My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

AIBU?

Kids running around naked in the park

151 replies

MrsGPotter · 17/08/2011 23:19

Not sure what to think about this one.

We were sat in a huge garden type place in York and a family were sat nearby with two little girls aged (at a guess) 2 and 4. Both girls were completely naked and running around the park carefree. The park was full of students, tourists, locals, kids etc etc. On more than one occasion the eldest girl wandered off away from her parents and made her way across the park, up the steps and towards the back of the park with mum (fully dressed, thankfully) half heartedly following a few minutes after she'd set off.

Everyone was looking. A few people complaining quietly. A few people blatently uncomfortable with it all and a few people smiling at them. The mother seemed to be loving the attention to be honest and almost seemed like she was parading the girl around the park ("come on Honey, let's walk over this way!") - yes right past a few group of American tourists Hmm

I can't quite make up my mind how I feel about this. On one hand of course kids should be able to run around naked but on the other hand - is it sensible, really?

OP posts:
Report
worraliberty · 17/08/2011 23:24

Why is it not sensible?

As long as they're in the park and not sitting naked in a restaurant, what's the issue here?

Report
squeakytoy · 17/08/2011 23:28

Are American Tourists a particularly known threat???

Report
worraliberty · 17/08/2011 23:29

Perhaps they cover children in hamburger relish and eat them?

Report
MrsGPotter · 17/08/2011 23:31

haha no I didn't mean that against Americans! What I meant is the group were being particularly loud and drawing attention to themselves (would have been the same wherever they were from I suppose) and the mum just happened to want to walk her DD that way knowing full well it would draw more attention to her. It was just as if she couldn't get enough of the attention she was drawing. One other little girl shouted "oh mum she has no clothes on!" and her mum replied "yes well you're keeping yours on".

OP posts:
Report
squeakytoy · 17/08/2011 23:33

You dont like loud americans either then? Grin

If they were drawing attention to themselves.. had they actually noticed a fully dressed woman dragging her naked child past them?

Report
worraliberty · 17/08/2011 23:34

But I think the fact two small naked kids in the park with their mum draws any kind of attention...says more about the onlookers than the mum and kids..no?

Report
reelingintheyears · 17/08/2011 23:37

American tourists are a well known threat...

Didn't anyone else know that?...Hmm

Report
MadamDeathstare · 17/08/2011 23:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

2BoysTooLoud · 18/08/2011 07:41

I would do a double take at naked children in the park/playground.
For those who think ok, at what age would the kids have to be for you to feel 'uncomfortable'? 5? 6? 8? 10?

Report
whatsallthehullaballoo · 18/08/2011 07:57

I would pull a catsbum face.....There is no need for them to be running around naked! How strange. Whether justified or not it makes others uncomfortable. Seems like the other was showing off how liberal she is.

Report
SleepyFergus · 18/08/2011 08:03

YANBU. Sadly this shouldn't happen, and yes I know we came into the world naked, and it's our natural state blah blah blah, but not in a public park when heavens knows who's watching.

In their own private back garden yes, but not here.

Report
MorelliOrRanger · 18/08/2011 08:06

This world has gone completely bonkers, so what, they are tiny and they don't care. The way people react is their problem not the childrens. Saying that, I wouldn't want my daughter charging around naked TBH, but she's 4 and she's growing out of stripping off now so I think they learn what is classed as normal.

Good grief - not everyone is a bloody peodophile (sp?).

In answer to above. 2boys I think children learn themselves what is acceptable in public and I don't think many 5 year olds would be running about naked. Ohh Madam ever heard of suncream???

Report
ginmakesitallok · 18/08/2011 08:07

what about on a beach? I don't see the problem myself

Report
LynetteScavo · 18/08/2011 08:08

There's a time and a place for every thing.

Personally I wouldn't let my DD be naked in a public park....parks are genteel places in my mind. (I'm laughing at myself here)

However, I would let my DC get naked if padding in a lake in the middle of nowhere. When I say middle of nowhere, I mean the country side with only a few people wandering past.

I can well imagine some mums love to make a point about parading their children around naked. (I can imagine my Sis was one such mother).

Was there a paddling pool? There usually ends up being at least one naked child when there is a paddling pool.

And Americans are much more prudish than even the British. It will give them something to write home about.

Report
LynetteScavo · 18/08/2011 08:11

Now, I think naked children on the beach, fine...but think little girls shouldn't be topless in a public swimming pool.

I have my own special rules in my head.

Report
exoticfruits · 18/08/2011 08:19

This is the second thread on this subject. It used to be quite normal. I am coming to the conclusion that we are going bonkers in this country! They are very young-how can anyone object?

Report
MoominsAreScary · 18/08/2011 08:42

Don't see the need for it, think it would make alot of people uncomfortable, I know it would make my 8 year old uncomfortable he doesn't like to see my niece naked and she's only 1,

Report
tallulah · 18/08/2011 09:05

I don't like it either and don't think it is necessary. We've been to a couple of places recently with children playing in fountains/ other sources of water. Most who've not got swimming costumes have gone in in pants and vest/ T shirt, but there is always one family who thinks naked is acceptable. Little tiny toddlers are likely to have an "accident" which is really unhygienic, and some of the children do seem to be too old- school age.

I will say as well that I normally insist my DD (4) has a shirt on because of sun damage. There is evidence that most skin damage is caused in childhood. My mum was always of the opinion we needed sun and we were never covered up (in the days before decent sunscreen) so I think that has pushed me the other way.

Report
traceybeaker · 18/08/2011 09:16

I do not wish to see naked children running around anywhere, there is no need.

I do not want to see them at the beach in a park or in their garden when I am visiting, there is no need.

Report
PPPop · 18/08/2011 09:28

I'm not sure what people are uncomfortable with here. Is it a hygeine thing? I can understand wanting non-potty trained children to cover their bottoms, but otherwise I don't see the problem with children stripping off to splash around if they have forgotten their swimming gear and its a hot day. No wonder our health and safety rules in this country have gone mad.

And do people really make a deliberate effort to parade their children around naked? My children strip off faster than I can stop them, I don't parade them around, I am normally chasing them around the park trying to get their clothes back on! I have never seen anyone parade their children around.

Children should be exposed to sunshine in moderation. Its good for them; you need sun exposure for vitamin D.

Report
grubbalo · 18/08/2011 09:35

So in other words everyone has a different line to draw as to what is acceptable and what isn't. How about we all just concentrate on worrying about our own children instead of everyone elses? By all means stop your 2 year old running round naked if it bothers you that that man over there just could be yet another paedo (yeah, cos they've only existed in the last 20 years), but please don't stop me. I'm quite happy to judge the situation accordingly. I agree a lot of it's to do with hygiene - I wouldn't let them sit naked in the supermarket trolley for example.

And do you know - I even let my 4 year old run around the beach naked this summer. I must be a TERRIBLE paedophile encouraging parent, rather than just thinking it's actually quite nice that they are happy, having fun, enjoying themselves. If it upsets other adults in that situation, then I think it says a lot more about them than it does me.

Report
lisad123 · 18/08/2011 09:37

I don't see a problem if there a need to be naked eg paddling pool or splash park but in general park, no!
My kids have to sit on that slide and swing after wards. Grin
It's wasn't that hot yesterday anyways

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

ChunkyPickle · 18/08/2011 09:49

Unless there was a fountain or similar, I would generally keep mine at least vaguely dressed, but I don't see a problem with kids being naked in a park - I certainly don't think they should cover up because someone else feels uncomfortable about it - only if they themselves feel uncomfortable about it.

Like many here, I have a set of un-examined rules in my head, which like Lynette categorizes parks as genteel, places, with football and dogs rather than running around naked places - but to each his own.

Report
whoneedssleepanyway · 18/08/2011 09:49

I dont think kids should run around naked in a park at any age.

It has nothing to do with paedos or anything like that.

Quite simply people don't run around naked in parks end of, so why is it ok for little children. Fine in the privacy of the home or secluded beach but why should they be allowed to do something in public that isn't acceptable for adults to do.

Maybe I am a prude but I don't see how this is any different to teaching them what is and isn't acceptable behaviour how is a park different from any other public place. Would it be ok to run around naked in a museum? No, so why is it ok in a park?

Report
PPPop · 18/08/2011 09:56

Adults (generally) don't climb trees, play with barbies or ride scooters either. You can't draw a direct comparison of a child playing to what an adult would do.

Parks are for playing. Big difference to a museum.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.