appropriate.

I would let my son go alone when he feels comfortable. I would just stand right by the door until he's finished.

I have younger brothers and nephews and they were all using the restroom alone by the age of 5 or 6. They told my mom they didn't want to go in the girls bathroom anymore that it was weird. Lol.

Pp why would you cover your sons eyes when you take him in!? Seems a little weird. Im 27 and I've never seen any vags while in a public restroom. What exactly are you shielding him from?

Meanwhile it's totally normal for you to send in an 8 year old boy in the men's restroom alone... where it's 100 more likely to see a private area. ??? okMy son is 4 and I bring him in with me. I prefer a family Bathroom but they aren't always available .

I haven't really thought about when I will stop taking him in with me but I know it won't be anytime soon.

He can't see anything in the lady's restroom. Everybody is in their own private stall.

As long as it's a child who cares.

I'm not letting my kids out my site ppl r sick. the good thing is I have girls (now n pregnant with a son)but he has years be fore goin alone. I'm saying at last 9-10 n I would wait by the door n if he take to long I'm comin in. Look how u want but that's my job to keep my kids safe n that's what I will do!

I think 6 is old enough. And I'm just going to be the one to say it!

I freaking hate it when little boys press their face up to the cracks between the door to look in at me! I'm like excuse me , I'm in here and I can see you watching me! Their moms always smile when you come out. I really feel like it not ok to like your kid spa on other women using the restroom......

I'm also going to add that I don't mind them being in there while they are young . I just wish more mom's would watch what they are doing while in there...

My youngest is 5 and goes alone in the mens room...I am standing outside and sometimes I am going in the mensroom. The only reaction I get from men is that they werent sure it was the mens room. Nothing else.

Well, if the ladiesroom is really busy, I will go in the mensroom also.. nobody seems to care here in holland

Why are you uncomfortable with a 10 year old in the woman's bathroom all the stalls are closed in!! Like s*** someone could bring their 15 y.o and I wouldn't care however since the men's bathroom has urinals I would say 5/6 for the opposite. But my DD is never without me in public so.... I mean it should never be an issue.

Where I live there have been many incidents where boys have been raped while using the bathroom. The predator waited by the urinals, covered their mouths and dragged them into a stall. So if I were to let my son go by himself. I would have the main door open and talk to him the whole time to make sure he is okay. But my cut off may be around 8-9 taking him in the women's bathroom. Until then I will cover his eyes and take him in the women's bathroom with me. Family bathrooms would be a great idea, but they haven't caught on around here.

Idk, if wherever I was had a family bathroom that would be my first option. They are becoming more common where I'm at so we generally use those.

When I fell he is old enough to go to town by himself then he can go to the toilet by himself. He will be in the women's toilet until he is probably 9-10 then I will stand outside the men's and garde him like a mama bear.

I would say 8. But I also let my 5.5and 3.5 yr old girls use their own locked stalls if we all have to go. They stay locked in them till I say it's ok to come out.

I'm glad I don't have a son to worry about this yet. Dd will always follow me in to the restroom. When she turns about 8 I will stand right outside of the stall she uses so she feels she has privacy. I'll inspect the walls, trash can and under the toilet to make sure there is no fishy business going on (as I do for myself every single time). I will not allow her innocence to be taken away!

If I ever have a boy, we will use family restrooms. When he is around 8 as well, I will stand outside of the family stall to give him his privacy.

You can never be too careful these days and it's so sad.

10?!? I can't imagine having my husband take our daughter's into the men's room with him when they are 10. This is why they make family bathrooms. I feel like if a kid no longer needs help using the bathroom it is probably time for them to use the correct bathroom or a family bathroom. I know personally I've felt uncomfortable when people brought boys who looked old enough to be going through puberty into the women's restroom. I'm sure it would really make a young girl uncomfortable. And my husband says he feels awkward whenever people bring girls who are more than a couple years old into the men's restroom and he's at a urinal. I personally don't remember ever going into a men's room with my dad. My mom would take me or I would go to one of those single stall bathrooms. I'm glad. I would have been mortified if my dad took me to the men's room with him when I was 10.

Jjl- thats absolutely disgusting....what the frack is wrong with people....i guess my ds will never be going alone lol...i sometimes wish it were 1990 again lol...times seemed easier then(i know stuff like that prob occurred back then too, it just wasnt as prevalent or discussed much)

I agree with ages 8-10. This question is hard though. My oldest son is 7 with autism-nonverbal. I wonder what I will do when he's older. I just hope for family bathrooms.

Never... I really don't know :( my friends twin boys went to the bathroom at kohls and they are 15. When they were using the urinals they saw a phone over the stall pointing right at them using the bathroom. They left and told their mom because she was outside the door. The guy took off and ran, they still haven't caught him. So idk yet but my son is 3 and he is not going by himself.

I've let my 5 year old use the tim Hortons bathroom alone, they only have 2 or 3 stalls. I watch the door like a hawk though.

I hate this topic, I hate that we have to worry about our daughters and sons using a restroom alone ? Anyways, I'm unsure, my girls are 18 months and 3 years old so I don't really know. Hopefully everywhere we need to go has a family restroom for dh and the girls, so that we avoid this issue. I always worry about if it would make my 9 year old DDs uncomfortable for a 9 year old boy to be in the women's restroom (and of course vice versa).

8-10. People can look at me funny if they want. That's still a little boy, and I wouldn't leave him alone in public or send him to a men's room alone. Transgender people are allowed to use any restroom they want, so I can't imagine someone having an issue with my son.

10? ??

Family restrooms it's what I use everywhere I go in and just turn towards the door and he does the same

I'm about to have a boy. I personally would wait to use family restrooms or have dh bring him into the men's room if he's there unless they were unavailable and it was an emergency. My neighbor has an 8 year old and he seems a little old to be going into the women's restroom. But to each their own.

My son is 5 and could easily pass for a 7 or 8 year old. I still bring him with me though we try to find family bathrooms first.

About 8-9ish. And like pp said I'll be waiting right outside the door.

Probably not until 9-10 years old, and even then, I will stand right outside the restroom door waiting for him.

Use family stalls

@queen, that's very early. You're going to let your toddler boy take himself in public?

Probably like 8 or 10.