Yet another post about 5-6 year old boys in the women's changing/bathroom at the pool.

[Anonymous]

Our community pool is not set up to accommodate everyone's privacy. Showers are open-concept (call it "prison style" if you like ). There are three bathroom stalls. There is one (ONE!!!) family changing room (accommodating one family at a time).

When there is rapid changeover of classes or swim practice, the changing rooms are clogged with people--some going in, some going out. The expectation is clearly that folks will be naked in there.

Granted, I live in Seattle where folks are pretty cazsh about lots of stuff. Boys six and under are often in the changing rooms, and sometimes older, especially if the child is special needs. My DD (age 5) goes through the men's room with her papa if she needs to go pee or get changed with his help. Husband usualy gives a quick shout-out "Father with daughter, coming through!" before he goes in (just in case someone is shy). My DD just talks about the funny sinks on the wall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Whether it's in a gym or pool- I've never been naked in a locker room. It never even occurred to me to get naked as if I was in my private bathroom. I NEVER would have thought, "hey, let me get naked right here out in the open." The first time I saw someone do it, I was shocked. It just doesn't make sense to me. I've done a quick change of my shirt or pants, but if for some reason my clothes need to be completely removed or my private body parts need to be exposed- I am going to go pee in a stall, and then change my clothes. I am not just going to walk around like I am at home. It's just absurd.

Please stop doing that. I need to pee. Those stalls aren't for changing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think 5 is way too young to be going into, even walking through, a locker room alone. Honestly, I think my kid would have to be 7-8 for me to be ok with that. You can't control what they see or hear if you aren't there. Teach your kids not to stare, its fine.

OP here. I'm not normally comfortable with the idea of my son going into a men's room alone, but this pool is an exception. It's a very short direct route from pool to desk, and it seemed like a good way to get both of us ready for the next step - when he's older and he must go into a restroom alone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think people who get naked in public are disgraceful. I don't care what everyone else is doing- there is no reason to walk around a locker room naked. This is what group think produces... "now kids, your body parts are private- keep them covered except when everyone else is not". I'd never take my kids to a pool where women and men are walking around naked. Going to the pool is a family event- not a swingers retreat.

Now you can save all that "don't be ashamed of your body...you are so uptight...puritan...Americans are so blah blah blah" for your naked sister circle. I don't want to hear it. You aren't changing my mind so save it for your fellow naked wanderers.

PP,
I was having a pretty bad day, but these two phrases have me cracking up uncontrolably.
Thank you.

[Anonymous]

I remember being 8 or 9 and changing after swim class at the YMCA. A mom brought a boy from my class into the locker room (his sister was also changing after her swim class). I was humiliated. There definitely has to be a limit because girls deserve their privacy as well.

[Anonymous]

I let me kids go through the same sex changeroom from about age 6. I prefer that they shower/change/get naked with naked people of their own sex.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think people who get naked in public are disgraceful. I don't care what everyone else is doing- there is no reason to walk around a locker room naked. This is what group think produces... "now kids, your body parts are private- keep them covered except when everyone else is not". I'd never take my kids to a pool where women and men are walking around naked. Going to the pool is a family event- not a swingers retreat.

Now you can save all that "don't be ashamed of your body...you are so uptight...puritan...Americans are so blah blah blah" for your naked sister circle. I don't want to hear it. You aren't changing my mind so save it for your fellow naked wanderers.

I'm not changing in a stall with pee on the floor. Yikes! It's naked or nothing. We all have bodies, it is what it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think people who get naked in public are disgraceful. I don't care what everyone else is doing- there is no reason to walk around a locker room naked. This is what group think produces... "now kids, your body parts are private- keep them covered except when everyone else is not". I'd never take my kids to a pool where women and men are walking around naked. Going to the pool is a family event- not a swingers retreat.

Now you can save all that "don't be ashamed of your body...you are so uptight...puritan...Americans are so blah blah blah" for your naked sister circle. I don't want to hear it. You aren't changing my mind so save it for your fellow naked wanderers.

PP,
I was having a pretty bad day, but these two phrases have me cracking up uncontrolably.
Thank you.

I'll be laughing the next time I am in a locker room, naked for the moment I am changing. I will invite all my naked sisters to join me in a circle.

[Anonymous]

I post early and often on these threads because this is SUCH a pet peeve of mine. And here is what it boils down to for me. I am an adult. If some other woman wants to bring her older son into the locker room, if he stares at me, I am simply going to tell him to stop staring because it is rude. I figure if there is a posted sign that says opposite sex kids of x age need to go into the proper locker room and you break the rules for whatever reason, I am calling you out on it if the opportunity presents itself. What bothers me most is when I have my upper elementary school aged daughter with me and some woman brings her 7 or 8 or 9 or 10 year old son in with her while she showers, changes, blow dries, etc. That drives me batshit insane because my daughter is often uncomfortable being seen naked by her same or similar aged peer. When it happens, I call the mom out on it. Every. Single. Time. I am polite and firm. "Your son looks older than 6, the post rule is that opposite sex children 7 and over need go in their locker room. I understand that you might be uncomfortable letting him into the men's locker room, but my daughter and myself are following the posted rules and you are not, please wait outside until we are finished." Sometimes they complain and then I simply say, "I certainly understand your dilemma, but I must insist. If you do not respect my daughter, I will certainly wait upstairs for you to finish so that I can point you out to the management and ask to have your privileges at this facility curtailed or revoked." And every time that this happens, other women in the locker room always tell me how glad they are that I spoke up. Every time.

So, with how much this subject bothers me, here is my take on the OP's situation. Women who are walking through with a 5 year old (or a child under the age on the posted sign) to exit the pool don't make it on to my very sensitive radar screen. In that case, if the boy was a gawker, I would block his view of my daughter with my own body or put a towel around her if I knew it was making my daughter uncomfortable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think people who get naked in public are disgraceful. I don't care what everyone else is doing- there is no reason to walk around a locker room naked. This is what group think produces... "now kids, your body parts are private- keep them covered except when everyone else is not". I'd never take my kids to a pool where women and men are walking around naked. Going to the pool is a family event- not a swingers retreat.

Now you can save all that "don't be ashamed of your body...you are so uptight...puritan...Americans are so blah blah blah" for your naked sister circle. I don't want to hear it. You aren't changing my mind so save it for your fellow naked wanderers.

I'm not changing in a stall with pee on the floor. Yikes! It's naked or nothing. We all have bodies, it is what it is.

I know.... Possible pee on the floor when you are wearing socks and/or flip flops- yuck. Sitting your belongings and behind on a bench where someones naked ass and vaginal juices sat- no big deal.

[Anonymous]

I was wondering 13:46PP, what does your DH do when he takes your DD out in public and she has to use the public bathroom?

[Anonymous]

Sorry but if your son is old enough to gawk at my daughter's naked body, then he should be old enough to pull up his own pants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I post early and often on these threads because this is SUCH a pet peeve of mine. And here is what it boils down to for me. I am an adult. If some other woman wants to bring her older son into the locker room, if he stares at me, I am simply going to tell him to stop staring because it is rude. I figure if there is a posted sign that says opposite sex kids of x age need to go into the proper locker room and you break the rules for whatever reason, I am calling you out on it if the opportunity presents itself. What bothers me most is when I have my upper elementary school aged daughter with me and some woman brings her 7 or 8 or 9 or 10 year old son in with her while she showers, changes, blow dries, etc. That drives me batshit insane because my daughter is often uncomfortable being seen naked by her same or similar aged peer. When it happens, I call the mom out on it. Every. Single. Time. I am polite and firm. "Your son looks older than 6, the post rule is that opposite sex children 7 and over need go in their locker room. I understand that you might be uncomfortable letting him into the men's locker room, but my daughter and myself are following the posted rules and you are not, please wait outside until we are finished." Sometimes they complain and then I simply say, "I certainly understand your dilemma, but I must insist. If you do not respect my daughter, I will certainly wait upstairs for you to finish so that I can point you out to the management and ask to have your privileges at this facility curtailed or revoked." And every time that this happens, other women in the locker room always tell me how glad they are that I spoke up. Every time.

So, with how much this subject bothers me, here is my take on the OP's situation. Women who are walking through with a 5 year old (or a child under the age on the posted sign) to exit the pool don't make it on to my very sensitive radar screen. In that case, if the boy was a gawker, I would block his view of my daughter with my own body or put a towel around her if I knew it was making my daughter uncomfortable.

I like you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do NOT send your boy into a bathroom alone with a bunch of naked men. PERIOD

Both the boy and girl - okay hold my hand - look at the floor - let's go.

Another poster who is not comfortable with letting my 6 yo boy go into the men's licker room alone. I also don't mind if other mom's have to bring their boys in.

[Anonymous]

Pp -locker not licker