What…in your humble opinions, is the maximum age for a child of the opposite sex to be in the locker room at a gym?
My gym holds a lot of classes for kids; swimming, karate, climbing, etc…And invariably, every time I go in there, I’m forced to jostle around, hiding my boobs and hooha from some six year old boy who’s practicing karate in the middle of the locker room before class. Two year olds, maybe three year olds, I can understand…they don’t know what’s going on…but SIX?
Wouldn’t it be appropriate for a gym who has a slate full of children’s classes to provide an area for a ‘family’ to change? Like a unisex bathroom or whatever?
I mean, I’m no Pam Anderson, but I DO feel like somehow, subconcsiously, I’m corrupting these little boys by getting naked in front of them three times a week, but at the same time, I pay dues so I don’t have to go hide in the bathroom stall to change…even though my conscience has driven me to do it on several occasions.
Seems 6 is kind of weird. Maybe the kids aren’t warped by seeing flesh, but you’re testimonial shows it does make adults feel uncomfortable. Most of us spend 99.9 percent of our lives trying to cover our naughty pieces, and you have to show them to a stranger’s 6-year-old? Seems unfair.
I have twin six year old boys, and there’s no question that I consider them too old to change in the women’s change room now. The local recreation centre has “family” change rooms for parents with children of the opposite sex (the staff will kick you out if your kids are the same sex as you) that consist of large curtained off “stalls.”
On the other hand, a woman (~26 years old) co-worker seemed mystified that I questioned her choice to let her six year old nephew shower with her. TETO
It is the unfortunate state of the world today that is driving this issue. I completely understand a mother not wanting to let her 6 year old son to go alone into a public restroom or locker room, but at the same time she has a responsibility to keep a close eye on her kid while she is in there and conduct the changing as quickly and discreetly as possible.
And for the record I just wanted to say that jarbabyj is the first person I have ever heard call that portion of a woman’s body a “hooha”.
I, for one, am completely disappointed in the topic of the OP.
I mean, I came here looking for naked pictures of everyone’s favorite SD-posting rock star and there’s not a single one!
I want naked pictures of aha! What a disappointment!
On the current topic, six is entirely too old. If I were you I would suggest a family area to the management. All it will take really is for one of those six year olds to start asking strangers in the dressing rooms what those are or what that is to get some parents to see your point of view.
Old enough to comment on it is too old. That’s my vague, ill-defined opinion.
On a similar note:
After work one day, I went to my room to change and found my 8-year-daughter and her friend there, watching tv.
“Out,” I said. “I have to change.”
My daughter’s friend looked at me blankly. “Why do we need to leave?”
I just smiled and said, “I bet you weren’t supposed to say that.”
Clucky, when I read that, I thought “This has got to be someone who doesn’t have kids.” Then I read your profile and found out that you have a new little chick. Congrats!
From a practical standpoint, you’ll find out in a year or two that you just can’t send a 3 year old in and say “OK, kiddo, go in and change out of that wet swimsuit into these dry clothes. I’ll meet you back here in the lobby.” I doubt it on most 4-year-olds as well.
The YMCA I teach in has an age limit of 5 for opposite sex children in locker rooms. This limit applies to the pool-house locker rooms and “Family” locker rooms in the main workout facility. They also have adults-only locker rooms in the main facility, with no children other than infants allowed (in order to accommodate nursing Moms.)
I have two sons, aged 8 and 4-1/2. Since you have a girl, you probably won’t have quite the paranoia about molestation that I have, but that is the real driver behind why most Moms bring their kids into the locker room with them. My 4 year old had to go to the bathroom the other day while we were in a grocery store (not one I usually shop in.) I was going to take him into the Ladies’ room, but he asserted his independence and wanted to go to the Men’s room.
It was a relatively quiet (and deserted) time of day, so I let him go in. (Yes, that’s why that lady keeps standing outside the Men’s room door.) After a minute or two, I started to get worried ---- I had thought that he would just take a quick pee and come on out. I started getting all sorts of scary pictures in my mind — I had assumed that the restroom was empty when he went in, but how was I to know there wasn’t some pervert in there waiting for this kind of opportunity? Finally I just went closer to the door and yelled “David, are you doing OK?,” and he came out.
Fortunately, nothing had happened — but that’s the thought that goes through my head every time one of us needs to take a bathroom break when I’m out with my kids. Even when I’m just with my 8 year old, I’m not too happy about leaving him alone while I go to the bathroom (although, of course, I do.) Visions of Adam Walsh go through my head.
So, I’m sorry if you’re offended by my son’s proximity to your hoo-ha, jarbabyj, but I feel the safety of my (or anyone else’s) kids outranks your modesty. I’ll bring 'em in there as long as I can when faced with the option of leaving them unattended.
I wasn’t offended at all, never said I was…and I never suggested that they should be somewhere unattended. I understand exactly why moms bring their kids in there, and if I had kids I’d be the same way. I’m putting the GYM at fault for hosting a slew children’s programs but then not giving them a place to change.
I guess my question really was to moms. If you tell me that I can walk around naked in the locker room and that’s no problem to your six year old boy, fantastic, I won’t worry about it anymore. I was uncomfortable because I didn’t know!
Sorry, I didn’t intend to come across as snippy. I saw from your OP that you were actually going out of your way to be considerate of the parent and the child, which I appreciate. I was trying to translate the Mom’s reasoning behind bringing their boys into the locker room and/or restroom ---- It’s because it’s a big scary world out there if you’re raising kids.
It’s also another reason I’m glad I’m at the Y. If there’s any locker room where I feel a 5 year old boy will be safe without parental guidance, it’s that one.
I don’t know what my husband will do when we have kids. I’m glad that some places are starting to have family bathrooms. On probably three separate occasions in the last year or so, I’ve walked out of the ladies’ room and encountered a nervous dad, waiting for his little girl to come out of the washroom. Women will just bring their sons into the ladies’ room (which I don’t mind), but the guys feel weird bringing their daughters into the mens’ room. Probably due to the fact that the urinals are all right out in the open in there. Poor guys. I always ask for a description and go check on their daughters for them.
If it makes you feel better, you can always change at my place…and shower…and galavant naked around the living room… …but I digress.
I suppose that as long as the 6-year-olds aren’t staring at you, they probably aren’t that interested. But like others said, grab their parents and ask them to coral their kids if it becomes an issue.
She said “HooHa” again. I wish she’d stop doing that. It gets me all hot and bothered.
BTW, my Y has signs on the door that say the age limit for opposite sex kids in the locker rooms is 5. If you need someone to watch them or help them change the staff stands ready to lend a hand.
Why didn’t I have an Aunt like that!
Six is too old. I was checking women when I was six and a chance to hang out in a women’s locker room would have changed my life. You will star in that boys fantasies forever.
I was trying to translate the Mom’s reasoning behind bringing their boys into the locker room and/or restroom ---- It’s because it’s a big scary world out there if you’re raising kids.