To think kids shouldn't wear bikinis?

[cinnamonswirl99]

I'm just browsing the kids swimwear range on the John Lewis app, and keep coming across bikinis for little girls.
I don't know, am I weird for thinking this isn't right.
If I had a daughter, I wouldn't want her to wear something like that at such a young age.

I had swim suits when I was little - for holidays and for swimming lessons but once I got to 6 or so, I wanted a bikini for holidays. My mum brought me a couple with crop tops - she didn't want me in a bra style that I didn't need at such a young age. I very quickly realised it was easier to swim in just the bottoms so the tops were for show and after that we bought swimming knickers that came as knickers only. I lived in them on holiday with suncream on, a t shirt or sarong on when needed and staying out of the heat of the day. They were easier to change or wear-to-dry on holiday than a one piece, too. Much nicer and much more practical for a child.

There was nothing sexualised about it, I just wasn't going to wear something uncomfortable and unnecessary. I'd never have worn a rash vest/ suit thing either, they look claggy and heavy and awful. Antithesis of holiday freedom to me. I appreciate they're great for many children though.

Then again, I'm not a bikini fan as an adult either. I got boobs at 9/10 and switched to one pieces for all swimming - class and leisure - ever after to keep them contained. It is easier to swim in a swim suit. I had a couple of bikinis as teen for sun bathing / to wear as part of an outfit on holiday but rarely bothered and didn't replace them as they wore out / I grew. We have a private non overlooked terrace so I'd sit suncreamed, somewhere warm but shady, t-shirt close by to throw on and be more comfortable in cotton knickers than lycra bottoms. And again- not staying out in the heat of the day.

Don’t put a bikini on ur kid then. Let other ppl choose how they want to dress their kids it’s not really ur business

I think you can think whatever you like for your own child but people have different opinions, my DD is 7 and would be embarrassed being outside in only bottoms. She has a few bikinis and prefers them over swim suits which she finds more uncomfortable.

YANBU. Another way to sexualise young girls. Their upper body is no different from a boy's. If anything all children should be wearing anti uv t-shirts in the sun but a bikini is just ridiculous.

Surely this is more about other people sexualising a child, which unfortunately happens. We know there are peados and weirdos all around, so why put a child in something that would show off even more of their body than necessary? I don't understand

My sis and I wore bikinis in the early 80s as little kids on the beach at Skegness. I didn't see a problem with it.

My 9 year old daughter only wore swimsuits last year. But she was living in crop tops for dance and had a white belly and brown legs and arms so I have let her get bikinis this year.
She has amazing abs. Why shouldn’t she show them off if she wants to? It’s only sexualised if you make it. She is proud of her abs because of all the sport and dancing she does and sees it as a sign of strength, nothing else.

For some reason I'm more uncomfortable with little girls wearing bikinis than I am them running around topless with knickers on.
Ones almost sexualising and the other is childhood innocence.

I think it’s odd (because it implies pre-pubescent girls have breasts when they don’t, for those asking), however I can remember my US cousins wearing them in the 70s, so it’s not new. I’m less bothered if it’s just shaped like a crop top.. still a bit odd though.

Me too. I think it’s a logical position!

For me it's all about comfort practicality and fuller coverage in the sun.

Why must they make girls and women's clothes tighter and less fabric and on the whole less practical? (No pockets) that's in general not just swimwear.

Regardless of comfort bikinis and bra/knickers are seen in society as sexualised clothing. So why would we not feel odd about children wearing them.

Well although I would normally say that we should do whatever "we" want and men should be dealt with if they interfere, IN THIS CASE I would err on the side of caution and suggest that "girls" should not wear bikinis on the beach or at pools. The risk is too high.

I know that when I've worn a bikini (I'm 20) boys' and men's eyes virtually pop out of their faces! So goodness knows how they'd react to someone younger.

Completely agree with this.

My first thought is that little girls shouldn’t be wearing bikinis as they indicate that the girls nipples shouldn’t be seen, which in effect is sexualising them, but actually swimming costumes do exactly the same.

Bikinis and swimsuits are both designed to hide nipples as society believes nipples shouldn’t be seen on a girl’s body, yet nipples are fine to be seen on a boy’s body.

It’s all about early sexualisation.

I think the poster means why would pre-pubescent kids wear a bikini top, before they have breasts? She’s not worried about them running around in bottoms. (Obviously a nine year old might be in early adolescence so the point might not apply).

However since you mention it I do find it a little odd as well that a nine old wants to show off her abs. Being proud of being strong is great, but I don’t think it’s ideal to be so conscious of your body’s appearance or to want others to be conscious of it, at that age - and that applies to whether it’s about sexuality directly or about being ripped.

I have pictures of me as a small child in the 1970s wearing a bikini. It’s not a new thing.

My DD had two piece bathing suits as a kiddo. The top wasn't two triangles but more of a strapless crop top type style. Cute.

I wore bikinis when I was a little girl. Don't see the problem.

At school, the boys all wear their swim trunks to school on swim days so ease. The girls can't do that, because they're not allowed to wear bikini's and it too hard to get their whole swimsuit off to wee. Unfair if you ask me.
My DD always wore shorts and a rash vest for school swimming.
In the dark ages when I was at school we wore our regulation one pieces rolled down to waist level under our uniforms or some girls just did the pull the gusset to the side thing.

Me too. My DD started wearing a bikini at 14/15. She never asked if she could have one when she was little so I escaped having to make a decision about it.

I remember this at school. Was not just unfair, it resulted in the boys making endless stupid comments about us needing ... well you can imagine. One girl took it upon herself to tell them "if we had them, YOU wouldn't be here!".

My daughter wears them because it's easier if she needs the toilet. They are usually long sleeve rash vest tops and shorts though rather than string bikini types.

Dd likes a tankini type thing, way easier for toileting

Agree it’s weird until teenage years

I don't like them, for various reasons, and neither did DD until about 12.

When she was little she had the two piece shorts and Tshirt things. Then tankinis or shorts/board shorts and vests for holidays , or one pieces for school/indoor swimming.

My DD just wore bikini bottoms or swimsuit. I don’t like bikinis on pre pubescent girls.