Naked children in courtyard cafés

[bibblybop]

Today DH and I took DS to a local beauty spot. Like a National Trust but not actually NT if you get me? Beautiful gardens, old mansion, gorgeous.

We were having a bite to eat in the courtyard cafe near a family with several young children running around. Fine. Except the youngest little girl (roughly 3yo) was running around completely naked.

I'm not a prude, and I'm very sympathetic to parents as I know from experience that kids can be unruly/unreasonable and sometimes decorum has to come second to a child's need (i'm thinking public wees in an emergency kind of scenarios here...)

But I feel like allowing your child to run around completely naked in an outdoor café is a bit much? People are there trying to enjoy their lunch while a little girl is romping around everyone's tables with no clothes on... I know it's hot but it's a cafe FGS

I'd love to know people's thoughts on this because I feel like I'm missing something 🙈😂 Surely they can't think that's acceptable? Or is it?!

[bibblybop]

@Marty13

Is it possible that she soiled her clothes and they decided that naked is better than in soiled clothes ? For all you know one of the parents was rushing home for clean clothes at the time...

No definitely not. Both parents there. It seemed like she'd taken her pants off and refused to put them back on and they were fine with that 🤷🏻

[bibblybop]

@MapGirlExtraordinaire

I'd find it cute tbh. My two have been naked in public many times, they want to and I can't think of a good reason to say no. If it bothers someone else then that's their problem.

Noise and running so close as to cause people aggravation I would put a stop to, but a 3 yr old's little naked bum? Nah, fine in my book.

To be honest it's not even the naked in public thing so much. If we'd been in the grounds and she was naked, or on a beach it wouldn't phase me. I think it was that it was in a café and people are eating and don't know where to look.

[beigebrownblue]

Don't mean to sound scary but the following really happened.

Someone I know allowed their under ten to bathe without clothes in a quiet tourist spot by a stream in Wales. Practical reasons really as the had already dived in twice and parent was running out of sets of dry clothes.

Later that day parent was visited by the police. Apparently a known paedophile had been filming kids there (they thought the parent was involved but they weren't).

Parent never got to find out if they actually caught the paedophile but when I heard about this I was shocked (as were they) and upset that someone had been filming the kids unbeknown to the parent.

After having heard about this - I would advise against letting kids run round like this in tourist spots. You never know.

I think it is sad but I would hate for a parent or carer to be in this situation (and their kids).

[Wbeezer]

This happened to us at a cafe when DS was three, there was an ornamental pond covered in duckweed outside and DS ran straight into it not realising it was water underneath, he came up covered in pond weed and we had to strip him off. Luckily it was the café at the Findhorn Community and we'd coincidentally turned up on a day when they were having a one day open air "Festival of Manhood" (this was about 20 years ago). So a bunch of hippy types celebrating manhood did not bat an eyelid at a small boy running about in the nude (DS loved it). But a NT property?, er no.

[showmewhatyougot]

Yeah I agree with the majority too, beach etc is fine, especially on a day like today, but in a cafe where people have paid to sit and enjoy a meal is very weird. Maybe she ruined her clothes or they got wet?

[Catlover77]

Totally inappropriate. Children just in nappies is bad enough

[jumpbounce]

YANBU

Anyone could be in the cafe and the parents should be protecting the little girls privacy. Also from a point of sun safe, I don't understand this British attitude of running around stripped naked or just in pants children in the summer, there are plenty of UV options available, all in one suits and UV tshirts etc which offer far better protection for their skin from the sun and also help to keep them cool.

[Wbeezer]

Oh and the running about happened in a field after the café.

[Nocutenamesleft]

@MapGirlExtraordinaire

I'd find it cute tbh. My two have been naked in public many times, they want to and I can't think of a good reason to say no. If it bothers someone else then that's their problem.

Noise and running so close as to cause people aggravation I would put a stop to, but a 3 yr old's little naked bum? Nah, fine in my book.

Problem is

Anyone could take a photo of it and post it worldwide on the net if they’re in a public place.

That wouldn’t bother you?

[IsobelEd]

Who wants a naked bum on cafe chairs? 🤢

[dottiedodah]

I personally would not have any problem with this TBH. However the heat and sun exposure would worry me . Children burn easily ,and it isnt sensible to expose whole areas of skin at once !

[Georgyporky]

Definitely not acceptable. I don't want to see a stranger's genitalia when I'm eating - age immaterial.

Running around is not acceptable - clothed or not.
What if the child ran into a member of staff carrying hot food or drink?

[Paddingtonthebear]

Nope I’d be too concerned about the risk of sunburn firstly. Was at the beach for a bit today and so many kids of all ages in blazing midday sun roasting away with no shade or hat or anything on them.

Regardless of the sunburn issue though I wouldn’t let my kids run around naked in a place where people are eating/drinking/ paying to visit. I don’t want your kids arse in my face thanks, just put a pair of shorts or a loose fitting dress on them, fgs. If you want them to run around free and naked like they are in their own home then go to a park or the beach or just go home and leave everyone else in peace. Not a cafe. It’s just so entitled. So many parents like this around these days unfortunately.

[NeverDropYourMoonCup]

@Rhinothunder

I think British people are very prude. Toddler outside on a day when it's over 30 degrees? No problem.

Not acceptable in older kids unless on a beach / river / sprinkler etc though

Not a problem for me personally - but I wouldn't want to see it in public because there could easily be some paedo filming it for a good old wank later and trading the footage with his online mates in exchange for some footage of CSA.

[ResIpsaLoquiturInterAlia]

No this is unacceptable and wrong for all especially the baby or young child without at least wearing a nappy. It is obviously unhygienic for all too and not just because we are in the middle of a pandemic where more efforts to be hygienic and mindful of sharing public spaces will be mutually beneficial. Can’t literally take the piss. Who needs that! In your own private space is a different matter.

[mam0918]

Really bad parenting.

The truth is there are dodgy people in the world and its your job to protect your kids, letting them run around naked in public is not protecting them.

If someone is 'into' children and not on a sex offenders register (so never been caught abusing children) they can legally take a photo of your child in a public area in the state the child is naturally in and as long as its not specifically zoomed in, posed or sexual its completely legal for them to do that (street photography) and they own full rights to those images too to do as the wish.

[Nocutenamesleft]

@beigebrownblue

Don't mean to sound scary but the following really happened.

Someone I know allowed their under ten to bathe without clothes in a quiet tourist spot by a stream in Wales. Practical reasons really as the had already dived in twice and parent was running out of sets of dry clothes.

Later that day parent was visited by the police. Apparently a known paedophile had been filming kids there (they thought the parent was involved but they weren't).

Parent never got to find out if they actually caught the paedophile but when I heard about this I was shocked (as were they) and upset that someone had been filming the kids unbeknown to the parent.

After having heard about this - I would advise against letting kids run round like this in tourist spots. You never know.

I think it is sad but I would hate for a parent or carer to be in this situation (and their kids).

This has become a real danger. Same thing happened to my friend whose child was naked on the beach. Someone took a photo of her. Sold the photos. So that pervs around the world would know what she looked like and they were warned of her being kidnapped to ransom too.

Frightening. That’s what got me to ask my question. Was the same.

With the invention of cameras in mobile phones. Everyone now has instant access to a camera.

It’s truly scary when you think about it.

[30degreesandmeltinghere]

Surely it is pointless teaching dc The Pants Rule if then they are allowed butt naked in public?

[SlothinSpirit]

No, not acceptable unless there was a paddling pool area.

Even at the pool/splashpark, my DC has swim shorts and a rash vest on but there are a few children with nothing on and I think that's probably OK. DC does run about naked in the back garden but has had me spraying factor 50 and barking at them to stay in the shade for most of today.

[owlbethere]

@JaniieJones

'A toddler/preschooler delighting in a naked sunshiney scamper is just normal, innit. I’d rather they did that than had a tantrum. Wouldn’t bat an eye. (Disclaimer: German.)'

Why though? Would you be 'delighted# seeing a 7or 8yr olds naked? I'd hope not. They have the right to privacy from strangers.

That poster didn’t say they were delighted, they said the child was delightING in it. Don’t imply things when you’re misinterpreting what was said.

[Angel2702]

Addie from not wanting my children to do that in a public area I would never let them play in this heat without clothes on due to sunburn.

[AwaAnBileYerHeid]

It wouldn't really bother me but no, I don't think its appropriate.

[therocinante]

Wouldn't bother me. It's not like they're sitting on your food, they're little kids and it's roasting.

As long as they weren't getting visibly burnt I don't think I'd even notice.

[owlbethere]

I can’t say I would care, but also I had a child who just wanted to be naked at all times. It was a constant struggle and sometimes I would give in and let her. Sue me. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Youdiditanyway]

Not appropriate at all. I’ve taken my DC out in just a nappy as babies before but never fully naked and never past baby age. I use reusable nappies so it’s pretty cute seeing them crawl around the garden just wearing a nappy [grin.].