when/where is it OK for children to go nude?

[hovely]

I feel out of touch with general opinion on this one. Aside from hygiene & sun protection issues, is it OK or not OK for a small child to be nude/bottomless - on the beach? in the park? in the paddling pool at the park? on a campsite? in somebody else's garden? in your own garden if it's overlooked?
If it's OK up to a certain age, then what age?
Is it different for boys/girls?

Sorry, possibly over-reacted at the thought that friends could be pervs!! I agree, I wouldn't be happy with friends walking in on me in the bath, unless they were female, and I'm sure that at a certain age, my kids will indicate for themselves that they want more privacy.

I guess I don't have a very English attitude to nudity - I lived in Germany for a while in a place where about 14 people lived, and they all used to walk around stark b**ck naked at times - it was not a pretty sight, believe me, and took some getting used to. One guy was about 20 stone as well. Also, no locks on bathrooms, so people would just walk in and chat while you were in the loo/ in the bath. Took me a while to re-adjust when I got home!

I read recently that Paedophiles from other countries are booking trips to Devon na dCornwall coasts to video tape children - I peresonally would not let dd go out without clothes - why take unnecessary risks I also ensure she is dressed if people are coming to the house - again why take a chance - this may all be coloured by what happenned to me as a child but I am very wary -

Well, i would not let dd be naked in public NOR infront of any freinds at home, and i mean ANY!
My sister is on her second boyfriend since dd was born 3 years ago and as far as i'm concerned, the first one,(she was with him for two yeras), was a TOTAL stranger to me and though he came to the odd BBQ, i just wouldn't do it.
DD wanted a paddle the other day in the sea and had trousers on so i rolled them up. They were getting wet and a few of toddlers in knickers on the beach, (have to admit though, only two mama, no men!!),so i let her paddle in knickers and t.shirt. I just though that she'd be more comfortable and don't want my fears to be picked up by her at three.
But as for totally naked, no i would not ever allow it!! It's just about eliminating the risks so i don't see why i should do it when a cossie just keeps her modesty!

I have great photo's of ds (at 1 1/2) naked in sea last yr, reading this makes me want to take them out of the photo album, is that going too far

No, not for your own viewing.

Actually my post comes across as slightly more obsessive than i am. I actually meant male freinds,(which is really only my sisters boyfrind as am Billy no mates)

i would have no problem for dd going out to the beach with no pants on. it is teh most natural thing a child can do. and i ahve no worries about some perverts filming us or anything like that, i'm not living my life worring about some possible idiots lurking around. of course i am aware of who is around us but imo you need to be free and not worry about such things too much. i think it's perfectly acceptable for a child up to 5 years old to be on the beach naked. that's when they probably become aware of their bodies and would themselves ask for a swimsuit. however, i see no point in little girls wearing a top/bra and swim pants until they are at least 11 or when they start developing a chest. what's the point in that? ther's nothing to cover up. i can't stand it when i see mums with little girls (10 months old for example) at the swimming pool and the poor little girl is wearing a 2 piece swimming costume. i don't find it cute at all if anything it gets in the way. i am also against clothes aimed at little girls (as young as 3 ) that are totally innapropiate (off the shoulder, cropped tops etc) and as well as make-up these sort of items are more likely to attract unwanted attention from some sick pervert. i always take pictures of dd, including in the bath , i don't find anything unsettling about them, there's nothing to see as such, she's my daughter and she looks lovely, why should o not keep a memory of that particula moment? as for a public paddling pool, dd would have to wear swimming pants because i think there is more of a hygiene risk plus everyone else would be dressed. but on the beach, i have no problems. i come from a different part of the world where all children run around naked, paedophilia does not exist as a native problem (foreigners are sspects though if there was anything to happen) and children are loved and looked after by everyone irrespective of sex or relationship. it's all so free and reassuring. as for letting someone else bath dd, i'd have to say it's limited to close family and dd doesn't run around naked when people are visiting (even family). v. personal view on all this so it might not be to everyones liking. sorry.

With regard to paeophiles, I tend to think if they look at my children, clothed or unclothed there's bggr all I can do about it, I'm not going to let it spoil my kids fun (they cover up now they're older though). What concerns me far more is when dp takes my son (aged9) to arcades at the seaside - because it is so rare for pervs to actually make contact with a toddler, they're obviously being cared for much more closely, whereas older children have more freedom, and it appears that there are far more pervs interested in that sort of age group anyway. I go mad with dp, because I know he gets completely involved in some stupid game and wouldn't even notice ds wandering off or being chatted to.
I totallly agree about bikinis, crop tops etc.

Message withdrawn

At the dd is just over 2 and a half and still in nappies. She quite often takes her clothes off in oublic, especially if she gets wet, last week she stripped at the health centre becasue she spilt her juice!

Picking up on what secur said about people bathing chidren. My parents had a young girl living next door who idolised my dad. He would often help to bath her. It did worry my mum becasue she thought that an innocent comment by the girl to a teacher etc could be misconstrued). I think its a shame that many men have to be so careful these days how they treat chidren just because of a minority of sick people out there.

ds (5 next month) ran around naked on the beach in Spain on our hols last month. No-one batted an eyelid, but that is there... here I think people would think he is too old. He is autistic and totally unware of social conventions and I fear that as he gets older this may prove difficult. Most people smile at him because he is such a free spirit in the way he behaves but I would say he is at the age where stricly speaking he should be more 'sensible'.

I went on holiday to Sweden as a teenager around age 15 and there was a girl around the same age who only had a swimming costume to swim only and then took it straight off afterwards. Everyone of all ages went nude.

And where in Europe has the highest rate of teenage pregnancies??? (Britian) Just goes to show that nudity and sex don't mean the same thing.

It's interesting how the attitudes of the parents condition their children. Children grow up with an informed and healthy view of the human body.

In the UK people often keep their cozzies on in the swimming pool showers. I did that when we were in Germany and people just started at me like I was mad!

My DS's are 5.5 and stil strip off in the garden, however, this year I have tried to get them to keep trunks on on the beach.

I remember bathing with my dad. It is only the authoriites who have instilled such concerns in us. I am sure from reading historic records there is no less sexual crime than in the 1800's and before, we only hear about it more due to the media.
My husband will bath with my son but not my daughter, a friend of mine told me he does not want to wash his girls just incase something is said at nursery that could be taken in the wrong way.
I must admit I will cover my children up when outside the confines of my home- which is such a shame- I have photos of me about 12 in the nuddies on the beaches in the UK, my children will not have those memories to look back on for themselves

Where do you come from Branster? I want to move there.

Better make sure the old bill don't catch you, fullmum. Wasn't some TV presenter questions years ago about photos she took of her own child in the bath?

What would your kids say if they saw those photos? My little monster would probably try to blackmail me!