teresa

When we're out and about, my 6-year-old son, Woody, has started to be a little self-conscious of going with me into the women's bathroom, but he's not yet comfortable going alone into the men's bathroom. Places with family bathrooms solve this dilemma nicely for us, but those places are few and far between. His dad works during the day, so most of our adventures are me (mom), him, and his little brother.

What have you all successfully done in these situations?

Thanks for any insight,

Teresa

BRIAN POLIKOWSKY

I check if the bathrooms are empty. They are more willing to go the either one ( and be safe alone in the men's bathroom) if they are empty.
 I check, knock on the door and even call in there.
 Sometimes they are both busy and there is nothing you can do but I have to say that busy bathrooms are safer than bathrooms with only one or two people in it.
 I have been asked by dad's to take their little girls into the girl;s bathrooms. 
I have also send my son with with several friends in a big group to the men's  bathroom. I do stand right outside the door so I can hear what is going on and make sure he is safe. Safety in groups?

I have talked to my son on how to be safe and I have made sure the woman's bath was empty so he did not feel bad about  being in there.
I do love the family's bathrooms!
But I have to say that at 6 my son had no problems being in a women's bathroom .It was not until a couple years later at least that he started minding it.

 
Alex Polikowsky

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Sandra Dodd

-=-When we're out and about, my 6-year-old son, Woody, has started to be a little self-conscious of going with me into the women's bathroom, but he's not yet comfortable going alone into the men's bathroom. Places with family bathrooms solve this dilemma nicely for us, but those places are few and far between. His dad works during the day, so most of our adventures are me (mom), him, and his little brother. -=-

He won't be six for more than a year. :-)

You could wait until he's older or choose your outings based on the facilities.
Depending where you live, maybe he could occasionally water some bushes.

Sandra

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Sandra Dodd

-=- His dad works during the day, so most of our adventures are me (mom), him, and his little brother.

-=-What have you all successfully done in these situations? -=-

Maybe taking another boy along--his age or older--would give him courage to go in a public restroom. If it's an older boy, you could ask him to help your son, maybe.

Sandra

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sheeboo2

--Depending where you live, maybe he could occasionally water some bushes.----

We carry an old wide-mouth lidded water bottle in the car for Noor to use. She and Michael go out quite a bit without me, and they know where all the family-friendly bathrooms are in our area. Now, at 8, she goes into the women's room alone, while he waits outside the entrance, but she didn't want to do that a few years ago, so the pee bottle got a lot of use.

Brie

Bernadette Lynn

On 9 January 2012 20:28, teresa <treesock@...> wrote:

> When we're out and about, my 6-year-old son, Woody, has started to be a
> little self-conscious of going with me into the women's bathroom, but he's
> not yet comfortable going alone into the men's bathroom.
>
=============

When David was around five or six he started worrying a bit about going
into the Ladies' with me. I discovered that he was a bit worried that he
was breaking the rules by going in with me; I told him there was an
unwritten rule that little boys could go in the Ladies' with their mothers
or little girls into the Mens' with their fathers and no-one would object.
He asked occasionally after that if he was still little enough, I'd say
"yes" and he'd be completely reassured.

Now he's 8 he occasionally likes to go in the Mens' to feel a bit
independent but it doesn't bother him at all to come in the Ladies' with me.



Bernadette
--
http://h2g2.com/dna/h2g2/U15459


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