'AITA for telling a 10 year-old boy to get out of the women’s restroom? His mom yelled.'
"AITA for telling a boy to get out of the women’s restroom?"
A couple of days ago when I (26F) went to use the restaurant at a local establishment I saw a boy in the woman’s restroom. He had to be around 10 years old.
I did what I believe any person with sense has and told him to get out of here, he looked at me confused and I asked him are you a girl? He replied and then I yelled at him to leave right now.
His mom was in the bathroom and may have not liked how I raised my voice and cursed me out and screamed that I can get out of the bathroom.
I was thinking other women in the restroom would say something to her but no one did and instead looked at me like I was crazy. I walked out of the restroom feeling embarrassed. This lady then followed me out and tried to get me thrown out of the restaurant.
While I’m in the middle of waiting for my meal I have the owner come up to my table before my food even comes out and asks ME and my friend to leave.
My friend was confused because I didn’t tell her what happened in the restroom. I didn’t want to cause a scene so I just left. My friend was demanding to know what happened in the restroom and when I told her she told me that I ruined her morning and asked me what was wrong with me.
I told her boys should be in the boys bathroom and girls should be in the girls bathroom but she said I sound dumb and he was a little boy and that his mom probably didn’t want him to go in the male restroom alone.
After hearing her say that I started to feel like I was wrong. So I am asking anonymously, WITA? Edit: English is not my first language, please excuse my grammar.
Here's how the commenters took the situation.
Chldshcalrissian
YTA. i used to go into the men'a restroom with my father when we were out and it was just me and him; it's literally just a precaution so no one messes with your kid and so you can keep an eye on them.
also, IT'S A KID. what is a kid gonna do to anyone in a bathroom besides be a kid?! i would've yelled at you too if you had the audacity to scream at my kid while we're just trying to use the bathroom. you yelled at a CHILD. one who you ASSUME is 10, but could've been younger.
oh, and lastly. it's a restroom. no one is assaulting anyone, despite whatever propaganda news you're reading/watching. you have a unisex bathroom in your house; don't use public restrooms if you're that paranoid.
He_Who_Is_Person
Don't you all just love it that the #1 modern justification for any behavior at all is "my beliefs justify me!" Enough of that bootstrapping crap, OP. YTA.
Screaming at someone's kid in the bathroom is unhinged, esp. since someone by the sink isn't going to see into the stalls.
You should have assumed that his mother dragged him in. A misbehaving kid who tries to peep in a woman's restroom isn't going to just stand around in the open waiting to be caught. Basically, think before you act.
Fianna9
I enjoy the excuse of “so I did what anyone would do” No. No you didn’t. Because most people don’t scream at random children.
ididitforcheese
YTA. You have no right to “yell” at a kid, he has a right to exist in society, and what harm exactly do you think a 10 year old is going to do in a bathroom? There are a lot of things you could have done before yelling became necessary.
Did you even think for a moment about what a kid his age is supposed to do if he’s there with just his mother and needs to use the bathroom? Would you recommend she send him to a men’s room unaccompanied?
Do you realise the impact on a small child being yelled at by a strange adult? And finally, WTF is wrong with you?
Competitve_Delay865
YTA, there is no excuse to yell, curse and scream at a 10 year for being in a public bathroom. He was no threat to you, he was waiting for his mum.
Sandmint
YTA. The women's room has stalls. Even if a young boy (10yos are fourth* graders!) is waiting by the sinks, the stalls still provide the necessary privacy to use the restroom.
Good on the owner for kicking you out. You say you "didn't want to cause a scene" but you already caused one by, you know, yelling at a child in the restroom. *grade correction
Subject_Degree5511
YTA. Young kids typically use whatever bathroom their parent deems to be most safe or convenient option. Nothing sinister about it. There was zero reason to feel threatened by a 10 year old child in a bathroom, and absolutely no justification for screaming at a random child in public.
It was right of the restaurant to kick you out, because you harassed other customers and caused a scene.
Beautiful-Report58
Info: Why were you afraid of a child in the bathroom? Was he threatening you or acting hostile? Did he approach you in an inappropriate way? I’m trying to understand your visceral reaction because I’ve never heard of anything like it.
Available-Maize5837
YTA This boy's mum probably didn't feel safe having him either go to the boy's room by himself, or have him wait outside while she used the ladies. Not one other person there seemed to have a problem with this because they all looked at you like you were the crazy one. Spoiler alert.... You were.