Is 10 Years Old Boy Too Old To Go In Female Toilet With Mummy ?

[newbie99]

My son told me that a woman yelled at him when he went to the toilet with his mum today in a superstores toilet.

What is the acceptable age for this sensitive subject.

[Mamyalynne]

I think it's what right for your child, how does he feel about it?

At 10 he should be fine in most situations with a grown up outside nearby.

[Prudie]

Well the yelling wasn't acceptable but your question is sensitive yes - personally 10 is too old in my opinion

[atalanta]

I always understood the age at which a child should visit a public convenience on his/her own was seven.

[Cloverjo]

I wouldn't take my 10 year old son to the loo with me, but I wouldn't have yelled at a boy whose mother did. Age ten is probably about the limit.

[andres]

A 10 years old boy is way too old to be going into the female toilets with his mother. Up to about 6yrs. is more acceptable.

[andy-hughes]

It's a tricky one.

Some ten year olds are confident enough to go into a men's' toilet alone, some are not.

You also have to factor in where you are - some men's' toilets are not suitable for a child to go into alone.

I think it's unreasonable to yell at a child - it's not as though you take a ten year old girl into a men's toilet where everything is 'on show'.

Some people just get upset when there is really no need.

[woofgang]

I think its totally unacceptable to yell at at the child whatever one's opinion about the correct age.

[Cloverjo]

I agree, woofgang. The woman should have had a word with the mother, not yelled at the boy. And anyway, does it really matter? We're all in cubicles. No one can see anything.

[Patsy33]

My grandson is just 8 and he feels comfortable going into men's by himself with a family member stood by waiting.

[jno]

andy's right - the choice isn't going to be ladies-loo-or-not but ladies-loo-or-mens. Would a mother send a 10-year-old boy alone into the gents'? Even in a superstore I'd still only say "maybe".

[Islay]

I used to take my 10 year old step brother in to the ladies with me as I didn't feel comfortable with him going into the mens room on his own.
The issue here is why the hell did the woman thought she had the right to yell at a child!!

[sherrardk]

My 10 year old boy is more than old enough to go to the men's on his own but it would depend where we were. If I felt the need to take him into the ladies (if we were somewhere 'iffy') and someone shouted at him I would shout right back (although that might be a bad decision if the place was 'iffy').

[ummmm]

No, it isn't too old.

[Tilly2]

What was your wife's reaction to the yelling woman?

[bhg481]

If your child has reached the age of 10 years without being able to take himself to the toilet or wait outside whilst you go, unless he has a problem, you have failed in his parenting.

[ummmm]

Absolute rubbish, bhg, not wanting your child to go into male toilets alone does not mean they aren't toilet trained.

We have toilets round here that have a horrible reputation. One toilet block in a local park was demolished because of it reputation.

[bhg481]

There's nothing to stop you standing outside and he can shout if there's a problem. You've got to let them grow up.

[ummmm]

Yes...but if you both need the loo it's just easier to use the female toilets.

It's not a reflection on parenting skills. By 10 years old mine could look after themselves but I still wouldn't let them use some toilets.

[rowanwitch]

Much too old, I would feel very uncomfortable if a lad that age was in the ladies.