# If you're a dad, and your 5yo daughter needs to use the restroom in public. Which restroom you going to use? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 27, 2022, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dad-and-your-5yo-daughter-needs-to-use-the-restroom-in-public-which-restroom-you-going-to-use/975629 "2022-11-27T12:58:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dad-and-your-5yo-daughter-needs-to-use-the-restroom-in-public-which-restroom-you-going-to-use/975629/61 "2022-12-15T21:06:16Z")
I think 4 is the general cut off IMHO. As soon as they are school kids, that is over. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dad-and-your-5yo-daughter-needs-to-use-the-restroom-in-public-which-restroom-you-going-to-use/975629/62 "2022-12-15T23:25:29Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > your are uncomfortable **stabbing** in front of the urinal Remind me not to ever walk in the men’s room while you’re in there. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dad-and-your-5yo-daughter-needs-to-use-the-restroom-in-public-which-restroom-you-going-to-use/975629/63 "2022-12-15T23:42:41Z")
That thing with women hovering is not done in my neck of the woods. It happened for a little while, like a year or two, but all women know it is awkward and very likely that you will pull up your underwear to discover you peed on it. I saw a handmade sign someone had taped up in our insurance company that said something like. “Sit on the seat when you pee. You are highly unlikely to pick up germs doing so, and you are guaranteeing that nobody else will accidently sit down on your pee.” The sign was up for two days before it was taken down. And no more seat/pee incidents occurred. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dad-and-your-5yo-daughter-needs-to-use-the-restroom-in-public-which-restroom-you-going-to-use/975629/64 "2022-12-16T17:59:58Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > At five, kids should be able to go to the bathroom by themselves. In general, yes, but be slow to judge the decisions of parents when you know nothing of their situation. Some kids are tall for their age, and may be younger than you think. Some may have developmental delays. Some may have anxiety issues. Some may just need a bit of extra help for reasons that didn’t exist yesterday, and likely won’t exist tomorrow, but right now require parental support. My kid is shorter than average, so there was a time when she could do all of the toilet stuff herself, but frequently needed assistance washing her hands. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dad-and-your-5yo-daughter-needs-to-use-the-restroom-in-public-which-restroom-you-going-to-use/975629/65 "2022-12-16T18:18:54Z")
Slight variant: Is it okay for a young daughter to tag along with her dad into the mens restroom, not because her mom is not nearby, but because the line to the womens restroom is substantially longer? ---
**Author:** ![svenson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@svenson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/svenson)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2022, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dad-and-your-5yo-daughter-needs-to-use-the-restroom-in-public-which-restroom-you-going-to-use/975629/66 "2022-12-17T05:58:12Z")
It’s based on the adult’s sex. The general consensus by most people is that the opposite sex adult is the one that is seen as a threat to safety and privacy not the small child. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2022, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dad-and-your-5yo-daughter-needs-to-use-the-restroom-in-public-which-restroom-you-going-to-use/975629/67 "2022-12-17T06:17:15Z")
hey someoneelse besides me read that one … ---
**Author:** ![svenson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@svenson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/svenson)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2022, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dad-and-your-5yo-daughter-needs-to-use-the-restroom-in-public-which-restroom-you-going-to-use/975629/68 "2022-12-17T06:43:55Z")
It would not be a good idea. Many women would say something while almost no one would about a young child in the wrong one. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2022, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dad-and-your-5yo-daughter-needs-to-use-the-restroom-in-public-which-restroom-you-going-to-use/975629/69 "2022-12-27T22:03:50Z")
I’ve only ever seen parents take their kids into the same restroom they normally go into, or in special family/unisex restrooms. It would never have occurred to me to go into the women’s restroom for any reason if there were potentially any women who might see me. An unexpected man in a woman’s space is way too likely to cause problems. People don’t find little kids nearly as threatening. And any decent urinals will be set up where you can’t see anything if you head for the stalls instead. You’d have to stand beside the person and look down to see anything. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dad-and-your-5yo-daughter-needs-to-use-the-restroom-in-public-which-restroom-you-going-to-use/975629/70 "2023-01-04T09:39:26Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > An unexpected man in a woman’s space is way too likely to cause problems. That’s why if a man ever does have a reason to enter a “woman’s space” like a rest room he should very clearly announced his presence and intentions beforehand so he’s not “unexpected” and doesn’t surprise/startle people. Granted, it’s a rare event but it does happen once in awhile. Probably more likely to occur for men needing to perform janitorial duties or repairs than the average Joe, but that’s how it’s done properly. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dad-and-your-5yo-daughter-needs-to-use-the-restroom-in-public-which-restroom-you-going-to-use/975629/71 "2023-01-07T10:57:13Z")
Hell, my wife does that. ---
**Author:** ![svenson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@svenson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/svenson)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dad-and-your-5yo-daughter-needs-to-use-the-restroom-in-public-which-restroom-you-going-to-use/975629/72 "2023-01-07T17:22:55Z")
I would hope most men(and women as well) would be very careful if they had to go in the opposite restroom for any reason, either knock and ask or make sure it’s cleared out first. It’s about adults respecting each other’s privacy. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dad-and-your-5yo-daughter-needs-to-use-the-restroom-in-public-which-restroom-you-going-to-use/975629/73 "2023-01-07T22:32:36Z")
Exactly. And actual adults can understand why an adult may need to escort a young child during using a public toilet, and how to go about assuring no one is upset by the experience. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dad-and-your-5yo-daughter-needs-to-use-the-restroom-in-public-which-restroom-you-going-to-use/975629.md?page=3)