Should kids be naked on a public beach

[YabaJaba]

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

We always played naked when we were kids in the 80s and I have to say that I feel kind of uncomfortable when I see one of the many pictures taken of me back then, I didn’t mind when I was a child but now I’m older I don’t really want everyone looking at child me naked for some reason. For this reason I have always encouraged my dc to have bottoms on at least and when they have been playing naked in the garden or very occasionally as young toddlers on a quiet beach I’ve not taken any photos showing them exposed.

I just don't want to see ANYONE's bumhole whilst bending over, making a sandcastle!

My kids seem to make friends whilst at the beach and play with others and i certainly don't want a naked bum sitting on our towels. I remember once, a random kid did a wee in my kids bucket - ha ha!!!

I bet lots of us ran around naked on beaches as toddlers and in an ideal
world perhaps I could say there’s nothing wrong with it. But since we aren’t in an ideal world and some people will have an issue with it, I’d say it’s really not a big deal to put at least some bottoms on them. A girl could probably do without a top until 7 or 8 I guess but to be honest I’d rather them wear some clothes and protect delicate skin from the sun when it’s that warm anyway. I don’t think not being able to run about in the nude is taking anything away from their quality of life!

🤢 I'm no prude but thats dredful 🤦‍♀️

Naturism is a thing.
But more importantly some toddlers would heartily disagree. Have you really never come across a toddler that repeatedly tries to take off their clothes in public?

Yep I've seen a man doing this too on a so called liberal European beach. There were naked kids everywhere. Ignorance is bliss I suppose.
I would never let my children play naked anywhere public, ever. They always had at least a nappy or bottoms on. Why take the risk? At home, they were naked most of the time when they were little.

Why ?

It really is not. It is about cleanliness. If you do not want to follow the rules in a foreign country you are visiting, do not go there.

Personally no, I have not nor would I allow it. It’s not acceptable at any age and they need to have this boundary reinforced

Nope… wasn’t a great idea decades ago, with camera phones hell no!
I don’t see any reason for it, stick a swim nappy, swim bottoms on them- making your kids be naked to prove some liberal, free spirit agenda is cruel and dangerous.

I know a lot of people over the age of 50 getting skin cancers removed at the moment.

I don’t think it is possible to be “too careful” when it comes to sun damaging the skin, we have much more education and products now thankfully and can hopefully avoid the same when we, and our kids, are older.

That said, I do think 20 mins of direct sunshine is good for us all, vitamin D is lacking in most people. So I guess that’s the balance we need to consider. But I don’t think it’s a good enough reason for kids to be totally naked, they can wear bottoms still at least.

On holiday recently there were a lot of naked kids at the beach but with sunshades or SPF on (saw parents re-applying). But I did see some very red children and felt awful for them, sunburn is horrid as an adult let alone a toddler.

These days? No they shouldn't

You have no idea who's watching (with a camera)

Sad state of affairs, but there you go

I think it should be totally acceptable and normal until they’re three or four. Running around on the sand being naked and carefree sounds so fun for a kid. But with all of the creeps around, people sexualising children or being offended by nudity I’m sadly not sure I’d be comfortable with it for my own kids unless hidden by a windbreaker. But if other people choose for their kids to be naked I think five or six should be the cut off on a normal beach

I never let my kids be naked on a beach but at the same time, I'm not bothered or judgemental about kids who are.
I had a friend who is incredibly protective over her child in case she's seen by a pedophile. Sadly there are pedophiles everywhere! Unless you keep your child locked indoors they will be seen by a pedophile.

Hmm yeah soggy nappy hanging between their legs.

Even if a pervert photographed or filmed a naked child on a beach, the chances that that media was used to cause harm directly to the child is presumably miniscule, and no more than the risk of somebody photographing a child with their clothes on. I have heard that paedophiles prefer photos of children dressed in child-appropriate clothes anyway so I'm not too sure that there's more risk if the children are naked.

I think parents are dammed if we do and dammed if we don't.

I wouldn't let mine be naked, mostly because of UV exposure but wouldn't bat an eye at a kid of up to age 4ish being naked on the beach.

I’m too worried about the sun tbh, mine always has a long sleeved rash vest. I think even if I wasn’t worried about that though I wouldn’t let them be naked in public. You don’t know what creeps are about.

Maybe the child themselves wouldn’t be harmed but surely just one person wanking over photos of your child is one too many??

For those who state it is unacceptable- from what age. If babies have nappy rash we frequently suggest " nappy off" time. I think it is ok in child still in nappies maybe up to the age of 3 or 4, at this age there would alway be a parent present. From reception up I would expect swimmies on. Absolutely gobsmacked some PP would even let kids naked in their own garden.

No - both my DS & DD wear sun protection tops / bottoms on the beach.

I'm not sure why they need to be naked especially with now known skin damage issues and smart phones.

I also wouldn't want them playing on the beach with naked kids either, for multiple reasons.

I caught a guy unsuccessfully hiding in bushes with a camera messing around with himself - he was next to a playground with water and kids were naked. Absolutely reported him there and then, went into the park and alerted parents. Really horrid and I had a newborn at the time, so no way would I every let them naked in public.

It hasn't always been like this, plenty of photos of me naked in paddling pools or on the beach and the same of my boys now aged 36 and 38, never thought anything of it. Mine were never the only ones either.
If I had children now I would have UV suits on them , I think, because of skin damage more than predators

No, not for Me

My Children are now 33, 30, 22 and 20 and none of them have ever been naked on a beach.
As a PP pointed out as well, with the phones people have now anybody could take a photo of them as many weirdo's around.
I was never naked on a beach as a child either

No, for reasons of the child’s dignity.

Same. That would be my primary concern.