At what age would you let your child go public bathrooms alone? Does it vary, depending on gender?

My stepdaughter is almost 7 and her father will let her go in the womans by herself if he is standing at the door, otherwise she goes with him or if im with them, me. I think by 8 or 9 they should be able to go by themselves though,

I have girls that are 6 and 8 and I do not let them go alone. But if I had a boy I would say around 8 or 9, most places have family bathrooms now, you could use that one and stand outside the door, because no one else can get in those. I never thought about it for boys but do think it is scary, it only takes a few minutes to hurt someone. And a girl in the ladies room does seem a bit safer because we use our own stalls it is not in the open. You could tell him to use the stall instead of the urinal that may be a bit safer. But at 4 and 5 they would still go with me whether they liked it or not. Its better to be safe than sorry.

It depends where we are. My boys are 9, 7 and 3 and I let my older two go TOGETHER to the bathroom if we're in a common place in town. If we're at rest stop or the airport and my husband isn't with me, they come into the ladies room with me or we use one of those family bathrooms. About 3ms or so we were at this big arcade/restaurant thing, just me and my two older sons. They had to go to the bathroom and I let them go into the mens room. It was one of those bathrooms that don't have doors, just a turn to go in. So I let them go and stood right at the entrance to the turn so I could hear them. I watched a whole bunch of men go in there and I couldn't hear their voices...and I became nervous. If others think this is crazy I really don't care. That's why they invented those family bathrooms- for neurotic mothers like myself. If my boys don't pee in the men's room until they're 12ish, I sure they'll be fine.

As for when my daughter gets older, I think I'll be a lot less neurotic about letting her go in on her own. I think the women's room is a safer place than the men's room.

Best wishes =]

She started wanting to go alone at 7. So I allow it IF I'm familiar with the place, I know where the exits are, and I can see the bathroom from where I am. For example, if we're out to dinner and the bathroom is past the entrance at the other end of the restaurant, I'm going with her. I'll stand at the sinks and wait, but she's not going alone.

It's hard, because you want to build that independence and confidence, but you can't trust people these days. I'm always on alert.

My son is 5 1/2 yrs old and I still don't allow him to go by himself, I always take him , in the ladies room. When he gets to be 6 to 7 I will make sure I would have some1 to take him in the men's. My daughter's who are 14 & 12 yrs old. I don't go with them but I am close by and see who is coming & going. PLUS I make sure they go together, NEVER , EVER ALONE!

WHAT gardless of the gender, play it safe,then sorry. And have a buddy system!!!

OH 1 MORE THING WHEN THE TIME COMES THAT MY SON IS NEEDING TO USE THE BATHROOM ON HIS OWN AND I DON'T HAVE A BUDDY SYSTEM, I WILL BE RIGHT NEXT TO THE BATHROOM DOOR PLUS I WILL TELL HIM ALWAYS TO GO IN THE CLOSED DOORS W/ LOCKS TO GO PEE AND NOT USE THE ONES ON THE WALLS. WHAT EVER THEY CALL THOSES THINGS

I don't know mine are still in diapers but I know I will be taking them to the public restroom for a long, long time. As long as I possibly can. There are too many sick perverts. It is sad.

p.s. there was an incident where I live one time when the mom was standing outside the door and some freak still got her son. The kid was too scared to say anything.

I have two boys, still in diapers, but it will be a VERY long time before they will ever go to a public bathroom alone. Not until they are in their teens.

There are so many creepo's out there. And it does NOT matter what gender, to me. Pedophiles are ALL around, looking for all types of kids. It's disgusting.

Thanks for getting my blood boiling today. I gotta go for a walk now.

Well I am 13 and personally I never asked as I was scared of going in on my own when I was younger. I suppose I first started going when I was 10. I'd say your boys are a bit young. I would say the girls room is a bit safer and undoubtedly more hygenic! Most boys start going on their own when they are around 8 or 9.

My 10 yr old goes to the bathroom alone if he is with me but if his daddy is with us he goes with him no matter what. there are too many perverted people just lurking around the bathrooms and stuff these days and we have made him very stranger aware and he knows what to do if a stranger approaches him but i am not sure this would work in the bathroom scenario...

my son is 8 now, and the only time i let him use the men's restroom is if my brother-in-law is with us or if i stand right outside the bathroom door.

if it is just the two of us and i have to go to the bathroom also then i make him come in the women's bathroom with me. he hates it but i don't want anything to happen to him.

as far as the boy vs. girl thing that is kinda a judgment call something could happen in either bathroom, men are not the only ones that are capable of being monsters.