Naked kids on the beach - would you let them?

[ssd]

I mean would you let your say 6 year old play naked on the beach?

Today thanks to the sun at last we went to the beach, it was fairly busy. A family next to us let their approx. 6 year old boy play around the waters edge naked for a while before the cold got to him and he put on pants as in underpants. The other kids ages about 3 - 9 years old were playing in their underpants (all boys).

Now I'm not prudish but I don't think its acceptable to let a child play on a beach naked, nor would I want an older child playing in his pants. My ds1 would never play and run around in front of strangers in only his pants and he's 7, the other kids I mean were older than him.

I don't care what anyone does at home or in their garden, but I'd want them dressed more appropriately at a beach.

What do you think?

[desperatehousewife]

I wouldn't mind it at all. Underpants look the same as swimming trunks anyway. Personal viewpoint though.

[Nemo1977]

I wouldnt let ds play naked on beach or in garden. He does run around naked at home and he is only 19mths but tbh i think

1. u dont know who is looking and i know its bad to think that way but its about trying to protect your kids
   
2. the weather if it is hot and sunny i try to cover him wiht shorts n t shirt then cream up everywhere else..i can imagine putting cream on his tinky..lol

[Nemo1977]

meant to say i dont mind the underpants its just being naked

[GRMUM]

Sorry but I think there are far more important things to worry about than this. If he wasn't embarrassed why should you be. I can guarantee that by age 10 (at the latest) he will be covering up!

[stitch]

i wouldnt like it.
home is different. the beach is a public place.

[Fran1]

Oh what is the world coming to!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes i would let do and will let my dd run around naked on the beach, i'm sure at some point she'll decide she would rather wear clothes. Shes only 2.5 now.

If esp hot then i'd put her in a tshirt so she doesn't burn but she'd still be naked waist down.

It's what i always did as a child, and wouldn't bat an eyelid at anyone else doing it, whatever their age/sex.

[jessicasmummy]

not bothered up to the age of say 6/7 - after that i think you should be covered.

little girl next door the other day running around with just a t-shirt on - why not?!

when jess is old enough, i would elt her too.... as long as it isnt TOO hot

[emily05]

totally agree with Fran1

[lucy5]

I let dd who is 4.5 run around naked on the beach but i dont think I would at 7 , i'd leave her pants on. Whether she would keep them on is another thing, she's definetly a naturist at heart. I don't know where she gets it from, it's not me or dh. She's always stripping off, which doesnt go down with the Spanish especially in December when they are in Fur coats and balaclavas.

[Fran1]

ssd if your child chose to take their clothes off because they were hot, or just cos they saw others naked, would you force them to put them back on?

[LGJ]

Fran1


My twin............

[stitch]

i would feel visually assaulted.
why should i be forced to see some childs bits.....
same as i am assaulted by the mounds of pale wobbly flesh i have to see as soon as the sun comes out in england.
but i am in the minority.
private parts are called private for a reason.

[Fran1]

lol

[swiperfox]

It's a bit of both really these days - there's so much awareness of paedophiles etc that it would always be in your mind wh is looking at them but at the same time when i was little all the kids used to run around naked on the beach and no-one thought twice about it - it was just fun and carefree.

It makes me sad that we have to think twice about it.

[Fran1]

omg i am shocked that some of you feel this way, and think i better leave soon before the steam comes out my ears.

But, do you not think its important for your children to love their bodies and enjoy them as long as poss before they grow up and have flabby bits?

I'd worry about giving my child a complex if i constantly tried to keep her covered up.

[lucy5]

paedophiles will look at your kids whether they have clothes on or not. DD was approached by a right weirdo at the airport last week offering her a sweet. There is such a short time when they can have freedom and no inhibitions, I think let them make the most of it and not make them body conscious before they have to be.

[lucy5]

Fran1 SNAP!

[Blossomhill]

Unfortunately as sad as I think it is I would not let my children go naked anywhere in public.
You jsut can't trust anyone these days and I don't want to take any chances that some paedo. is lurking around looking at my kids. I am even funny about the costumes I put dd in, they have to really cover her up. The other thing is that I am also paranoid about so do tend to put a t-shirt on them as well for extra protection.

[swiperfox]

didn't really answer the question did i? lol I would definately let them run around naked - although it might cross my mind not to I still would and totally agree with fran1 and lucy5

[Cooperoo]

I can't see it as a problem. DD often wanders around the house naked and in the garden with just a t-shirt on and I wouldn't hide her just because somebody came to the door. The only reason I wouldn't do it here is because of the strength of the sun as others have mentioned. I am in Cyprus and so dd is in a protective sunsuit and hat if we are at the beach. I think as long as the child was happy then it is no problem. It is more important to me that they are comfortable in their bodies. It is an interesting one though. How do people feel about topless sunbathing??

[Cooperoo]

Topless adult ladies I mean.

[Chickyboo]

Oh my god! I've just realised I must be really liberal.
I also agrees that peodophiles look at children with or without clothes.

[Heathcliffscathy]

and we wonder why we have a massively high teen pregnancy rate, and a totally warped attitude to sex and our bodies. i'm really sorry but to have a problem with a child's 'bits', to feel 'visually assualted' by them implies some serious issues to me...

[Blossomhill]

I am afraid it is the world we live in today. Shouldn't be this way but as it is I for one am keeping my 2 covered !!!!