When should children start using public toilets on their own?

jackomdj

We have not long come back from France.

We used joint toilets where there were men using the urinals as we walked passed to the cubical.

We also saw some men in the ladies toilet waiting to help their daughters when they came out of the cubical.

I have let my 4 year old use a toilet (only 3 toilets in there) where I stood outside looking in, as I had the youngest in her pram & a whole load of shopping on the pram.

I would not let her go into the toilets if I could not see her cubicle from where I was although she often goes in the cubicle next to me if it is quite, she locks the door, we chat & she knows she does not unlock until I tell her it is OK.

I have no idea what age I would let her go on her own totally...I suspect it will be at least 8 or 9 & it would depend upin the toilet etc.

Nicky

Spendless

At places like swimming pools you often see signs saying that children of opposite sex can't go into the changing rooms after age 8. I've seen them on public toilets too. My son is 9 and whilst he does go to the toilet by himself I don't let him go at the same time as me and dd are using ladies, as there is frequently a queue so would not know if he'd encoutered a problem in the gents. I either stand outside, or give him so long to return to us (if for example we are eating in a cafe) before finding him. Seperately I go in with his sister and leave him outside as long as it's a public place.

I recently discovered that our Debenhams do 'family loos' with 2 toilets and a changing area for babies.

pennyfarthing1971

My husband used a public loo a few months ago and noticed a hole in the wall in one of the stalls -he noticed 'sounds' coming from the stall and realised that he may have been spied on, and when he bent down to look through the hole, a dirty old man's eye was gazing back at him! Needless to say my husband who is a plumber and can look after himself, made damn sure the guy perving on him didnt dare come out of those loo's fora long time and then called the police!

Please, please do not let young children use public loo's by themselves, you really do not know who is lurking around in them!

If you get caught short in Forest Row, West Sussex and use the public loo's please watch out for holes in the wall - although my husband and his labourer have been in there and sealed up all holes and cracks with silicone!

Oldernotwiser

tori.k wrote: »

mine were the same i make them all use the disable toilets when in the supermarket and my youngest is 11 if we are out and about i still make hubby or one of

And are either you or your children actually disabled?

I'm appalled at the number of people on here who think it's ok to use disabled toilets with their children; are you all parked outside in disabled bays as well?

mrscb

My dd is 8 and dont let her go by herself(its the way we have to be these days unfortunately)better to be safe than sorry.
5 is far too young IMO.
I also agree about not using disabled toilets(there is usually only 1) and as the mother of a disabled child would be annoyed to see an a non disabled person coming out whilst my child was waiting.

stardoman

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

And are either you or your children actually disabled?

I'm appalled at the number of people on here who think it's ok to use disabled toilets with their children; are you all parked outside in disabled bays as well?

I use the disabled toilets with my children - what am I supposed to do with the pushchair and toddler in the "normal" toilets. Especially when the toddler is asleep. Just as a wheelchair won't fit into a cubicle a pram won't either. And its very rare that anyone is using the disabled toilets.

In fact I've noticed recently that disabled toilets are being rebranded as accessible toilets. Perhaps this is because it is recognised that they are not just necessary for disabled people?

Mandy.

Oldernotwiser

stardoman wrote: »

I use the disabled toilets with my children - what am I supposed to do with the pushchair and toddler in the "normal" toilets. Especially when the toddler is asleep. Just as a wheelchair won't fit into a cubicle a pram won't either. And its very rare that anyone is using the disabled toilets.

In fact I've noticed recently that disabled toilets are being rebranded as accessible toilets. Perhaps this is because it is recognised that they are not just necessary for disabled people?

Mandy.

If their use has been changed then fine but if they're disabled toilets then you shouldn't use them just because it's more convenient (!) for you and your children.

Why would you want to try to put a pushchair or pram in a toilet cubicle anyway?

PolishBigSpender

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

If their use has been changed then fine but if they're disabled toilets then you shouldn't use them just because it's more convenient (!) for you and your children.

It's a very common attitude among mothers and children - I used to see people parking in disabled spaces in the UK all the time when they were not disabled, simply because it was obviously more convenient for them.

Likewise the driving of tanks around London - overprotective mother buys a huge tank to protect her child, to the detriment of everyone else.

Becles

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Why would you want to try to put a pushchair or pram in a toilet cubicle anyway?

I've used them when my daughter was a tiny baby and I was shopping alone.

You can't leave a baby unattended outside when you are in the toilet. If you take a baby out of the pram/trolley, it's difficult to hold the baby and adjust your clothing while you use the toilet. Ditto trying to hold a baby and wash your hands afterwards.

mrcow

Don't be sending a five year old into a toilet block by themselves. It's insane to even consider it.

He can insist all he likes that he wants to use the gents, but at the end of the day, he's five years old and he does as he's told. When he's with you, he goes into the toilets with you. And if that means the ladies, then tough.....that's life and he needs to get over it.