Naked toddler in swimming pool showers

[Noodella18]

I take my 2 year old swimming on Fridays. After the session we take a shower in the communal showers, next to the lockers and by the entrance to the pool. I didn't think twice about stripping off her swimming costume to wash her but the lifeguard told me today that she wasn't allowed to be nude 'because it's a public area' and she had to keep it on. Am I being naive in thinking that a naked two year old is really no big deal?

Yanbu - no harm in a naked 2 year old
Yabu - keep the cossie on

I mesn, at some point the costume will come off. Nobody travels home in a wet costume. It’s completely bonkers not to allow a two year old to shower (in order to get clean!), without clothes. I shower naked too if I have been in a pool. What’s the point otherwise?

@GoWalkabout

Unfortunately swimming pools have an issue with voyeuristic paedophiles lurking especially in mixed changing areas, so I think its ok for them to have a policy

I wouldn't bat an eyelid at a naked toddler in swimming pool showers, but sadly, this poster is correct.

It's a horrible thought and it probably wouldn't cross most people's minds, but that'll probably be why it's the pools policy.

We haven't been swimming for a long time due to covid (local pool still not open) so I can't remember what kids do there.

I am amazed at the idea children should never naked in public, what about the beach or if other houses over look your garden?

@LittleGwyneth

Absolutely ridiculous. The chances of someone there having an inappropriate reaction to a nude child are small, and the idea that your child should have to cover their completely non-sexual body in public is offensive and wrong. I feel similarly strongly about people who insist on putting bikini tops on little girls.

It is strange to me that we have (rightly) stopped telling adult women that they must dress a certain way to be safe, but we apparently still think that children should be subjected to modesty standards (like cycling shorts under their clothes).

I do also agree with this, as well as previous posters point about possibly paedophiles lurking.

I don't know the answer. The world is a really shitty place sometimes.

Yes but what’s the cut off point. 5,6,7,8,9,10?

As harmless as you think it is unfortunately too many sickos in the world now, I never did this as I was always concerned about weirdos

I think the lifeguard is correct just because of child safety

After working in residential child care and looking after vunerable children and hearing their back storys, i have to admit nothing makes me cringe more than seeing children naked in public places - especially where any one can be anywhere.
I use to have to take sexual offenders who were under the age of 18 to public swimming pools and follow them like a hawk to ensure they were not staring at naked children.
Weirdos are everywhere, i never understand why parents would want to put their child in the position to be potentially lured over by unsuspecting Paedophiles. Synical, maybe. but these people exist whether we liek ti or not, why take the risk?!

We went to swimming lessons for years and the changing rooms were really busy and showers not enclosed. Was a bit on unwritten rule that they showered with costume on and then if changing in the main area you did it as quickly as possible or some people wrapped towels round.

@WhyOhWhyOhWhyyyy

Ridiculous, she’s two FFS!

My two year old was wearing a dress recently and MIL said ‘we’ll need to get her some cycling shorts to wear under dresses to protect her modesty’. She still wears a nappy

LOL

My DD wore shorts/thick knickers over her nappy because she had habit of leaking and we wanted another layer to help protect ourselves when we carried her on our shoulders.

I think the lifeguard is correct. A naked toddler in your own back garden or a public space like a beach is different.

Is your toddler completely potty trained? I’d expect a swim nappy to be on the entire time if not!
May have misunderstood you but the showers next to the pool are just for a quick rinse down, the proper showers which you can get naked/ use your shampoo etc are usually in the changing rooms

@LittleGwyneth

Absolutely ridiculous. The chances of someone there having an inappropriate reaction to a nude child are small, and the idea that your child should have to cover their completely non-sexual body in public is offensive and wrong. I feel similarly strongly about people who insist on putting bikini tops on little girls.

It is strange to me that we have (rightly) stopped telling adult women that they must dress a certain way to be safe, but we apparently still think that children should be subjected to modesty standards (like cycling shorts under their clothes).

You would be surprised at how many men there are who have a sexual thrill by looking at very young children, they aren't followed 24/7 by the authorities to see what they are up to and probably do go to the swimming pool to have a look. Sadly that is the case.

Interesting points all, thanks for your perspective. Guess I was being a bit naive. I do feel sad that it's necessary though!

It's the perverts that are the problem, not a little girl. The rules are unreasonable.

YANU - it's to protect your children. Very sad world that we live in isn't it. It should be fine but sadly there are a lot of people out there who are attracted to children.

This will be the rule for several reasons:

To protect the child against people with sinister intentions.

to protect adults from unfounded accusations/allegations

To protect the pool/health club from being held responsible if an incident were to occur on their premises.

It's the perverts that are the problem, not a little girl. The rules are unreasonable. of course it is, but children need protecting from perverts. If your child isn’t naked in a public area then the perverts won’t get a chance. We can’t wait until the pervert acts and the child is made a victim before we do something, we can where possible mitigate against that happening in the first place.

@Bexxe

After working in residential child care and looking after vunerable children and hearing their back storys, i have to admit nothing makes me cringe more than seeing children naked in public places - especially where any one can be anywhere. I use to have to take sexual offenders who were under the age of 18 to public swimming pools and follow them like a hawk to ensure they were not staring at naked children. Weirdos are everywhere, i never understand why parents would want to put their child in the position to be potentially lured over by unsuspecting Paedophiles. Synical, maybe. but these people exist whether we liek ti or not, why take the risk?!

God that is awful, disturbing, heartbreaking and just generally completely wrong

But I guess there's your answer OP

What a horrible world we live in.

@BungleandGeorge the changing rooms are tiny so there aren't separate pre-rinse showers, instead there's two sets of three shower heads opposites banks of lockers, so properly in the changing room, but also right next to the opening into where the pool is, so from some positions in the pool you can see into the shower. Everybody uses them for proper post-swim shampooing as well as a quick pre-rinse.

Unfortunately leisure centres attract perverts and have done for a long time. My local one had a serious problem with pervs drilling peep holes in the cubicle walls of the family changing rooms for a while. We used to have to stuff them with loo roll at every visit before getting changed.

So whilst I agree that there’s nothing wrong in and of itself with a two year old being naked, I can absolutely understand why that’s the centre’s policy.

[quote Noodella18]@Ellarain The lifeguard was correct. Babies/toddlers young children should not be nude in public even if it is at a swimming pool shower.

What?! Even on the beach?![/quote]
Yes. Literally nobody wants to see your child running round with no clothes on - except the ones who have dodgy intentions.

Especially with camera phones - you don't know what kind of people are about and where any photos will end up

[quote Noodella18]@BungleandGeorge the changing rooms are tiny so there aren't separate pre-rinse showers, instead there's two sets of three shower heads opposites banks of lockers, so properly in the changing room, but also right next to the opening into where the pool is, so from some positions in the pool you can see into the shower. Everybody uses them for proper post-swim shampooing as well as a quick pre-rinse.[/quote]
So a man could be in the pool watching your naked daughter wash?
I didn't like it when I thought a man could be in the showers "washing" himself watching your naked daughter but if someone can be completely unnoticed and hidden while watching that's even worse.

Yeah there's no harm coming from your daughter, it's not about protecting others from your daughters genitals. It's about protecting your daughter from strangers.

It’s just a rule, most pools with communal pool side showers have the rule. Otherwise I guess where do you draw the line at people showering naked? An age limit? Older children might think it’s ok to strip off in the communal shower not realising they’re visible and vulnerable.

Ours has big signs up saying keep children in costumes for child protection reasons. If there are naked toddlers then it’s not unreasonable to assume then there would be peadophiles hanging around.