I don’t care what people think, I’m not letting my son go into a public toilet alone

His safety comes before anyone's opinion of me.

I've seen many discussions in parenting groups about mothers bringing their sons into the women's toilets, with some saying it is not appropriate. While everyone is entitled to their opinion, as a mother to a primary school aged son, the fact of the matter is if he's out in town with just me he's not going into a male restroom alone, he's coming into the women's one with me. So far, all the times I've brought my son into the ladies with me, no one has had any objection, but I know it is something other mums have come up against. I also know of dads who have been on days out with their young daughters who have been judged for bringing their little girls into the ladies because they didn't want them seeing men standing at urinals in the men's toilet. I really don't know what the fuss is all about, especially when it's clearly a parent and child and not anyone trying to be creepy. Also the ladies toilet always has stalls so it's not like anything private is going to be seen anyway. The fact of the matter is I don't think it's safe to send my young son alone into a men's bathroom with strangers. Unfortunately we live in a world where horrible things happen to children and it's just not worth the risk. A parent's job is first and foremost to keep their child safe and if they feel like they need to bring their child into a toilet they wouldn't normally use to do it, so be it. I'll happily take the odd dirty look for bringing my son into the women's public toilet if I know it means I can keep my eye on him and that he's safe.