Should kids be naked on a public beach

[YabaJaba]

If so, at what age should they put a cossie on?

My concern would be sun damage rather than anything dodgy.

I see so many people in their fifties and sixties getting skin cancers removed - it's quite shocking really.

In many Nordic countries you have to shower naked before swimming even at the regular local authority, swimming pool. I once saw a lifeguard kick an American woman out of an Icelandic local authority pool for failing to shower naked. No swimwear in the local authority saunas either - though you can take a clean towel.

I know, that used to be quite normal and considered cute but we didn't know then what we know now.

It's sad but small children do need to wear bathing costumes.

No I wouldn't have my DS(4) naked on a beach like that. Pervs can be hiding in plain site.

Our children are older now but when they were very young I had a blasé attitude towards beach nudity, myself included if we were abroad and it was warm enough.
Then about 10-ish years ago we were on the beach, on holiday in Brittany and we both saw a man obviously filming/photographing families without their knowledge. He was partially hidden behind a wind break and I think I only noticed him because I'm quite nosy and I get bored very easily on the beach.
Our French wasn't good enough to challenge him but we made some noise and stared at him a lot to let him know we'd seen him. Then we left.

Everyone else appeared to be oblivious to his pervery.

No I wouldn't do it, but I know it was the norm when I was little (early 80s) and still is in some countries. I think that was more because they wasn't as much availability of baby swimwear back then though and definitely no swim nappies.

I think 3 would be the maximum age though.

My biggest concern would be sun safety though tbh because both mine had very fair skin so had them in UV suits on the beach. Constant sun cream top ups would be a massive pain!

Nope never allowed mine to be naked anywhere. It’s not just letting them at the beach I find strange but people who post photos of their kids on Facebook naked at the beach. Or in the bath. Or running around the garden. I just find it a total breach of their privacy.

My DD from the age of two always had a shortie wet suit on for the beach because of the sun mainly and it was more convenient than changing her all the time because the beach we went to had lots of rock pools she was in and out of all day.
Even if I hadn’t been concerned about sun burn I don’t think I would have let her run around naked on the beach.

It’s sad really as she loved being naked at home in her little pool.

Well this is the world we live in now.

Sadly not now, everyone has a camera now, and you never know.

To be honest, even when mine were little in the 80s, I don't think I'd've been comfortable with complete nakedness on a public beach. But I may of been unusually protective of them due to my own unfortunate childhood history. Both of mine were very fair skinned, so I was careful to pop a t shirt on when they got out of the water.

It certainly wasn't unusual to see little ones running around the beach in the all together in those days.

Children should always be clothed on a beach, no matter what age.

I am from a different country to my kids and keep telling them it's fine to be naked on the beach or people seeing them naked when they are getting changed. They tell me off for this and say it's inappropriate because that's what they have learnt at school. I just don't think young kids should have to worry about other people catching a glimpse of them when they are getting changed at the beach, swimming hall etc

No age. Naked children are not in any way sexual but unfortunately there will always be people around who do find it sexual. And we teach kids that certain body parts are private, so it's then confusing for them to be told it's OK for strangers to see them naked.

Absolutely not.

Parents have a duty to protect the children in their care. Exactly the same as carers, guardians, teachers, doctors and so forth and non of them would be allowed to let children run around naked (they would flagged for safeguarding concerns if they did).

People saying other cultures do it... some other cultures cut off the foreskin of baby boys or arrange marriages of their daughters for financial gain. Just because 'other cultures' do it doesn't make it better, safe or acceptable.

Christ. Of course kids should be allowed to be naked on the beach. The paranoia about predators is out of proportion

Kids need freedom

The freedom to be naked?? Come on, that's ridiculous. They can be just as free with a pair of swim bottoms on.

They also need protection. They can get freedom in a pair of pants, you don't need to expose their genitals for them to be free.

This is a you issue. Its lovely to see kids enjoying their freedom. No wonder so many Brits have body issues and anxiety

Nobody suffers any deprivation by not running around naked on a beach.
You make it sound so punitive, having to wear a pair of pants in public!

Absolutely not. I can’t believe that parents think it’s acceptable, especially in older kids. Just vulgar - you don’t know who is about!

Depends I guess. What beach? Which country? How busy? How hot for risk of sun burn? Being naked isn’t a hard no for me (as kids should be able to feel free and relaxed to play even if you forgot the swimming costume) but it requires some consideration of safely and cultural norms and other people.

So do you walk around stark naked yourself on a public beach ( not a nudist beach)? If not, why would you let your child?

No.

I was at the fountains in my local town with my son who was wearing full wet gear.

There was a toddler running round completely nude, loads of people around, people filming their kids playing and splashing, the mother didn't care. There were some disgusting letchy men clearly staring.

There's nothing I loved more as a kid than running around in the buff but now I'm an adult and I can see how other people so easily take advantage of those sorts of situations I just would never allow it for my own child, at the beach, pool, fountains, or anywhere.

Nobody needs to be able to run around naked to enjoy themselves. That is ridiculous.

I’m not sure that the authorities would take too kindly to an adult needing ‘freedom’ in public.

Wouldn’t bother me in the slightest, I would be smothering them in sunscreen, togging them up about 5yo. My toddlers used to strip naked regularly anyway.

Absolutely not at any age😡 During a family holiday I witnessed a revolting looking man obviously taking photos of children on the beach from the high up promenade railing. I was disgusted.