How old is too old for DD's to go with DH in the men's room?

[proud_canadian]

Hi there,

I have two DD's aged 4 and just turned 7. Last year in Disney, the girls were 3 and just turned 6 and we took turns during washroom breaks. Sometimes I took older DD and DH took younger, and sometimes we switched. Also we did split up a few times and if that DD had to go DH would take them to the washroom.

This year DD is 7 and while she doesn't care or show any embarrassment about going into the men's room I wonder if she is getting to the age where she might make the men in there feel uncomfortable?

I will take older DD into the ladies room when she is with me, but if her and DH split up, is it ok for him to bring her in? I just am not comfortable with her going into the women's restroom alone yet. Sorry, she just seems too young!

What age is too old for a girl to go in the washroom with her dad in public?

 

[princessmom29]

DH stopped taking DD in with him as soon as she could handle her business without help. I am personally in the "everyone uses thier appropiate bathroom" camp. I don't see any need for a child capable of toileting themselves to be escorted to the restroom. The whole "someone might get them" bit has been blown way out of proportion. They will be fine.

 

[Mkrop]

And I am in the camp of go with your gut, if you dont feel like she is safe going into the Ladies room herself, then have Dad take her into the men's room or if possible use a Companion bathroom, but use it quickly in case there is someone out there who needs it and this is the only bathroom they can use. We also try to make regular stops to avoid this issue if possible although I know sometimes they just have to go.

 

[RMulieri]

My daughter is 7 and has not been in a mens bathroom since before age 5..If Dh is out alone with her, he stands at the ladies room entrance and lets her go in and do her buisness and come right out, or a family restroom if there is an issue.At age 7 if you take her in the mens room, be prepared for some not-so-nice looks and comments.

 

[bdoyledimou]

for the record, in teh 39.5 years i have been using men's washrooms, i have never, ever, been presented with another mans dangly bits.

A washroom is a washroom.

 

[Hannathy]

DH stopped taking DD in with him as soon as she could handle her business without help. I am personally in the "everyone uses thier appropiate bathroom" camp. I don't see any need for a child capable of toileting themselves to be escorted to the restroom. The whole "someone might get them" bit has been blown way out of proportion. They will be fine.

I agree with this

He can just stand outside or sit on a wall and wait on her to go. That is what I did with my son at that age and my DH did with our DD, actually younger but by 7 she will be fine.

 

[4littleones]

I know my DD is 4.5 and she can't reach the sink unless I pick her up or there is a step stool, in fact her twin brother is the same height so he can't reach either. Maybe WDW bathrooms have shorter sinks or lots of stools but if it is regular bathroom my kids can't reach to wash their hands. I have a bunch of shorter kids I guess.

 

[princessmom29]

I know my DD is 4.5 and she can't reach the sink unless I pick her up or there is a step stool, in fact her twin brother is the same height so he can't reach either. Maybe WDW bathrooms have shorter sinks or lots of stools but if it is regular bathroom my kids can't reach to wash their hands. I have a bunch of shorter kids I guess.

Almost all WDW restrooms have a lowered handicapped sink, but we all carry hand sanitizer JIK.

 

[MSSANDRA]

If you are all together I would take both girls with you. Great that DH is willing to do his share but I think if there is a choice they should go with you. Alone.... At 7 ,I would hesitate to send a boy alone so...... I think its a tough line. Probably if she is capable of taking care of everything herself, I would let DH stand right outside and have her hurry. I have seen way too many little girls in the rest room alone that could not handle all their own needs. I am happy to hand them a paper towel , but I am talking little girls trying to fasten belts etc. This day and age no way would I touch a strangers child to help her. I have also twice, seem a man in the woman's bathroom with a little girl. Did not bother me at all. Stalls in there where there are not all stalls in the men's.

 

[maxiesmom]

If you are all together I would take both girls with you. Great that DH is willing to do his share but I think if there is a choice they should go with you. Alone.... At 7 ,I would hesitate to send a boy alone so...... I think its a tough line. Probably if she is capable of taking care of everything herself, I would let DH stand right outside and have her hurry. I have seen way too many little girls in the rest room alone that could not handle all their own needs. I am happy to hand them a paper towel , but I am talking little girls trying to fasten belts etc. This day and age no way would I touch a strangers child to help her. I have also twice, seem a man in the woman's bathroom with a little girl. Did not bother me at all. Stalls in there where there are not all stalls in the men's.

I have to say, a grown man in the women's restroom would bother me a lot. There are stalls, but they are not a solid wall, they have lots of gaps.

Maybe part of packing clothing for WDW should be packing clothing the child can manage on their own, nothing with a ton of zips or ties or belts. If you think the issue could arise, then why not try to head it off a bit?

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Five.

 

[buckeev]

Tough one, but as a parent of 4 daughters, we've had several issues with this. Generally speaking, we've found that 5-ish was the cut off.
You know your children best and know what they are capable of.
One thing I've done is alert a CM, or even another "Mom" that my young daughter is by herself in the ladies restroom and could she "check" on her. People are usually very helpful and appreciate your conscientious approach for your child.
Now, the 13 y/o special needs son is another challenge!

 

[ccgirl]

Oh Lord, not again. The last thread I read about taking boys into the Ladies room got very heated.

My answer, if you have to ask it's probably too old.

 

[sydneysmom]

My answer, if you have to ask it's probably too old.

I have to kind of agree with this, though you know your kids best. When we were there, we saw moms bringing boys into the ladies room that were at least 9 - 10 years old. To me, that was nuts. They really have got to know how to go by themselves at that age. And as a stepmom to a 6 year old girl, I wouldn't want her going in the men's room at that age. Not only for her own sake, but for the men that are in there. There's plenty of "family restrooms" that would be a far better option.

 

[AmandaRG]

Our oldest has just turned 5, but when DH takes the girls out, he just covers their eyes. He has always done that. It is rare that he has to take them, though as we always make frequent stops and they always go before leaving the house!

 

[WantToGoNow]

My dh last took my dd into the men's room when she was 4. He would have no problem letting her go into the ladies room while he waited outside - she is 7 and is quite capable of taking care of herself in the restroom.

 

[TwinToTink]

I have always gone by the rule that when they are school aged (5+) they should use the gender appropriate restroom. I wait right outside the mens restroom for my boys and if they seem to be taking a long time, I will not hesitate to holler in to them.

When my boys were about two and four, I had them in a womens restroom with me. These two little girls that were about their same ages saw them and the girls were absolutely mortified that there were boys in the bathroom with them. I had never really thought of it from that perspective until that happened.

If you really feel uncomfortable about letting her go by herself then just make sure she uses the restroom when the whole family it together so that you can accompany both of your girls. She is old enough to wait for designated bathroom time. Have fun riding the bathroom ride! It is always the first one we hit anywhere we go.

 

[lan3]

Almost all WDW restrooms have a lowered handicapped sink, but we all carry hand sanitizer JIK.

I read that a lot before I took my kids and I didn't find that to be the case. I had 3 3 year olds that turned 4 in Disney. The only sink they could use independently was by Pirates. They weren't close to tall enough. Did as I miss something?

 

[mjkacmom]

I have seen way too many little girls in the rest room alone that could not handle all their own needs..

Here, you not only have to be potty trained in preschool, but have to take care of all of your own needs, including buckling. I can't image a 7 year old having problems - heck, my girls were braiding their own hair at 7!

By the time my girls were 5, they were no longer in the mens room.

 

[Angie_T]

My DD is 6 years old and has been using the restroom by herself for a while. I don't feel the need to let her go into a men's room with daddy. However, I do have an almost 4 year old boy that I take into the women's rest room with me. I will not let him go alone.