Young Boys and Bathrooms

I had dinner this evening with a friend, her husband and their 2 children.  We really had a nice time. I love it when there is a man there to take my son to the bathroom with him.  My friend (whose son is 4) commented that having a boy is great because she can hand off the potty job to her husband.  But what's a single mom to do? Now Ryan is big enough that I don't worry about him falling in, and young enough that I'm not worried about him vandalizing the place (except from playing around and splashing sink water, does that count?) so that means my main worry is from the outside.  I am worried about pedophiles, kidnappers, and (because of a story told to me by a mother when I was a teen) people who cut little boys privates off in bathrooms while their mothers wait outside.  You might think this would make me an overprotective mother who would still take her teen aged son into the ladies room with her.  Not so, rather, I do usually allow my 7 year old son to go into the mens room by himself.  This is only because I have no qualms about invading the mens room .  I am perfectly willing to barge in there if necessary, and have done so on (rare) occasions.  So far there have not been any men in there when I did so, but I am aware that it is a possibility that I may one day feel the need to barge in on some poor man, convinced he is a sicko, because he happened to go in while my son was going #2 and taking for-ever.  But the safety of my child is at stake, and since he has reached the age where he is embarrassed to go in the Ladies room, I reserve that right.  None the less, I am relieved when a male aquaintance (usually a friends husband) takes him with them and saves me the 5 minutes of  pacing, standing guard outside the door, (You won't believe the looks I get) preceded by "Is there anyone in there?", oh and then my favorite-"I didn't hear a flush." Followed by "Oh I forgot!" and another 20 seconds of pacing, usually ending with "Go back and wash your hands-With Soap!"

Which reminds me-What does it take to get a boy to remember to flush?  Ever since he was potty trained, I have found myself flushing for him at least daily.  I have tried charging for it, (we're up to 75 cents a flush- the boy owes me about 2 years allowance) reminders, notes on the mirror and the door, I cannot think of another thing to do.  Are all young boys this way? If it was just urine I could handle that but no, it never is in fact it usually starts because I can smell it from downstairs.  And just when you think it can't get any worse-there's never any evidence of toilet paper usage.  Doesn't that get irritating to the skin?  Or itchy or something?  You wouldn't know from him.  I have bought the special "Kandoo" wipes, (Dried out and thrown away, barely touched) I've even asked him about it, and warned him that it could get itchy or painful, that he could wind up with a rash or an infection-I swear he does not care! Being a boy he doesn't worry about hand washing either.  Well at least he knows for sure there's no BM on his hands.  And don't get me started about not closing the door...even with company in the house!
I think little girls may have it right-"Boys are Yucky"