At what age did DH stop taking DD to the potty?

stgn01

I'm curious what others do?  We were out to eat the other night and DD had to go to the bathroom.  Being that she's a total daddy's girl, she asked him to take her and he obliged.  She just truned 4 and seems really grown up lately!  This got me wondering...at what age do father's stop taking their daughters to the bathroom in public?  I realize at home it's different, but just curious.

ScarletButler

I have never let DH take my girls into a mens room. That just seems icky to me. 

neverblushed

Kindergarten felt like the right time to make this change in my family.  Most kindy classrooms have a one-shot bathroom right in the classroom, which is a nice middle ground between being accompanied by an adult and going down the hallway to a public restroom.  Four felt like too early to go to a public bathroom alone to me.  Even if my kids could manage their own "business," sometimes they are too short for the toilets and sinks in a restaurant bathroom.  Also, the door to a public restroom can be too heavy for a 4 year old to open without dragging it across their own toes.  After a few months experience with the kindergarten bathroom, my kids were ready to fly solo in other public spaces.

My H definitely took my DD into public men's rooms.  Otherwise I would have had to accompany them on every single outing.  Sometimes it's nice for dads to be able to do solo outings with their preschool aged daughters.  And those outings might include needing to pee.

Leap08

My husband still takes our 4.5 year old DD to the men's room, but he sends her into a stall on her own. She often can't wash her hands in public restrooms without a little help. I'm thinking at 5 or so we'll be able to just stand outside the women's room and wait for her.

ss+el

We're in the reverse situation. DS is 5 1/2 and if I have to go, he goes in with me. If I don't, I usually give him the option. Places with small bathrooms or where I know they'll be clean, like restaurants or Target I feel fine. If we're in someplace like the mall, he goes with me, period.

Side comment - it drives me nuts when a place meant for families and/or children has sinks or soap too high for kids to reach. Doesn't make any sense.

neverblushed

@ss+el -- My son turned 6 the first week of kindergarten, and he still came into the bathroom with me in places with large public bathrooms like the mall.  My son is tall, so he could reach everything and open the door to most bathrooms, but he just wasn't quite ready for dealing with the men's room solo until a few months into the school year when he felt more confident.

fitmom82

DD just turned 4 and I'd never consider sending her to a public restroom by herself.  She's very tall and can rarely reach the sink or soap.  She also usually can't shut the door.  I'd also be considered with her choosing a clean stall.  DS just turned 2 and I assume he'll be coming with me to the ladies room until he's atleast 8.  It's mostly a safety issue to me, I don't want my kids unsupervised in a restroom, even if I am standing at the door.  There are alot of freaks out there.  I guess I feel a little more comfortable with DD being alone and DH standing at the door, but I probaby shouldn't.  I definetly don't think I'll be comfortable with DS being at a urinal and me at the door for a long , long time.

groovygrl

Mine are almost five and go it with whoever is with them. If a same sex parent is there,t hat is who goes but if they are only with he opposite sex parent, they go in with that one. I don't think our kids would be comfortable going in by themselves or we would be with them by themselves. And as fredalina said, they can't reach the sink anyway. Dd only goes in public when absolutely necessary though so it is not usually an issue for her and Mh.

rsd12

I have boys and they come in with me. I am usually alone with them. I am not comfortable leaving my 4,6, or 8 yr old outside the bathroom alone. They stand outside the stall. I bring my 4 yr old into the ladies room, and it depends with my 6 yr old where we are, and I wait outside the bathroom for my 8 yr old (men's room). I will send in my 6 and 8 yr old together into the men's room.

Aliki

My DD is 4 years old and my DH still takes her. A quick Google of "molested in bathroom" will yield a horrifying number of police cases of children being molested in bathrooms when unsupervised!!!  >:P

Aliki

@ClaryPax I agree! As parents, we need to do a better job of talking to our children about appropriate and inappropriate touching.