At What Age Should Children Use Public Restrooms Alone?
The challenge lies in balancing the youngster’s safety needs with the need for independence.
Moms Talk is a weekly feature on all Lehigh Valley Patches in which local parents, caregivers and other members of the community are invited to share opinions and advice on parenting issues. This week’s Moms Talk topic relates to public restrooms: Some experts say that the first step in allowing a child to use a public restroom alone is setting very clear guidelines for the trip to the bathroom: Go in, do your business, wash your hands and leave. Period. Others argue that being able to able to take care of bathroom needs alone is one thing while being able to protect oneself from harm could be another. Now, we want to know what you think: Do you let your kids use a public restroom alone, or do you always accompany them? Join the …
Lisa Amey
4:45 pm on Saturday, November 5, 2011
I always bring my five year old girl in the bathroom with me, and my eight year old son only goes to the men's room alone unless I am very familiar with a location and it is not crowded, or if my husband goes in with him. I know some day they might complain about this, but for now I try to keep their potential exposure to danger to a minimum this way. more ›