Do you let your children play with no clothes on in public swimming places?

[leogaela]

We go swimming at a lake near where we live (enclosed public bathing area). Ds (16 months) runs around with no clothes on, as do other young children. After reading the article attached to the attached thread I feel really stupid for not considering paedophiles could be watching him and it could put him at risk !

Does anyone feel comfortable letting their children play naked in public family places?

thread with article

I wouldn't feel comfortable with it, but largely because I believe my children need to get used to society's expectation that people wear clothes, and because allowing them not to wear any might offend others.

If it was an environment where other kids were running around naked, I would have no problem with it. If people are offended by naked children, they can look away.

As you can see by that thread, opinions are quite divided. Personally, I don't actually care who looks at my kids. I just don't see it as something I should be worried about.

And as others have said, children are much much much more likely to be molested by family and friends, than by strangers. Please don't change your behaviour because of a stupid tabloid article.

I would be more concerned about sun issues than paedophiles tbh.

Hallgerda, I hadn't thought about it like that. Interesting point. But I think (hope) he will learn that wearing clothes is normal when he becomes more socially aware and aware of himself.

After reading the article I think I am going to be worried about someone taking photos of him and using them? I think I am going to be looking around the whole time now to see if anyone is taking photos of him !

tbh, when we have gone swimming at a lake near us, my only concern about naked toddlers/babies is that they are going to do a huge turd in the lake

in fact, although if mine are desperate, I'm not bothered by wees in bushes etc., it does piss me off when parents let their toddlers wee all over a bank where other people might come and sit down

thanks NQC !

Bozza - agree, he get slathered in sun lotion, stays under trees, I am constantly chasing him with his hat . I try to keep a UV sunsuit ore t-shirt on him as much as possible, but he tends to be in and out of the water and gets cold if he wears a wet one.

I'd agree with NQC

my dds, age 6, 4 and 2, all like to prance around naked in gardens, campsites, beaches etc. DP is worried that paedophiles might be watching but I tend to think it's nice that they're uninhibited. I don't stop them if it's not too busy a place, or if other people don't seem to mind. am not prepared to worry about possible paedophiles really.

i never let mine not because of peodophiles but just cos it's not something i felt comfatable with.

I wouldn't think twice about letting toddlers run about naked - it's a lovely feeling for them, I remember it well from when I was little and I don't think the direct risk from paedophiles is much increased by them running about naked on hot days and holidays. And I like watching them run about in the sunshine with nothing on - they are beautiful and a total joy. No sick twisted pervert or cynical old tabloid hack is going to rob me of that. I watch them like a hawk whether they're clothed or not anyway.

Good point about sun cream though - the bits of the body which aren't usually exposed are more likely to get burned, so it is important.

None of my 3 children have played naked in public places. Even on holiday abroad, when they were younger, they always wore trunks or just bikini bottoms on the beach. Not worried about their chests being naked, but for some reason it makes me feel a bit uncomfortable if they are too exposed. In our back garden, the youngest (and the others when they were younger) does go naked in the paddling pool - if we don't have a hosepipe ban!!! - but I would want her to be covered up if we were in a public place.

It's totally natural for small children to be free and naked-- the sickness is in the minds of other people if it is there at all. Why should we limit our children's behaviour because of them?

No, I don't - I just don't feel comfortable about it.

I would be concerned about (a) the sun (my family are very fair-skinned, burn if someone mentions the word "sun" too loudly, and I'm mildly allergic to UV light, so I don't want to take any chances with DS... I tend to think more "UV protection suit that covers as much as possible" than "naked") and (b) ds doing a huge poo, so I don't think I would in practice. But assuming your DS has better colouring for it, you're in an environment where you're comfortable and other children are naked too, I don't see it as a problem. So long as your DS is carefully watched and supervised, constraining his childhood, and your instinctive ideas about parenting, out of fear of possible paedophiles would be very sad I think.

I agree with Greensleeves and bluejelly.

Thanks everyone, I didn't feel uncomfortable with ds being naked before and I know he likes to be naked. The poo thing, hmmm, well we will have to deal with that if it happens, but I think its ok if you clean it up as quickly as possible and a bucket of water to wash pee away.