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?

YY it's the mixed messages for me. The parents of those children might be getting called into school tomorrow because their DC decided to strip off and run around the school field starkers at lunch because 'Mum says it's ok to be naked'.

I wouldn't let mine do it. As other PP have said, there's no need. Clothes in public are non negotiable - a valuable life lesson!

Mine go naked if they want. Less at the park, but at the beach for sure. Maybe there is a dodgy person hiding round the corner watching, but that doesn't impact them.

I wouldn't do it and I don't care if loads of people on here think I am ridiculous and seeing a paedo on every corner.

I just think it is inappropriate.

Running round in pants - fine on the beach or one of those play parks with the water stuff etc.

Bare bums - no thanks. Nowhere.

Nowhere public that should have said!

I don't think there is anything wrong with small naked children in a park from the child's pov. Sadly there may be something wrong in the eye of the beholder but that's their problem. However I've never done it and won't be doing now as my youngest is 9 and would be horrified. I think dc can still have a lovely time on a hot day in a swim suit or t-shirt.

And I have always had conversations with mine from a fairly young age about private parts being private. So agree with others that for me it would send out mixed messages.

I don't like it. It's not something we did with our children.

4 and 5 year old aren't always the cleanest either

I completely agree.

My DC are 16 and 14 so that ship has sailed presumably, but what age to you draw the line if you do allow nudity at the park?

I'm with you OP. I wouldn't allow it. The children you saw would have had just as much fun in a pair of pants.

Personally all my kids wear at least swimming bottoms in similar situations, never completely naked.

I didn't think about slides and swings though... so I agree with Narp, children can be very grubby indeed.

I wouldn't let mine run about naked but it's not because of being looked at, it's because clothing is convention. Footwear is another thing, the number of barefoot children I've seen who've cut their feet on something in the grass... frightening.

I don't take much notice personally, and can't say I mind too much what others do, so neither 'wrong' per se, but I wouldn't let mine run around in public naked, for the same reason I don't like seeing men walk around the shops with their shirts off, I like a bit of decorum. At 5/6 it's more than fine for them to learn that there are different codes of behaviour for your garden or a perhaps a beach than there is in a park. They have to learn all sorts of mores that everyone has to follow at some stage, It's a shame, but there it is. We have a park with a splash pad and all the kids are in swimming costumes or shorts etc, and still seem to be enjoying themselves.

DH and I are the other way around. I would let my 3yo do it, he wouldn't.

Probably try and keep shoes on though. Don't need to sacrifice foot safety over it!

Bloody hell, there are some weirdos on this thread! Young children having fun in the sun unclothed wouldn't be worthy of comment in places like Scandinavia or Germany.

Children are far more likely to meet peados in their own homes than in a crowded park on a sunny day.

There's nothing wrong or unsavoury about little kids being naked in a park or anywhere else.

Ew
Ew
Ew
More ew
And YANBU

Dressed is best. Privates are for private. You're right, OP.

'Weirdos'

Does anyone else have that 80s Jermaine Stewart song in their head now?

I think your dh is right in what he's saying but I wouldn't let my dc run around totally naked. We wear clothes in public.

I had this debate with myself today as dd1 striped off in dm garden.

It's wasn't the peodo thing that made me stop but more the 'I don't fancy trying to get sun cream into all the bits that might end up exposed and burnt' (my dd enjoys rolling around a lot!)

There's no weirdos on this thread Bitter, only people with different opinions to you.

I wouldn't let my DS (22 months) go around naked in public. Privates are private.