When should children start using public toilets on their own?

PolishBigSpender

aliasojo wrote: »

I've just come back from a reasonably large independent store.....there was a sign on the outside of the toilet door saying 'children must not use the toilet unaccompanied'.

There you are, decision taken out of your hands and made for you. Saves all the arguing. :rotfl:

The work of an HR type (or as it's independent, some secretary) who reads the Daily Mail and has absolutely no idea what genuine health and safety actually is. The UK is plagued with this type, and it's no wonder that the HR profession is so disliked in the UK.

Personally, I'd be more inclined to put up a sign saying something like 'Children must not be left unattended with family members'. Certainly far more risk from them than random strangers...

aliasojo

PolishBigSpender wrote: »

The work of an HR type (or as it's independent, some secretary) who reads the Daily Mail and has absolutely no idea what genuine health and safety actually is. The UK is plagued with this type, and it's no wonder that the HR profession is so disliked in the UK.

Personally, I'd be more inclined to put up a sign saying something like 'Children must not be left unattended with family members'. Certainly far more risk from them than random strangers...

I suspect it had more to do with the mess some children caused in the toilets.

movingforward2010

barnaby-bear wrote: »

It's a lot harder for fathers with young daughters - do you leave a 4 year girl outside/give her to a strange woman to take her/or take her in to spot the snake at the urinals... women's toilets don't have anything to look at in the handwashing area.... gent's do....

i agree here, i was in a toilet at a tourist spot at the urinal and a man came in with his daughter who was about 7 and literally let her stand by him at the urinal while he was doing his business , it was rather a bizzare, wrong situation and rather uncomfortable for others who were doing their business, i had to leave:eek: , although this was probably completely innocent to the father (i hope), still not right imo

nobody wants to see that especially a young child!

PolishBigSpender

aliasojo wrote: »

I suspect it had more to do with the mess some children caused in the toilets.

Quite possibly, however, such situations can be dealt with in a much more appropriate way.

Look at pub/club toilets - children most certainly aren't the only ones that can smash a toilet up!

mumps

PolishBigSpender wrote: »

The work of an HR type (or as it's independent, some secretary) who reads the Daily Mail and has absolutely no idea what genuine health and safety actually is. The UK is plagued with this type, and it's no wonder that the HR profession is so disliked in the UK.

Personally, I'd be more inclined to put up a sign saying something like 'Children must not be left unattended with family members'. Certainly far more risk from them than random strangers...

HR? Do you mean Health and Safety, I work in HR and it would not be my department doing this, definite H & S.

barnaby-bear

wxmlad wrote: »

i agree here, i was in a toilet at a tourist spot at the urinal and a man came in with his daughter who was about 7 and literally let her stand by him at the urinal while he was doing his business , it was rather a bizzare, wrong situation and rather uncomfortable for others who were doing their business, i had to leave:eek: , although this was probably completely innocent to the father (i hope), still not right imo

nobody wants to see that especially a young child!

But then especially if you're a tourist whose kid doesn't speak the language and you don't know if it's a dodgy area would you leave a 7 year old, a 5 year year old out on the street.... to do a "Maddy"... or if there's a disabled loo would you nip in there with her....

mumps

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

When I was younger far more women used slings, which is what I was referring to when I compared it to "nowadays" when far fewer people do.

I'm obviously in a very annoying minority so I'm going to leave the thread. I'll just finish by saying that it seems utter madness when we have internet shopping, home delivery services and most women drive, for people to find the whole shopping experience to be so difficult that they feel it justifies them in using disabled facilities with school age children.

How on earth did mothers manage 20/30 years ago? I know I managed with a toddler in a backpack and carrying my shopping on the bus. It's amazing what you can do when there's no alternative!

I don't know how long ago you adopted but more people seem to use slings now than when I had my first two (over 30 years ago), back then I had a Silver Cross pram, huge compared to buggies, I could do a weeks shopping and get in in the tray under the pram. Wouldn't have used a bus, walked miles. When second child came along if the toddler got tired he would sit up on the pram cover or occasionally, if I didn't have much shopping, he would lie on the shopping tray. Happy days

My sister had her children in a country where you never saw prams or buggies but life was very different, families lived close together and if you needed to go out there would always be granny, probably two or three aunts and various cousins who could all take baby if mom needed to go far/be out long. Slings were used for relatively short trips or around the house/farm. Also buggies weren't really practical due to no pavements and buggies on dirt tracks aren't that great, well they weren't I know you can get some now that are "off road" versions.

I also back up what people say about carrying baby around after C Section. I had 10lb baby and could barely lift him to feed him for weeks as it was agony.

barnaby-bear

Nicki wrote: »

I remember a thread very like this a few years ago, where I ended up being lambasted for saying as the mum of a disabled child that I didn't think much older children should use them in preference to the adult loos, and being told that if my child was disabled and not able to queue for ages then I should keep her in nappies, rather than expect to be able to use the disabled loos reasonably quickly!

I think its all a question of proportion tbh. I have no problems with mums of babies in pushchairs or toddlers using the disabled loos where they need the accessibility. I can tolerate kids of 7 or 8 out with an adult of the opposite sex using them if they aren't mature or sensible enough to use the adult loos unescorted. I have real problems I'm afraid with older non disabled kids using them though because mums are overprotective of 12 and 13 year olds.

The point is that some disabled people cannot wait for a long time to use the loo, depending on their disability, and some disabled people just cannot get into a normal sized cubicle. If those who have no genuine need to use the facilities hog them for selfish reasons, then the disabled are significantly disadvantaged and that is just thoughtless and selfish. I would argue however that a mum with a child in a pushchair does have a genuine need as they are no more able to fit in a standard size cubicle than someone in a wheelchair, and I can't contemplate successfully using a loo whilst wearing even a small baby in a sling!!!!

My DS is 9 and uses the adult toilet independently. If he is out with me and I need the loo, he will wait outside the ladies. We live in London so not some sleepy backwater, though I wouldn't take him to some dodgy public loo with a nasty reputation. However toilets in well maintained shopping malls or leisure places are fine IME.

As I said this maybe more of an issue in some areas - most public toilets in this city http://www.vivacity2020.eu/vivacity-...tudy-cambridge are also designated needle disposal points and advertised as such. Including the within the main shopping malls (all quite touristy and upmarket and family friendly), this comes as somewhat of a surprise to those outside the area. At 9 probably old enough to be warned and avoid but a curious 5 year old like the OP?
As you can see the recreation ground toilets and the main shopping centre are on the list advertised to those wanting to dispose of their needles:
http://www.cambsdaat.org/treatment/cambridge.php
It's quite a big issue in the public toilet lobby field as to whether such dual function is appropriate....

barnaby-bear

mumps wrote: »

I don't know how long ago you adopted but more people seem to use slings now than when I had my first two (over 30 years ago), back then I had a Silver Cross pram, huge compared to buggies, I could do a weeks shopping and get in in the tray under the pram. Wouldn't have used a bus, walked miles.

Couldn't have used a bus more like - those things are buses in their own right - as my baby snaps prove - you can get 4 kids in one .... and a dog :rotfl:

tiamai_d

barnaby-bear wrote: »

Couldn't have used a bus more like - those things are buses in their own right - as my baby snaps prove - you can get 4 kids in one .... and a dog :rotfl:

Nah they last a lot longer than buses!!! :rotfl:

There are several silver cross prams being used in my special care unit at the maternity hospital because they are so big and comfy for babies plus there is the storage space underneath and they are easily cleaned.