To let my son play in the fountain?

[CruCru]

On Thursday we were in Russell Square. My son was keen on the fountain (it is one that you can walk through, set into the ground) and it was hot so I stripped him down to his nappy and let him run through the fountain.

The mix of reactions was quite strange. Older people smiled but the younger office worker crowd looked a bit shocked and disapproving.

I was with him all the time and went in myself (wearing shorts). I had a towelling jumper to shove on him when he was done so he didn't get cold.

[Nomama]

Nope! I'd have smiled too!

Silly buggers, they can sod off and take their suits back to the office. They were probably absolutely, jaw droppingly jealous

[starfishmummy]

Yabu.
All those germs.

[Sneezy]

Nope not at all. We have them here where I live it all the kids play in them. They put them on a setting where they do long and short bursts making it fun for the kids.
People will stare. Maybe they wanted to strip off and run in it too secretly

[Indith]

Just googled a picture. That fountain is an invitation to play if ever I saw one! You have to love a good fountain splodge. This is ds2 the other day. I had to strip him nekkid and crry him back to the car afterwards .

[Indith]

And he obviously isn't the only child to have ever done it! (Those ones are not mine, I just googled)

[lurkerspeaks]

Not sure who the naysayers were. There are always kids in that fountain - I walk past it regularly.

[Thumbwitch]

Oh goodness, if it's one you can walk through then YADNBU! how lovely for your DS. :)

[CatsCantTwerk]

YANBU!

[Andrewofgg]

Oh, sod 'em and good luck.

[Cardinal]

Fountain splashing is one of the great joys of childhood!

YANBU! 'Germs' as a reason not to is laughable. Same kind of parent who doesn't let their kid climb trees and play in the mud.

[D0oinMeCleanin]

Germs?

We don't have any fountains near here We do have the sea though and I'm off work next weekend.

YANBU OP. That fountain looks like it was made for playing in.

[ExitPursuedByABear]

Which Germs?

[splendide]

Sounds like fun. I think you were misinterpreting the office workers though. Unless its the first time they've ever been there on a sunny day I don't believe they were shocked. There are often kids there.

[Hoppinggreen]

We had to collect DH from our town centre station on Friday tea time and I say in the car while the DC (5 and 9) ran in and put of the fountains.
They were those ones that come out of the ground and take you by surprise.
There were lots of kids doing it and it looked like brilliant fun

[gordyslovesheep]

YANBU DD3 has spent much of the lunch time (picnic with a free show) running through the fountains outside the sack of spuds in Brum - we are there every Sat (DD2 has drama club) and I now pack a change of clothes !

[gordyslovesheep]

here!

[CSIJanner]

Bristol Central Promenade

[AmazingMorning]

That sounds very fun! YANBU to let your son play in the fountain.

[ooerrmissus]

My friends and I were in Russell Square the other week and we were splashing in the fountain.

We are in our forties.

[Revenant]

There are always kids playing in the fountains there on hot days. The office workers were probably a bit jealous. I know i am!

[WaitMonkey]

It was probably the nappy on display that caused the shocked faces. Some people don't like nappies on display and think a non toilet trained child should always have something covering the nappy.

[WaitMonkey]

Amazing fountain.

[TheWavesHaveCome]

Germs? I guess some people, probably drunk ones, pee in there.

But then people pee in swimming pools too.

[whynowblowwind]

I personally wouldn't have removed his clothes - if it's that hot, what he had on would have dried, and the children in the pictures seem to be clothed as well.

[Whatdoiknowanyway]

I walk past that fountain every day. Yesterday a very small child, still in nappies, was gingerly walking into the water. The mixture of trepidation, wonder and joy on her face was lovely to see. It's a glorious part of a London summer.

Could people have been worried about your child burning in the sun? That's the only reason I can think of for disapproving looks.