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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think pants are a minimum when outside?

84 replies

Mindexplode · 09/08/2015 08:01

At a large play area yesterday that has sand and water as well as climbing activities. most children in shorts and t shirts, swimming costumes or pants. one little boy (maybe 3 or 4) was in just a t shirt. He was seen to be weeing in the sand that children were playing in and climbing all over the equipment. surely from a hygiene factor he should have been wearing pants as a bare minimum. what if he had got a splinter?

OP posts:
Only1scoop · 09/08/2015 09:39

Yanbu

Children in public play areas using equipment should at least have their bums covered and not be able to pee on it....in it etc.

Finola1step · 09/08/2015 09:42

Naked child in public - meh?
Naked child climbing and peeing all over play equipment - bit grim.

Sallyingforth · 09/08/2015 09:52

I don't understand the 1970s remark either.
Children should be able to enjoy the freedom of playing without clothes. But there should be a parent or carer keeping an eye open for possible accidents - of any sort.

BeeBawBabbity · 09/08/2015 09:53

Yanbu. On holiday recently a little boy of a similar age was clambering over the loungers naked. At one point he lay with his arse in the air and it was clear for all to see that he needed a wipe. Parents oblivious or ignorant. Loungers covered in skiddies. For hygiene reasons I'd at least put pants on a toddler.

BeaufortBelle · 09/08/2015 09:56

It isn't the first and won't be the last. Perhaps he just got caught short. Could have been worse we hired a soft play centre for a party once and a child had shat in the ball pit at a previous party. That was fun to sort out without making a fuss so as not to spoil the party and make sure nobody noticed. Told a few mums afterwards and no-one was outraged.

Nakedness is natural. A toddler tinkle by accident - it happens. You know the grass your dc play on, roll, on, pick blades up with their dainty handies, it's all had dog poo on it. Might have been picked up with one of those plastic bags, but it's still been there and it doesn't get disinfected. I expect at night time the play equipment, esp the sandpit, gets the odd foxy and ratty visitor. They might do wee wees too.

A little perspective I think, nobody's going to become horribly diseased because one little boy tinkled in the sand.

Gileswithachainsaw · 09/08/2015 10:02

If he's not potty trained she should be in a nappy.

If he needs pants as a reminder he should he in pants.

He should not he using and climbing shared equipment naked.

actual act of nudity not a problem. but public shared equipment is not the place for Al fresco weeing

Zeitgeistic · 09/08/2015 10:09

Exactly Giles. I have no problem with little kids being naked but a play park with shared equipment is not the place.

KoalaDownUnder · 09/08/2015 10:15

Children can 'enjoy the freedom of playing naked' at home. Confused as to why they would need to do it in public places.

Even in nudist parks, there are rules about putting towels down before you sit.

Im far, far from being germaphobic but I think covering your bottom before you sit on shared equipment is just common courtesy, at any age.

GarminGirl · 09/08/2015 10:26

Grim

There's no need

Sallyingforth · 09/08/2015 10:53

Children can 'enjoy the freedom of playing naked' at home. ? as to why they would need to do it in public places.
What's the difference, in your opinion?

Even in nudist parks, there are rules about putting towels down before you sit.
Indeed. But what has that to do with a child playing in a sand pit?

NurNochKurzDieWeltRetten · 09/08/2015 11:06

Climbing all over the equipment with a bare bottom is a bit of an issue - lots of children get worms at some point...

Running about naked isn't an issue IMO, peeing in the sand isn't great socially, although apparently fresh pee is usually sterile and a swim nappy doesn't hold pee as others have said...

The people pointing out that animals have probably peed in the sand and on the grass have a point, but really its part of socialising a child to at least try to stop them peeing in areas other children play!

So on the fence a bit - YANBtotallyU but its not a massive deal, I suppose... Pooing in the sand would be a massive deal if the parents didn't clean it up thoroughly!

Justwhy · 09/08/2015 11:13

Look how liberal we are, we believe in children playing naked with no worry of nudity blah blah blah. It's not hard to put pants on a child so that he doesn't wipe his bum on playground equipment, age is irrelevant.

We went to Peppa Pig world and there were little naked girls mounting the water jets. I found it completely unnecessary to be honest. I much prefer Legoland's policy of swimmers or you're out!

KoalaDownUnder · 09/08/2015 11:29

The difference, SallyingForth, is that at home your children are only sharing bum space with each other. Not the general public. If you don't mind them having bare bums on the play equipment in their own yard, that's your prerogative. Bit selfish to assume other users are okay with it on public equipment shared by their children.

Same reason it's fine to put your feet up on your own sofa but not on a train seat.

I think you're being disingenuous in pretending not to follow the logic.

sandycove · 09/08/2015 11:48

Pants wouldn't have stopped him seeing in sand
It probably would. He wouldn't have wanted to get his pants wet, being pants free he thought he was fine to just do it.

Sallyingforth · 09/08/2015 11:55

Koala stick to the point please. The issue is about a child in a sand pit, not wiping his bum on equipment. That would be wrong whether in private or public - as would putting feet up on a sofa.

KoalaDownUnder · 09/08/2015 12:32

Huh? Who says?!

The question is whether pants are a bare minimum outside. My answer is, in a public play area, yes they are.

It's not 'only about weeing in a sandpit', just because you say it is.

Dawndonnaagain · 09/08/2015 12:35

I would expect pants, just out of decency
What sort of decency is that?
He's 3 or 4 ffs.

I agree he shouldn't have had a wee where he did, obviously barring any sort of difficulties or differences. But pants, at three or four, who cares!

GarminGirl · 09/08/2015 12:37

I agree with you koala

Sallyingforth · 09/08/2015 12:41

Koala It was the OP who talked about weeing, and the danger of a splinter.
If you want to talk about 'decency', then as Dawn has just said there ought to be no such issue for a small child.

Only1scoop · 09/08/2015 12:57

Pants should be a bare minimum when playing in a public park.

I must be really weird that I had 3.... 4 and 5 year olds playing in sand pit and pool in my Own garden yesterday and that all managed to wear swimmers and keep them on.

Justwhy · 09/08/2015 13:49

But Only, you have clearly ruined their childhoods and will produce uptight adults. They need nudity damn it.

Theycallmemellowjello · 09/08/2015 13:59

Yeah, I don't like seeing children naked. I feel like they're being denied their dignity.

amarmai · 09/08/2015 14:03

pedos are barred from being near playgrounds - and other child areas-for good reason. But they are still going there- so maybe that is a good reason to cover up bums etc.

BertrandRussell · 09/08/2015 14:07

"Pedos are barred from being near playgrounds - and other child areas-for good reason. But they are still going there- so maybe that is a good reason to cover up bums etc."

Oh, Ffs........

Only1scoop · 09/08/2015 14:14

Just I know Sad

I was such a rebel though and let dd just wear her bikini bottoms Wink