# To the woman who had her 9 year old son in the ladies' change room at the Y **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 10, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-woman-who-had-her-9-year-old-son-in-the-ladies-change-room-at-the-y/147747 "2003-01-10T15:18:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-woman-who-had-her-9-year-old-son-in-the-ladies-change-room-at-the-y/147747/1 "2003-01-10T15:18:22Z")
So we went to the Y for a little swimming fun and exercise, and I went to the ladies’ change room to well, change. As I was changing, I noticed that a woman had her son in there with her, and he seemed a little old for being in there - probably around 5 or 6. I was getting a little bent out of shape about that, when her _other_ son walks up - a strapping, healthy NINE YEAR OLD BOY!!! Lady, they may be your little babies to you, but to me, they’re too old to be in the women’s change room, and you need to WAKE UP AND USE THE PARENT AND CHILD CHANGE ROOM!!! (There is a changing room there especially for parents with other sex children to prevent exactly this type of scenario.) Jeeze, people, once your boys are old enough to leer at all the naked boobies in the change room, they’re too freaking old to be in there any longer, got it? Would you take a 9 year old girl into the men’s change room to see all the swinging dicks? (I know, it’s just human bodies, nakedness is natural, blah blah blah - I just don’t have any particular interest in showing off my nakedness to some stranger’s 9 year old boy.) (And no, I didn’t talk to her myself - that would take a boldness I don’t really have. I did ask a lifeguard to look into it, though, and he agreed with me.) ---
**Author:** ![gris\_gris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/439d5e/32.png) [@gris\_gris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gris_gris)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-woman-who-had-her-9-year-old-son-in-the-ladies-change-room-at-the-y/147747/2 "2003-01-10T15:27:22Z")
wow i wish my mom had done that with me! ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-woman-who-had-her-9-year-old-son-in-the-ladies-change-room-at-the-y/147747/3 "2003-01-10T15:29:57Z")
I understand your concern. However, i doubt 9 year old boys want to look at boobies. When my son was a baby, I took him in the ladies room with me. And theres another topic for a thread, why is it safer for a little boy to be in a womans room than for a little girl to be in a mens room. But he got used to it, and i was taking him in the ladies room when he was 6 even. No one had seemed to mind and I am sure he still was safer in the womans room with me. He is 9 now and does go in mens rooms, but last summer when we went to the pool, he did come in the female changing room, mainly becasue he already had on his suit as did I, all i needed to do was take off my pants I was wearing over my suit and use the locker. We were the first ones in there and saw nothing. Just my experience and two cents. ---
**Author:** ![jeevmon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@jeevmon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeevmon)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-woman-who-had-her-9-year-old-son-in-the-ladies-change-room-at-the-y/147747/4 "2003-01-10T15:30:20Z")
I hear you. I was once in a locker room when a guy brought his young daughter in. The girl was probably about 5 or 6. In other words, not an infant. I have no problem with being nude in a locker room, or even around women my own age. (They may have a problem with it, but I don’t). But I do not disrobe around young girl children. And since the locker room is one of the last places that it is socially acceptable for men to be nude in public, I resent the intrusion that bringing a young child of the opposite gender represents. I need my naked time, dammit! ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-woman-who-had-her-9-year-old-son-in-the-ladies-change-room-at-the-y/147747/5 "2003-01-10T15:37:42Z")
I had a thread about this a few years ago, and I agree totally. It’s not that I’m uncomfortable being nude in the locker room, it’s that I feel the KIDS may start to feel uncomfortable, particularly nine year old boys who are starting to feel ‘oogy in the tummy’ about girls. I have a friend with a nine year old son and he is ALWAYS staring at boobs and butts and women’s faces and hair. He’s beginning to be enthralled with women’s bodies…and I can’t imagine having him in the room when I changed clothes or showered! ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-woman-who-had-her-9-year-old-son-in-the-ladies-change-room-at-the-y/147747/6 "2003-01-10T15:39:51Z")
> [@](#): > > However, i doubt 9 year old boys want to look at boobies. I’m not a guy (and neither are you), but how can you be so sure? There ARE nine year olds that want to look at boobies (and vaginas and everything else). And this is besides the point anyway…it’s about the comfort of the other women in the room. I know I would be creeped out if a strange pre-teen male was gawking at me. Even if it wasn’t sexual gawking, it would still make me uncomfortable. If I had been in that mother’s situation, I would have made the boys stand in the corner with their backs turned. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-woman-who-had-her-9-year-old-son-in-the-ladies-change-room-at-the-y/147747/7 "2003-01-10T15:41:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by vanilla \* > **However, i doubt 9 year old boys want to look at boobies.** Speaking as a former 9 year old boy myself, hell YES they want to look at boobies. A lot. ---
**Author:** ![tarragon918](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d26b3c/32.png) [@tarragon918](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tarragon918)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-woman-who-had-her-9-year-old-son-in-the-ladies-change-room-at-the-y/147747/8 "2003-01-10T15:43:26Z")
I have to agree with the OP; 9 YO is a bit old to be in the opposite sex changing room–it’s not healthy for the 9 yo and it might frankly make other women uncomfortable changing in front of him. (Heck, I’m uncomfortable changing in front of anyone in the locker rooms, but that’s a different thread altogether … :D). OTHO, 9 YO is a little young to be going into the Men’s changing room by himself. Maybe the mother didn’t know there was a “family” changing room–IMHO, that sounds like a good solution to situations like this. The mother and children can be together, without putting anyone else in an uncomfortable place. JMHO ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-woman-who-had-her-9-year-old-son-in-the-ladies-change-room-at-the-y/147747/9 "2003-01-10T15:52:04Z")
I am a guy. And I will personally attest that by age 9 I was interested, looking at my Grandfather’s playboys, and would have been **intensely** interested in being inside a women’s locker room and seeing boobies and hoo-has. **INTENSELY** ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-woman-who-had-her-9-year-old-son-in-the-ladies-change-room-at-the-y/147747/10 "2003-01-10T15:52:32Z")
Yep, 9 is _way_ too old to be in the opposite-sex locker room. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-woman-who-had-her-9-year-old-son-in-the-ladies-change-room-at-the-y/147747/11 "2003-01-10T16:05:43Z")
What **Coldfire** said, but with a slight Southern-gentlemanly drawl. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-woman-who-had-her-9-year-old-son-in-the-ladies-change-room-at-the-y/147747/12 "2003-01-10T16:08:05Z")
My four year old boy likes to look at boobies! I do take him into the women’s locker room at the pool with me, because the family locker room in inadequate. Too many families, too many children. And far too many teenage boys (who should be in the men’s locker room) peering through the cracks (the showers/changing areas are bathroom stall like). It works when the pool isn’t busy, but when we were trying to get ready for swimming lessons and there were lots of preschoolers in there (either leaving swimming lessons or getting ready for them), plus the teenagers it was unworkable. Which is a question to ask your gym. Is the parent and child change room adequate? 'Cause I know from talking to my girlfriends that mine is not the only one that is too small or otherwise problematic - and don’t turn out to be workable solutions. ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-woman-who-had-her-9-year-old-son-in-the-ladies-change-room-at-the-y/147747/13 "2003-01-10T16:18:00Z")
I think I’d goo the famly locker room just to see burly, sweaty dads. yum ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-woman-who-had-her-9-year-old-son-in-the-ladies-change-room-at-the-y/147747/14 "2003-01-10T16:19:32Z")
GO TO GO TO the family locker room. good christ. ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-woman-who-had-her-9-year-old-son-in-the-ladies-change-room-at-the-y/147747/15 "2003-01-10T16:25:27Z")
What **Coldfire** said, with the added yearnings of one who was not breast fed. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-woman-who-had-her-9-year-old-son-in-the-ladies-change-room-at-the-y/147747/16 "2003-01-10T16:26:16Z")
Like jar, I too would goo the locker room if’n I saw boobies. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-woman-who-had-her-9-year-old-son-in-the-ladies-change-room-at-the-y/147747/17 "2003-01-10T16:28:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jarbabyj \* > \*\*I think I’d goo the famly locker room just to see burly, sweaty dads. > > yum \*\* I’m pretty sure you’d goo IN the family locker room. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-woman-who-had-her-9-year-old-son-in-the-ladies-change-room-at-the-y/147747/18 "2003-01-10T16:29:06Z")
Question: What do you get when you let a 9 year old look a boobies in the locker room? Answer: A growth spurt. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-woman-who-had-her-9-year-old-son-in-the-ladies-change-room-at-the-y/147747/19 "2003-01-10T16:31:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lieu \* > \*\*Question: What do you get when you let a 9 year old look a boobies in the locker room? > > Answer: A growth spurt. \*\* What part? ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-woman-who-had-her-9-year-old-son-in-the-ladies-change-room-at-the-y/147747/20 "2003-01-10T16:50:59Z")
Well, my nine year old boy doesn’t seem to care about looking at boobies. He’s way more interested in _talking_ about what he’s been doing on the computer at school. Maybe I should be worrying about the boy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-woman-who-had-her-9-year-old-son-in-the-ladies-change-room-at-the-y/147747.md?page=2)