to wonder why Y3 girls are not allowed to wear bikinis

[catwoo]

for school swimming.Apparently tankinis aren't allowed either. DD only has one piece costumes but taher fancies a bikini (she has an older sister).She has been questioning why not and it has made me wonder too.Boys can and do wear speedos which are essentially bikini bottoms, so why must a 7 yr old girl's midriff be covered and not a 7 yo boy's?

i looked at the two pictures and found the first one repulsive. the second one was just tasteless and style-free.

Nothing wrong with that speedo 2 piece except it is more likely that part of it will be lost in the chaos. However if 2 pieces are allowed then this would be allowed and that really isn't suitable for jumping in/diving or changing very quickly. Saying one piece only just makes it an easily enforceable rule.

By the end of Y3 some of the girls will be pushing 9 and may well be developing breasts. Whilst it is marvellous that they feel so uninhibited that they can be topless in public it isn't really appropriate or fair on the staff. It would be even worse if they said some girls could go topless and others couldn't because of the stage of breast development they are at.

I think its safe to say the first one is style free too. I don't find it repulsive, merely ugly.

If the rule was two-pieces are allowed with no qualifications, some idiot would put their child in a string triangle bikini, which I hope you will agree is horribly impractical at the best of times, especially if you ave no bosoms to hold the triangle in the right place.

If the rule was some two-pieces are allowed the teachers would have to make decisions about what was right and argue as to who should not be allowed to do swimming because they hadn't brought the right kit (which is unfair on the children).

So it's much easier to say only one-pieces allowed.

Agree absolutely with THETrills (are you shouting Trills or are you another someone else entirely?).

7 year old girl, swimming during school hours, dresses according to the school's rules.

THERhubarb made me do it. :)

Kids tend to go by a trend, if one has a bikini then all want it and at her age there will be some kids who have boobs, s o if the top rides up....it covers the school so all the kids look the same and don't experience the issues of a bikini.

Tbh, bikinis aren't for serious swimming or learning swimming, they are for fun and relaxing. I've had (since age 11) a bikini go north way too many times!

I don't get the argument that bikinis sexualise young girls by covering up their non existent breasts, as one pieces do that as well. I do see the point in this instance that it is probably about the practicality more than anything, so them specifying one pieces seems reasonable to me.

nightowlmostly Depends on what age we are talking about, several of my friends started growing breasts at 9 so it can sexualise if they are developing. And I've seen little, little kids wearing string or 'push up' (buggers knows where they got them!) bikini's at my local pool.

I dont see that bikinis "sexualise" young girls, I do think they are impractical for school swimming though.

I think bikini = bad, but a two peice that looks like a one peice i think would be acceptable as someone pointed out upthread, much easier when they need a wee

Most schools (and swimming lessons outside school) expect one piece costumes for girls and trunks (not shorts) for boys. Can't see a problem.

My D (8) is Victorian in her attitude and wears an extended costume, down to her knees, and also has sleeves (is the sun care type). :o

So, as I said, I go with the swimming group from school to the pool. Girls can't wear only the bottom half of a bikini, we take year 3 and 4 and some girls definitely have breast buds before the end of year 4.

The hair brushing thing is if your child has long hair, they often take out the pony tail or plait you/partner put in and they usually madly towel dry their hair leaving it tangled. They then attempt to brush their hair and some start at the top of their head meaning that they get their hairbrush tangled in their hair half way down. I have to untangle it. If they start brushing the bottom of their hair first they can work out the knots.

I understand that some parents would be sensible about choosing a two piece but there would always be one who would give their child a skimpy bikini probably one the child wore on holiday and I think you are working on the assumption that all parents are approachable. Some take major offence if you ask them not to send their child in to school in non-uniform knee high boots or a two piece swim suit.

We had a child in a one piece swimming costume but it had a hole cut out of the back and someone had put a temporary tattoo on the child's back so you could see it because of the hole. Next thing, all the girls wanted it.

Well, if they aren't all in speedos / plain bikini bottoms, why aren't they all in one piece suits then - that way everyone is equal - and let's face it some of the fatter boys have moobs, which, I'm sure those sensitive staff, that someone mentioned up thread, would agree, look a lot better covered up!

FWIW a two piece that looks like a one piece is a much better option if it is the rule that the girls only have to cover up, as it's quicker and more convenient for going to the loo, rather than having to give yourself a wedgie trying to get the always too tight straps off your shoulders to pull the entire cossie off to pee. That way if a girl is developing, she doesn't have to flash her breasts in the stalls (doors not always lockable)

I still think that speedos bottoms for all is the way to go with the option of a tee shirt top for everyone who wants one.

Better still though is having girls only swim times and boys only swim times - that way there are twice as many showers available

The think I always hated about swimming lessons was the mad rush after the class to shower dry myself and hair and change in 10 minutes - why not make it 15? Or should all girls have short hair like the boys also?

Bikinis are rubbish for swimming in at any age. Female swimmers wear one pieces usually., Bikinis are fashion items for emphasising your breasts and getting more of a suntan, both of which are inappropriate for school swimming lessons.

simples...its because bikinis could flash their girl bits when the jump in.

fizzy-some girls brush their hair?
2 rebecca- you don't address the question.why don't boys wear tops then?

Could it be because having a class full of yr 3 children (that's age approx 7, right?) with half the girls wanting to wear a bikini would be a right faff?! So much easier if there was a one piece costume fits all rule.

Why don't boys wear skirts?
Why don't they wear dresses?
Why do they not wear hair decorations?

Why aren't they all in one piece suits

Speedos are only one piece last time I checked.

Makes plenty of sense to specify a one piece.

It does, however, make it bloody difficult to find anything that fits my plump, round-tummied but practically bum-less 10-yr-old. Anything big enough on the top half flaps revealingly around her behind. Sigh...

This thread brings back unpleasant memories of feeling v embarrassed about nipples starting to grow when I was ten...

Dd has swimsuits and bikinis - always has.

Proper swimming - swimming lessons or training should be conducted in a swimsuit because otherwise you are inhibited by a two piece moving when you dive.

It's school swimming not a piss about on the beach. Buy a sensible costume. Tk maxx have them for a fiver.