A mother bringing an 11-year-old boy with her into the female changing rooms at the swimming pool has divided the parenting community over whether he was ‘too old’ and whether it was ‘acceptable’
A mother’s decision to bring her 11-year-old son into a female changing room at their local pool has divided the parenting community. The decision has been heavily debated after a fellow mum shared the experience in a post on Mumsnet. She told the forum: “He watched me get changed, which left me very uncomfortable.” She added that there were only benches inside and no cubicles, so you had to get changed in the communal area.
The poster then explained she got changed quickly but felt upset and confided in a friend at the pool: “I got in the pool and my friend saw I was a bit upset and asked why. So my friend went over and spoke to the mom who got really angry and said he was entitled to be in there, he’s only 11.”
READ MORE: ‘I came up with an awful baby name for my friend – it was a joke but she chose it’
However, despite the mum’s defense, the couple still felt it wasn’t right for the almost teenager to be in the women’s changing room. They complained to the aquatic centre staff who sided with them as the poster explained: “They were a bit horrified. Apparently, the unofficial age limit is seven.” However, they didn’t approach or tell off the mother, leaving the poster wondering if she was overreacting or if she was right to be upset.
Now other mums have shared their thoughts on Mumsnet and other parenting forums. One parent was appalled at the 11-year-old being allowed into the changing room as they wrote: “There is no reason why a male over the age of eight or nine needs to be in the female changing room, especially if there is only public changing available.” Another agreed as they commented: “You were right to complain. This is ridiculous. He should have definitely been in the male-changing areas at that age.”
One parent shared: “Every pool I’ve been to has had signs up saying anyone over eight has to use the correct changing room for their sex. I thought that was an industry standard of some sort. Other women don’t have to just put up with this sort of thing because women like her feel entitled to make others uncomfortable by bringing in sons old enough to get themselves dressed.”
For all the latest on news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US.
A mother to an 11-year-old boy added her thoughts as she explained that her son uses the male changing room himself. She wrote: “My son is 11, and he always uses the men’s changing rooms alone. He manages fine. He likes independence, actually, and it’s the right thing for everyone.”
However not everyone was appalled at the mother’s decision, and some explained that actually the 11-year-old could be left vulnerable alone in the male changing rooms. Another agreed as they posted: “While I appreciate the mum’s discomfort, I also wouldn’t be comfortable sending my son into a male changing room where I assume there would be a similar set-up with grown males and him being naked in the same space.” A third gave a balanced view of the whole situation as they shared: “Of course, I would rather my nine-year-old son be in the changing room with me, but that isn’t other women’s problem.”
Do you have a story to share? Email [email protected].
