Toileting alone

[Stone]

What age do you think is approiprate to let your children go to the restroom alone in public?

I was out with a male friend of mine and he has a daughter, he asked me to take her to the rest room and I was happy to, he ofcourse doesn't take her in the ladies room for obvious reasons and he doesn't think it is approiprate to bring her in to the Men's room. ( she is 5)

My son is 5 he uses the ladies room along with me but what is an approiprate age to stop that? I would hate to let him go by himself and find he is playing with the toliet mint. Or heaven forbid being taken advantage of by a strange man or talked to by a strange person. I don't know if I should be worried about it just yet, but was wondering if there is an age where a child no longer belongs in a diffrent sex restroom.

[Star]

I wouldn't let him into a public restroom alone at 5. I had girls so I always went in with them. I only started to let them in on their own when they were about 10 or 11. That's how paranoid i am! I would keep bringing him into the ladies bathroom until he notices himself.

[Merika]

I agree with Star....I would wait until he began to feel uncomfortable going into the ladies room.....which at 5 shouldn't bother him a bit. Usually this won't happen until his older elementary school age where the kids are instructed on the difference of boy and girl areas.

The first time Sn00py went alone we were at the movies and I was nervous for sure. I think he was right around 7. Even then, you have to weigh out where you are and how safe you feel with it. I still avoid huge bathrooms with tons of people or ones which have another exit or window.

[Duke]

My daughter will go to the bathroom alone and has for the past year or so. I just make sure that I have all the exits covered.