do you let your little boy venture into the mens room alone.. well with me standing outside the door?

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Too many people spend money they haven't earned to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like. - Will Rogers

Funny you should ask! I just did this last week, my son is 5.

We were at Lowes and there was no one around (of course I couldn't tell in the bathroom, but there was no noise or people coming in or out). He wanted to go in there and use the urinal like Daddy, so I stood right there and told him to make it quick and if there was anyone there to come back out. He was so fast I don't even know if he peed!? It was one of those open doorways and if I even for one second suspected anyone in there or if he took too long, I'd have been right in there. Usually we go to the womens bathroom though, he's too little to notice all of the dangers and most places are no crouded and busy I would never let him out of my site.

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"A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked." ~ Bernard Meltzer

I think my little boy was about 6. We live in a small town and it was in our local McDs. I waited, and waited, men came and went, and everytime the door opened, I could hear him whistling. Just sitting there whistling like he had all day!!! I finally had to ask someone to ask him to please hurry! Too funny.

It just depends on where you are I guess. I could hear him, obviously.lol I probably wouldn't have if the place had not been familiar.

I didn't do it till he was in 3rd grade. He looks much older b/c he's so tall, so I'd get some dirty looks but I could have cared less. I was much more worried about him being safe, esp b/c that was only a few years after hearing about the little girl in Vegas who was raped in the men's room of a casino and no one knew.

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"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God? " ~Epicurus

My guy is 6 1/2 and I've let him go into a few restrooms by himself but I went in first to make sure no one was in there. Here in Calif. we had a 9 yr old murdered in a beach restroom while the aunt was right outside the door, so I'm uncomfortable letting him go in by himself.

there are a bunch of us who will meet for dinner/dessert/drinks whatever and at least two of us will bring our little boys (my son is 2.5 and the other little boy is 4) this mom lets her son go potty at LEAST five times during a one to two hour sitting....alone! Just so she has a "few moments to herself" WTH?? I don't agree with her parenting style AT ALL! She's one of those people who lets their kids play in the back of the restaurant with her back turned away from him. I am always jokingly telling her to control her child but seriously mean it! I personally think 4 is WAY too young to let your child go potty in a mall restaurant restroom or any restroom alone.
Personally, I think I would probably trust my son after the age of 7.

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My sons both had to finally say something to me as they were getting older and older and I was still dragging them to the Ladies Room... I think they were around 7 before I allowed them to go alone and I'd stand at the door and say "is anyone in there?" first -- let them think I'm the female janitor!!! I don't do this anymore but I sure did in the beginning!!!

I still have my DH or 12yo son go with 9yo son if either of them are around and they usually are since we most often go places and do things as a family. Sometimes it is nice being the only female, heh!

I'm overprotective in some ways and not in others. Go figger.

I remember that story wasn't it on America's Most Wanted or something like that??? I have little girls so obviously I don't have the problem you guys do. I remember being so paraniod with my nephew though I will just hold the door wide open and dare some one to tell me I can't do it. Most men don't care anyway, please they will go on the side of the building. The kid is usually done and we're outta there before anyone could complain anyway and its my nephew so they are lucky I'm not IN the bathroom with him!!

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Vicki


TLJ Women united in Spirit!

I may be the odd one out, but I've actually felt more comfortable with my sons going into a busy public bathroom than an "empty" one. When it seems the bathroom is empty, it's possible that someone is hiding in a stall in wait for a child to wander in alone. If there are lots of people coming and going, it seems like a predator would have less private opportunity to commit a crime against a child.

Maybe women feel like they would be able to hear the child better if there was no one in there.

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Vicki


TLJ Women united in Spirit!

My ds is 8 yo and I have only in the past 6 months or so started to let him go alone but only in what I consider the safest of circumstances. If we are in some place I just can't let him go alone, he always fusses but he'll get over it.

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Mom to 3 - one with 2 legs and 2with 4!

My son is almost 8 and I don't let him go into bathrooms that have more than one stall alone. There are a few places we go to that have one toilet/sink and you can lock the door. He can go into those and I wait by the door. Otherwise, he goes in with DD and myself into the ladies or family bathroom. He has never had an issue with it or fussed about it. I figure when he's 10 we will *try* to allow him to go alone but I fear for the pervs that hang out in bathrooms and take the opportunity

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

Mine was 9

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Laura
Please visit my blog
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First or second grade, depending on maturity. The kindergarten class here has separate bathrooms so definitely not until they're using the regular school bathrooms.

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rhapsody112@gmail.com

my 13 yo will take my 9 yo but if he's not there to take him the 9yo usually goes in the ladies, I've only gotten a couple funny looks but I ignored them

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