Your children should not be climbing up onto any sinks...wall mount, with vanity or with stand. That stand will not prevent a child from injuring himself. I doubt that visitors will just decide to climb up onto your sink. Discipline your children and you will save them from serious injury. They can knock their teeth out by just falling off of a sink without the sink even coming down.

I told my son in no uncertain terms that what he was doing was dangerous and he shouldn't do it again. But I do think that there's a risk of visiting kids either climbing up or just lifting their bodies by leaning their arms on it. It's something lots of kids do, and I can't discipline the ones that aren't mine. We tend to do things like host the kindergarten class potluck, so there are sometimes quite a lot of excited kids running around. (My younger son has already pulled 1 towel rack off a wall by being insufficiently careful.)

So I guess I agree with you that kids shouldn't do it, but I'd like to have a little bit less rather than more to worry about. Do you think one type or the other of sink is safer with respect to this issue?

with young children, if possible, don't install a wall mount sink, you're just asking for trouble..I'd likley also steer clear of a pedestal sink for the same reasons, unless it is a seldom used bathroom

Open the wall to the studs, and then put 2 by 6 blocking screwed securely into the framing in the wall at the location that the sink will attach to the wall. I don't know if that will support the weight of a child, though.

You might consider dedicating a step stool to the bath until the kids are large enough. Another option is to put the blocking in now, and install a vanity for a few years until the kids are older, then install the wall-mount.

This is interesting! I met with our designer this morning, and she says it'll be strong enough, since it's really attached to the structure of the house, and after all people put all their weight on wall-mount toilets and grab-bars in showers. Does that sound believeable to qdognj and brewbeer? I'm not sure whether to tell her I don't believe her or not?
thanks!

the difference is leverage..the grab bar sticks out 4"+-, the sink will hang 16-18" off the wall..The idea of it actually ripping completely off the wall is minimal, but damaging the drywall/caulking of sink can easily happen

A cast iron sink correctly bolted to framing will stay put with few problems.
Many public restrooms still use this type of installation.
Lag screws can eventually come loose.
Through bolting with large washers against the wood will hold up fine.
I usually mount the 2x in the wall, lay the sink plate against it and drill matching holes.
The bolts are then put through large washers (or even square of scrap steel about 2x2 inches), then a nut is attached to hold them in position.
The bolts stick through the drywall (or cement board and tile) far enough to put nylon self locking bolts to hold the sink to the wall (or the bracket that the sink then attaches to).
A couple of 3/8 bolts will hold just about anything you can dish out.

Janet: This just isn't something to worry about. Install the sinks per manufacturer's instructions, please.

"I would never consider a vanity that wasn't floor mounted, just for my own safety."

Six years and it hasn't budged:

And no, the sides aren't screwed to the walls either.

@Joseph, great job on installing that vanity.

When I called the manufacturer of the high quality pedestal sink I bought, they said that if climbed on, it could break even if installed per manufacturer's instructions.

Janet, that is why they are recommending a cat iron sink. Porcelain or clay sinks can break. A cast iron sink that is enameled with porcelain is much sturdier.

Now, where to find one! Other than the Kohler Brockway and it’s smaller cousin, the Bannon, there are a few. https://www.us.kohler.com/us/browse/bathroom-bathroom-sinks/_/N-2562Z1z141ryZ1z13vg8?Nr=AND(product.language:English,P_market:KPNASite)

https://www.efaucets.com/detail.asp?product_id=K-2705-0#specifications
Here is the Hampton.

https://www.efaucets.com/detail.asp?product_id=k-2868-0
And the Hudson.

@Joseph, how did you install that sink so it was so secure?

I've been reading old posts about them falling off the walls.

I removed the drywall and screwed plywood to the studs in its place, then screwed the cabinet to the plywood.

How thick was the plywood? Did the screws go into the studs as well as the plywood?

for the pedestal sink I thought to install but might return, a 2x6 was put inbetween the studs and screwed to the studs. The pedestal would be screwed into the 2x6.

That will work fine.