to allow 3 year old DD to be naked on the beach?

[FredQuimby]

We were on a beach in the SW yesterday and it was, of course, a scorcher! DD wanted to run around naked and I said ok. After a while I noticed she was the only naked person on the beach. All the other children had swimsuits on etc.

Was IBU to allow her to be naked? Is this something that's frowned upon these days? I did notice on man (a dad) looking a bit confused, but that could have just been his natural expression! :)

Pants or a swimming costume don't stop sand getting anywhere, though.

i really don't like seeing children running around the beach or any other public place in the rude.

i don't know where to look and i bet there is alot of other people who would feel uncomfotable.

But do you understand that that's your problem, McHappyPants?

The way I see it, you have issues about nakedness (which I expect are totally understandable, I imagine you had the idea that nakedness is wrong or dirty ingrained into you at some point?) and this makes you feel uncomfortable.

But in reality, there is nothing actually wrong with children running around naked - your feelings are to do with your social conditioning, not because the children doing anything wrong. It's up to you to find a way to deal with your feelings of discomfort (a good start might be to think about where you got the idea that being naked is wrong from) - it's not up to the children to put clothes on IMO.

That's the way I see it anyway!

i do understand these are my feelings and there is nothing wrong with children being naked (as long as they have sun cream on)

But you have to take piks so u can pin them on a cork board in the kitchen and embarrass the life out of your teens.

Best revenge for the tantrums and sleepless nights ever.

i have never liked it, nothing to do with peado's, just wonder about what happens when they fall over, no protection.

Run free naked babies! I genuinely feel sorry for anyone who feels uncomfortable by the sight of innocent pudgy bottoms on the sand.

YABU to go to the beach. All that sand. Awful places.

Yeah but to be fair, some parents of naked children make others around them feel uncomfortable.

Can you imagine being a man sitting on the beach, idly watching the kids playing around him like we all do....then can you imagine some parents accusing him of 'looking funny' or his gaze lingering too long when all he might be thinking about is getting fish and chips for lunch?

I can to be honest.

McHappyPants2012 sorry reading my post back it seems harsher than I meant it! I hope you didn't think I was having a go!

Both DCs used to run around naked when they were that age. Obviously I always made sure they were well covered with sun cream but apart from that I don't see any problem.

Let them decide when they want to start covering up - DS now wears shorts but DD still likes to be naked whenever possible. Fortunately she is now old enough to understand that there are times when she has to stay dressed!

Totally, I have seen parents looking suspiciously at the elderly man who sits for ages in our local playground. He has a guide dog and a white stick FFS, I seriously doubt he is perving on your kids! I expect he just likes listening to children playing

I think running around in your back garden is fine (how lovely to be free !) but TBH, I don't like seeing naked kids around.

You don't know who's looking & what their thinking...

Reading the posts back, I don't have a problem with nakedness for me/ my Dc's. We had great fun swimming naked in our holiday swimming pool.

I just hate the idea of someone getting kicks out of watching.

Aw naked babes running free! YANBU!

Run free naked babies

I let mine go naked on occasion, DS1(just 8) wouldn't do it in a public place anymore.

Oh coconutty, that made me shiver.How bloody awful.

Its a balance isnt it - do you know that and let it stop you letting your children play in this way, or do you accept that that will happen, but let the children play with less clothes on a sunny day.
TBH in general paedophiles are looking for something a little more than what you see on a sunny day at the beach.

"You don't know who's looking & what their thinking..."

but this is true in all situations. You don't know what people are thinking about you or your DCs on the bus, in the street, wherever. People could be perving on you when you have your clothes on! But so what?! You can't change what people think.

Can't you see how self-defeating it is to stop doing something you want to (if you do) because of what you imagine other people to be thinking?!

I think it is fine!

My DC only started covering up when they were about 6, but then, I am from Scandinavia and we have fewer hang ups about nakedness and don't equate nakedness with something sexual

being naked is about freedom, really, isn't it? Swimming naked is fab.

DS who is 9 will still walk/run around naked in the house/garden. I would never force him to cover up, or be naked, it is his choice. No naked dinners though!

But I can see this is one of those topics where I will feel acutely that I will never really be British...

"being naked is about freedom, really, isn't it?" absolutely (and I am (mostly) British!)

"when we were children there was a bit outdoor paddling pool we all played in in either knickers or nothing, no body thought anything of it."

I think it's a shame attitudes have changed so much in relatively a short period of time,

YABU - the only issue is sun protection and you had sorted that