Bikini for a 5 year old

[Charlavail]

Yes or no

Why don’t they wear rash vests in Spain?

to answer the OP - I think the one you’ve posted is fine. For my DC (boy and girl) they’ve always had rash vests plus bottoms when we’ve been abroad as I wanted them to have maximum sun protection.

We haven’t been any where hot for 3 years due to Covid so now DD is 12 and has bought her first bikinis. She looks nice in them and I have also bought her a rash vest zip up thing that she can wear when the sun is at its strongest.

I wouldn't put a 5 year old in a little string bikini but my lot used to wear this type of thing when they were younger (probably shorter top). They are now teenagers and wear far too little items of clothing on their perfect bodies.

No.

Why don’t they wear rash vests in Spain?

Few children are fair skinned so not really needed for sun protection. You just layer up in sunscreen (and not even that unless you’re in the sun 12-3pm). Wearing a rash vest would make me feel too hot!!

We put factor 50 sunscreen on our kids bodies in Spain, just like their legs, faces etc..

my DD favours Bodens short style bottoms. No top needed.

Mine both had bikinis although preferred to just wear the bottoms when they were little and we were at the beach. One of them just had some red shorts for a few years as she loved them so much.
suncream and reapplication, limited exposure to the sun anyway, easy to go to the toilet when they can just pull the bottoms down. Wrangling small childrens entire wet swimming costumes down for them to sit on a loo multiple times is not fun.
You do what you want and feel is fine for your kids.

My DD really wanted one when she was 5 so we said ok. I do agree with the people who say no, and didn't encourage it, but also didn't really see the point of digging my heels in when DD just really wanted one!

Mn opinion no is OK if you just admit you think it's common and chavvy. Not OK if you think it makes girls vulnerable to aexual judgement. Because that is your problem, not theirs. Girls should be told they can wear what they want. Obviously if they want a string thing that's not great but you would probably want to look at what an 8 year old is exposed to that makes her want that.

But a one piece also covers "tits"

I bought my daughter (nearly 10) a bikini as that's what she wanted for our holiday. I don't always abide to what she wants but she hates the rolling of a one piece when she needs the loo. She has some sensory issues, very sensitive to some fabrics.

The main thing OP is you're happy for her to wear it.

No-one else in Europe wears rash vests, including other countries holidaying in Southern Europe. They are too hot, sticky and restrictive. Would you want to wear one? All children, boys and girls, just wear bottoms, and have cream applied. No-one burns. When it gets too hot/midday everyone goes into the shade or inside.

We wear them in France and I’ve seen them a lot in other European countries. I don’t understand how they are sticky, and if anything they are cooler as they stay wet for longer keeping you cool.

Yes, the logic is bit absurd here. Some would want to put girls into one piece because it coveres tits without looking like covering tits.
The need to completely undress to pee is a special gift they give small girls just because they don't see the difference between sexy lingerie and sporty two piece.

If bottom only is fine and one piece is fine, practically everything between must be fine as well.

My DD is ginger so it's rash vest, covered shoulders for any outdoor swimming. Is also quite sensitive to factor 50 sunscreen as the heavier ones consistently bring her up in blotches but I've found some factor 30s that don't cause the same reaction. So I tend to put her in more clothes to reduce the amount of sunscreen...

Rash vest separates are way better than the all in ones for practical (toilet, changing) reasons.

I don't wear bikinis because they cost £££ for a size that would (probably) stay on.

Sensible separates are also better at fitting awkwardly sized children - say those who are long and narrow, or have a shorter body.

I believe it depends on the style. If it's a little crop top with bottoms which are obviously designed and made for a young child (by way of graphics, like Minnie Mouse or whatever), then I see absolutely no issue with a child wearing a two-piece swimsuit. If, on the other hand, the bottoms are skimpy and/or the top is designed to LOOK like a bra for an older teen or adult, then it's a no from me.

My daughter is only two and pretty much non-verbal so not able to make her own decisions on swimwear yet. She has an all in one swimsuit for indoor swimming and using her garden paddling pool in the shade. She also has a huge scar across her tummy from major surgery she had as a newborn. That surgery saved her life, and I want to raise her not to be ashamed of it at all. That said, I'll keep it covered in public pools (just to avoid stares from others) until she is old enough to make a decision herself whether she minds it being visible or not and if she wants to wear a two piece swimsuit, I'll help her find one that's most suitable for her.

It's all about common sense and compromise, I feel.