Dealing with public bathrooms when you're alone with a child of a different gender can be tough. For dads, not only do male bathrooms often lack changing tables for when their kiddos are young, but the urinals also lack the privacy little girls need for a potty break. Fathers are usually left having to decide whether to take their kids with them anyway or send them into the girls' bathroom alone with strangers. Moms, of course, have to deal with this as well when they're out with their sons, but the problem goes a step further when it comes to pool locker rooms. In this situation, people are typically changing in the open, and not everyone slipping on their swimsuit is comfortable doing it in front of a child of the opposite sex.
One mom is annoyed at the fellow women who keep bringing their boys into the ladies' locker room.
The anonymous mom explained on Mumsnet that the boys appear to be older than the age typically deemed appropriate to still bring your sons into a women's restroom or locker room. She also pointed out that her daughter knows at least one of the boys from school, and because she's starting to develop, she's uncomfortable changing when he's there. Since there are family and private changing rooms available at this facility, the mom wants to know if she's being unreasonable for thinking this fellow parent should respect the locker room boundaries.
It's simple for some moms: The ladies' room is for ladies.
They think that parents should stick to the designated genders in locker rooms.
And if you don't trust your boy to get changed alone, change together somewhere else.
For these parents, it's about respecting other patrons.
However, other moms think that people need to be reasonable in this situation.
If your child is uncomfortable changing in front of another kid, they believe she's the one who should go elsewhere.
They also slam those who sexualize kids and their bodies.
Some also point out that parents are equally uncomfortable having their boys change alone with strangers.
There were also those who were quick to point out other things to consider before passing judgment.
For example, families who are dealing with disabilities face even more complications in this situation.
One mom wrote that she had to stop taking her boy with autism to the pool because the facility wouldn't let them use the disabled bathroom.
Plus, some moms might have vastly different opinions when considering the flip side.
