Such a tough one. I didnt have to deal with this as i had all girls but if Id had a boy I can see that we would have had the same arguement. Isnt it sad that we have to think this way.

Even as an adult I would feel unsafe going to some public toilets alone. It is always safer to have a buddy with you. Children should be taught this from an early age. A public toilet is not a safe place for anyone to be alone.

Oh my goodness no way at 5, that’s too young. I don’t have a son but I don’t know when I would let him go alone if I did. Not for a very long time.

My eldest daughter often still wants to come into the same cubicle as me or have me stand right outside the door as she worries at 7. My son I’m hoping will be on the cautious side too.

My eldest is 13 and I’m still uncomfortable; I refused to even consider it till he was 12.

I still don’t like it and one of my kids is double digits

Oh heck no! Five is wayyyy too young to be using a public toilet on their own. My sons both used to act up about this but my “scary mum” voice would come out and that was that. I have known adults who have been attacked in public toilets – I don’t think they are safe for any age in some places! Just find a disabled or parent’s room. It is not worth risking safety!

Always in a group, never ever alone. I even hate using public toilets alone!

My daughters are 13 and 7, I usually say to them to go together or I will be just outside and wait. Never alone

I cant remember how old my kids were to use public toilets by themselves. I always wait close by though, even when they were old enough

I will be very protective of our son, and will have a parent with him for a long time yet!

I have no idea! This actually really freaks me out.
I was just saying to hubby the other day how do we know no creeps have snuck into a school one?!!! Arghhh! So much anxiety!

I think is is individual to the situation

Depends on the child and the neighbourhood I guess.

This is a hard one all depends on the child but I have 2 daughters and they always went all together but for boys now thats a hard one

This is such a hard one. But for me, double digits at least – 10 and up.

I always used to worry about letting my boys go to the public toilets on their own. I handled this by checking no one was in their first and then they would go in but I would wait at the entrance until they came out. I would sometimes get funny looks but I honestly didn’t care. I was looking after my boys and that was all that mattered to me. I truly think that if I didn’t think they’d get all embarrassed I would have walked in first just to check.

Ahhhh so scary! This I somethings that makes me so anxious! I don’t know what I’ll do!!

My hubby let my son go on his own first when he was at the Shopping Centre with him. I was shocked when we were all together and my son just went to the toilet whilst we were having a coffee. I then learned my son and hubby had a deal and he could see the entry/exit to the toilet; and he was checking his watch to determine what was reasonable. My son was quite comfortable, me less so, but I went with it. I can’t recall the age, but certainly younger than I had thought. He was at school, so probably around 6 or 7.

I don’t know a good age. No public toilets are safe anymore. My son doesn’t like using the female toilets anymore. If his dad isn’t with us and depending on where we are, I walk in there to make sure it is safe for him! Otherwise ladies it is!