Naked children in the park - who is right?

[Oysterbabe]

We're currently enjoying the sun in the park with DD 4 months (who is enjoying it by being asleep in the shade) It is packed with families as you'd expect. In the group next to us there are two little girls, I'm going to guess about 4 and 5, who are having a lovely time running around and playing completely in the buff. I was saying to DH that I wouldn't let our DD run around naked at that age in such a public place. There could be any number of dodgy characters watching on and getting off on it. He thinks it's fine, that they're still young enough to get away with it. Also in the unlikely event there is a lurking paedo, they're completely oblivious and it's not going to hurt them at all, you can't live in fear.
Who's right? Am I being too Daily Mail paedo round every corner or is it correct to be cautious about such things?

At the local park? My kids stay clothed. No reason to be nude, however hot. They also don't run about in underwear at the park.

We wear clothes in public places, we show respect for our private parts by keeping them private.

We are not Victorian nor ashamed of our bodies. We aren't "hysterical" daily mail readers either.

Just like at school,work, shopping and socialising, we all wear clothes. If we were at a water park, the kids would be wearing swimming costumes or shorts.

Imagine how you'd feel as a kid getting grit in your crutch, or a grazed or sunburnt willy?! Or people pointing and looking at your bits? Life's so much easier when you have clothes on.

you keep your genitals covered.

You do realise that if we're talking about girls, you cannot see their genitals at all? Unless they lay on their backs, legs akimbo, but surely you'd consider that undignified whether dressed or not?

What's your point, Blue??

No way I'll be letting my DC out in public naked. Not because I'm a prude but because I don't want paeodos taking photos and videos and doing God only knows what with. Common sense

Life's so much easier when you have clothes on.
I'd argue the opposite.

Attempting to do the towel dance on a beach, with sand everywhere? Or sun-dry in the nude, and the sand simply falls away.

Or, how about camping, and trying to use a shower without getting your clothes wet, and then trying to dress when the water from next-door's cubicle is running all over your floor? Compared to simply, wrapping a towel with you and going back to your tent, and you'll be dry by the time you get there.

Or when it rains, and you're stuck in soggy wet clothing? Compared to drying quickly and easily when there's nothing holding the wetness to your skin.
Or how about men giving your the once over when they meet you for the first time? Compared to men actually looking in your eyes when they talk to you when nude (yes there is a marked and real difference here!).
Or the fact people judge you for not having the right clothes/brands/fashion? Compared to everyone treating you based on your personality.

Life's so much easier when you don't have clothes on.

The area normally covered by pants should be covered by pants when in public places IMO.

bluepancakes I though we were talking about children being naked in the local park?
Not on a beach.
Not in a campsite shower.
Not on a rain soaked day, when you go home and change.
Certainly not when I'm taking to men.
Kids. Naked. In the park.

We are not an unusual family in that we cover our private parts up in public.

Vaara, covering your genitalia is about dignity. I'd say you're getting your knickers in a twist but i guess you're too free spirited to have them on

I still don't see the issue with kids being naked in the park.

If you don't want to be naked, don't be.
If you don't want your kids to be naked, again that's your choice/opinion.

But why the fuss, about other people's kids simply being naked?
Why the hysterics about potential paedophiles when most paedophiles are known and trusted to the child? I'd be more worried about sly photographers hanging around outside of schools, than at a park where parents are around to keep an eye on things.

www.ovguide.com/video/nude-day-the-league-of-gentlemen-bbc-15b0d2e03fd111e2a32c1231392f094f

And Bertrand is right, some of the language used to describe naked children is awful!

"But the language being used about naked toddlers is utterly horrible- rank, disgusting, butt-naked, gross........just vile words to describe a toddler. Heaven knows what messages children are absorbing about their bodies."

Quite.

Bodies are not vile. Children's bodies in particular are not - they are still perfect. As far as I am concerned there is no need to teach children embarrassment about their naked bodies - I never encouraged my babies to be naked in public but I never worried overly if they were. Of course there are placed where nudity is inappropriate even for little children and that would be explained to them if the situation ever arose where they decided to get naked in a church or in the middle of Sainsburys! Strangely it never happened. And when they were old enough to be aware of their bodies they began to make their own decisions about whether they should be naked. It really just wasn't an issue.

Not all the people who think that children shouldn't be naked in parks are using that language.

"Not all the people who think that children shouldn't be naked in parks are using that language."

Absolute they aren't. But lots are. And not many people are challenging it.

A lot of us have explained quite reasonably and without hysteria why they feel that children should not be naked in parks.
I don't feel the need to be challenging anyone, and getting into a heated debate over their unwise choice of words.

Well said Irian.

I personally don't like it, beach ok I guess. I make sure my kids have uv skinnies as I'm concerned about sun burn and the water increasing the burn risk, we are very pale. Shower rooms fine, your naked in the bathroom so I find that fine.

I think it's strange that folk are so into protecting their children's privacy and respecting them and then they let them run around buck naked, no adult would do that its not necessary. Oh and Facebook, stop posting naked pictures of your kids it's not right.

I may be odd with my views, I just think tops off, pants on ok. Same for girls ok in a tankini and bottoms or a vest, dresses are great for the summer. I don't see the need for running naked in the park, more my uncomfortableness I guess. I was brought up clothed and I think that's a good way to go.

It's because of threads like these that my DH would like to ban MN forever.

*ban me from going on it, I mean, not the actual site!

Why Boobz?

"What's the benefit for children of being allowed to run around in public naked?"

Because it can feel fantastic to have the sun or breeze on your body without restriction? Because swimming naked in the sea or a lake feels great? Has no one here sunbathed or swam nude - kids aren't stupid - they know it can feel lovely and unrestricted but don't have the shame or worries that adults have about it.

Or maybe you just happened to pass by a beach or park with a paddling pool and don't have a change of clothing and didn't want your kids to miss out. How can you look at little kids/ toddlers having fun naked at the beach or such and be disapproving and have all these negative and sexual thoughts about them. I think it's a shame. I also think the way a lot of people here have been having smug digs at those who don't see a problem with it is quite nasty.

If I was at an outdoors paddling area or a beach I wouldn't look at little kids running about in pants or swim suits in a negative, scornful way - I just feel the same about little kids having the same fun with no clothes on. Neither is disgusting or wrong.

I don't think a pair of pants is restricting anything.