Bikinis for 5 year olds?

[AnotherAnnoyingMother]

What to do. We stayed with my 5 year old daughter's godparents this weekend and went swimming. Their 6 year old wore a bikini and in my absence her godmother 'promised' her a bikini as a Christmas or a birthday present. I am afraid I am in the 'not putting young girls in bikinis' camp and feel unhappy about this. I intimated this albeit gently in her presence but now think she may give her one. If I take it away or don't allow it to be worn I feel like I will be punishing her and be put in a difficult position. I still won't let her wear it but would any of you even consider giving a bikini to another persons young daughter?

[minipie]

The one AuntLydia linked to is inappropriate for a 5 yo because it's clearly shaped to accommodate breasts which a 5 yo won't have. Leavig aside the question of sexualisation, it simply won't fit well!

As I said before I've no issue with crop top style, which would fit a 5yo physique and is very practical.

[TempStamos]

www.alexandalexa.com/heidi-klein-sammy-flamingo-print-triangle-bikini/p/121581

This bikini was gifted to my 4 almost 5 year old DD. She loves it, flamingos are her favourite and its also well made and fits nicely so is comfortable.
I dont get the problem with bikinis (triangle or crop style) on girls, they are made for girls and as long as they are comfortable.

[Cantthinkofaname123]

I would let my DD who is almost 6 one wear one as long as it wasn't too skimpy. On another note I saw this earlier while looking for a swimsuit for my 5 month old . It's padded😷

[Gileswithachainsaw]

But mini what is this sexualisation you are talking about?

Breasts are or only should be sexual when two consenting adults are in an intimate situation. Breasts are functional when breast feeding. Breasts are something in many European countries, nothing out if the ordinary and seen frequently on beaches whilst people manage to not drown in drool.

So why is a young child in a bikini something other than just a chikd in a bikini? So an ill fitting top is little more than an ill fitting costume. Im.sure it's probabky designed to be flat against the skin anyway there's no underwire or anything

How is the bikini any nore sexual than say running around in shorts with no top on at all

Unless it's sporting a play boy bunny design or a hooters logo it's really nothing surely?

How can we stare at naked women in a changing room and see nothing sexual at all yet kids swimwear seems to stir up uncomfortable emotions,

[hunibuni]

DD has always had a bikini and a one piece since she was 3 and overwhelmingly picks the bikini. The one piece is for school swimming because they can't wear bikinis for that, although i wish they would allow the longer tankini style ones purely from the practicality of going to the loo. I like her bikini's, no faffing when she needs the loo, easy to work with when she has her wet suit on, easier for her to get dressed after swimming because she's not dealing with a wet bunch of fabric around her waist...

I've decided to bite the bullet and buy myself a tankini cos I'm fat because i've seen how practical they can be when we're at the beach. BTW, I always thought that I wouldn't have my child in a bikini. Practicality won!

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

I had bikinis back in the 70's when I was a child as did all my mates,sister and cousins. There was less judgement attached to them,they were just 'swim wear' back then.

How odd.

[minipie]

Giles I agree with you in theory. I'm one of those who thinks we all ought to be able to run around naked without anyone batting an eyelid and there is far too much fuss and prudery around nakedness.

However, dressing of children in clothes that are generally only worn by adults, and designed for adult bodies, does make me a bit sad. I shouldn't have said "sexualisation" perhaps. "Adultification" is probably a better word (if that's a word...) Why would anyone buy a child's bikini shaped for breasts? Presumably to make them look more grown up (since it can't be for a good fit). I don't get that.

[Lweji]

I was going topless at 5. There's no point in covering non existent boobs at that age.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

But they don't look older. They just look like a child.

I don't see it as any different to any other dress up or outfit.

How old exactly is a 5 ur old in a bikini going to look?

And so what if it hints at in a few years they may have breasts..Breasts are normal. Just a body part.

Shes hardly going to get served in a night club she is and remains a child in a bikini.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

And they don't even look like adult bikinis. They look like kids bikinis.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

And it's always girls stuff isn't it.

No one has ever started a thread with "aibu to not buy ds boxers as he doesn't have the penis to fill them and well they aren't appropriate as that's what all the grown up men wear when they pose semi naked in magazines"

But start a thread on bikinis or crop tops and "omg breasts"

It's ridiculous.

How a few inches of material that will either not be seen as it's under clothing or taken off as it's just annoying can cause so much horror I don't know

[CannotEvenThink]

Fat face do fab tankinis, dd had one and she found it so much more practical than a one piece for going to the loo etc. It is also great on holiday, she has worn the bottoms with a rash vest, bottoms on their own and been topless, the top with board shorts....the flexibility is great!

[Gileswithachainsaw]

I think it would also be helpful if people were honest

Even they talk about "dressing like adults"

I wear jeans and vest tops/tank tops So would dd. So she's dressed like an adult no?

They wear skirts shirts and blazers to school. Not so different to a skirt shirt and suit jacket. So dressed like adults No?

Adults wear bathing suits, btw my swim suit is identical to the ones by Dds have.

What you really mean is dressing like a particular type of adult who dresses in a particular way you disapprove of or who you think is trying to provoke a reaction from men/women

What you really mean is dressing like a stripper/tart etc

Unless you have negative view of women in certain types of clothing you'd not have a problem in the child equivilant.

[Lweji]

My only problem with bikinis or bathing suits, for that matter, for little girls is simply the no need for the extra fabric.
I wear bikinis because I'm an adult woman and cover and support my breasts. I don't like having extra swim suit fabric on my skin. So, I'd probably save my child having to wear anything that covers more than her genitals on the beach (except to protect her from the sun or cold).

[Gileswithachainsaw]

But you are consistent

You wouldn't cover the chest at all

But here we have people who would by a bathing suit. Would maybe even buy a tankini and cover the chest of their child but seem to think it somehow matters how the child is covered up

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

What you really mean is dressing like a particular type of adult who dresses in a particular way you disapprove of or who you think is trying to provoke a reaction from men/women

I agree x100

[minipie]

What you really mean is dressing like a particular type of adult who dresses in a particular way you disapprove of or who you think is trying to provoke a reaction from men/women

No, that's not what I meant. The bikini AuntLydia linked to upthread is not tarty, I don't disapprove of it, I'd wear it myself. But it's not right for a child because it has cups with extra fabric for breasts and is therefore an adult style. Same applies to, let's say, high heels or make up. I don't disapprove of them, I wear them myself but would not put them on a child, except for dress up. Would you?

[Gileswithachainsaw]

That particular bikini was for ages 8 plus. So more than possible the children wearing it have started to develope.

It wasn't padded or wired so between that and adjusting the straps it's probably quite possible it would sit fairly flat against the chest.

If it didn't fit a chikd I doubt the parent would buy it anyway it's just one of many a person may try...

It's certainly not something you would wear to a swim lesson due to the impracticakity howver for mucking about on the beach sure why not... Would hardly look out if plave amongst the hundreds of kids running about naked or in underwear or just in nappies or in their brothers trunks etc

I see no reason to object to it as a principle.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

If it doesn't fit don't but it but that's not the discussion is it.

We weren't asked "aibu to not let dd essential as it doesn't fit her properly"

This is about kids in bikinis in general of which many have said no based on no real reasoning other than "inappropriate"

[ChilliMary]

No way!

[StarUtopia]

oh fgs. It's just a bikini. Really don't see the issue.

If you have an issue, you need to take a good long hard look at yourself!

[dorisdog]

Well, this is an eye opener of a thread. It would never occur to me in a million years that a bikini wouldn't be OK for a child! They're children. Showing a tummy isnt sexualising. My dd just wore pants most of time. Who cares.

[elektrawoman]

Minipie - the bikini AuntLydia linked to is for older girls who are likely to have breasts, so of course it's not shaped inappropriately!
Their range for young girls is shaped quite differently, like this:
m2.hm.com/en_gb/productpage.0449002002.html

[elektrawoman]

My DD age 5 wears a bikini. It's more of a tankini type, I guess - I just wanted something that was easy for her to get on and off by herself without any complicated straps or ties. They are much more practical for the loo, for wearing with rash vests (two layers of fabric in hot weather is not nice) and also she wants to be like her big sister, who likes bikinis as they are cooler in hot weather. When she was a baby I was the same - thought I'd never let them have bikinis - but now I realise they are actually more practical.