Boys into Ladies Toilets

kelloggs36

If the disabled toilet was not just for disabled people it would say so! My friend had colitis and had to got to the toilet extremely quickly as she could soil herself immediately - extremely embarrassing. If the disabled toilet was being used for a non-disabled person then I would be very annoyed!

Yes incidents happen, but be honest, these are so rare and the chances of something happening is extremely slim. There is more chance of being run over and killed than being abducted or abused in the public toilets - particularly if you as a parent are waiting for them outside. We as a nation need to let go of our paranoia and let children experience the world a bit more! If they don't learn to look after themselves then they actually become more of a risk to themselves later on! Take care of the children, but don't wrap them in cotton wool.

BTW my husband takes my 8 year old DD to the toilets and waits outside for her after having taken our 3 year old in with him. She wouldn't dream of going into the mens' toilets!

kelloggs36

Oh, and we in this Country have separate toilets for men and women whilst in the rest of Europe, many public toilets are for both sexes. What do you do then?

suekjw

Same as you viccig. Many disabled loos near me have the baby changng facilities in there too so you have no choice!

My DS 5 is very independent and if he's getting stroppy I will let him use the men's loo, but I stand outside the whole time calling to ask if he's OK.

jordylass

I'm not sure how I managed my children are 14, 13 and 11 now. I used a double buggy when I went shopping, but I never needed to use a disabled toilet. I'm sure I used to push the buggy into the ladies loos and leave it while I used a cubicle.

DazedByTheLight

viccig wrote:

if my OH were alone with the kids I would be furious if he took them in the gents I really dont think its an appropriate place for a young child to be.

Why do you say that?

stas4949

kelloggs36 wrote:

Oh, and we in this Country have separate toilets for men and women whilst in the rest of Europe, many public toilets are for both sexes. What do you do then?

Then obviously we wouldn't be having this discussion,

wendyl1967

DS 12 and DS 9 have been using the male toilets since around the age of 8. It made me very nervous at first. I advise them to use a cubicle instead of the urinals as I feel that is a slightly better option and to come straight out if they felt at all uncomfortable.

I stopped using our local Virgin Active gym, as from the age of 8 they have to use the correct gender open plan changing room and I felt they were too young but also too old to be in the female changing room as they were starting to stare at the women! I felt they should have had family changing rooms as it was a family gym. My local authority leisure centres has lots of cubicles to be used by everyone so if feels much safer.

Zoetoes

There is a NEED to protect our children, my son is 13 and obviously has to use the mens toilets but I still wait nearby and if he's too long yes I do worry, I also have a 5 year old son who I do not allow to go into the mens toilets.

Yes these sorts of incidents are rare but not rare enough so should we just think 'oh it's not likely to happen to my child, not today, not here'?

Homophobic? What a stupid comment to make.

The reason this issue is about boys is because men don't usually go into the ladies toilets. Paedophilia has nothing to do with being gay or not, it is to do with being a twisted pervert.

Some people just look for something to moan about that's not there so they can come across all politically correct.

Lillibet_2

Having formally been out with someone who was a child abuse victim (age 9 through to 12) stemming from meeting a paedophile in a mens toilet I know that it is a very real threat & does happen & quite frankly IMHO there is no such thing as over protection in this area. My son, although only 18 months at the mo, will continue to come into the ladies with me as long as he feels the need to & until I feel he is reasonably able to respond to any threat. As a parent I would be irresponsible following any other course of action.

Regarding the argument of non-disabled people/chldren using disabled toilets, I would simply ask this : if disabled toilets are exclusively for disabled people why do so many offer the only available baby changing facilaities? Most stores & supermarkets now combine the 2 facilities. Who takes priorotiy? A screaming baby or a disabled person? Personally I say whoever is first in the queue unless someone chooses to give way to the other.
If I felt for any reason that I, my son, or anyone else inclduing my 6'3" husband, was in any danger using a communal toilet then I wouldn't hesitate to use the disabled one. Disabled people have a right to be able to go to the toilet, but not an exclusive right!

I'm ducking out of this thread now beacuse I have said all that I wish to say & don't fancy the rukas which will surely follow.

viccig

Why do you say that?

do you think its appropriate for a young girl to be in the gents toilets?