Is it innapropriate for in laws (female) all to share a changing room with my 6 year old son when they take him swimming?

[boymumtoone]

Not sure if this is inappropriate or if I am looking into it too much but my 6 year old son's grandma, auntie, 2 cousins and great grandma all go swimming together once a week during half terms which is great for my son and he has a lovely time swimming however the other day a comment was made that my 6 year old saw his aunties boobies and I was confused at first but my son told me after that when they go swimming together they all share one changing room at once (my son, his grandma, his auntie, his two little cousins and great grandma). Hence him seeing his aunties "boobies".

i don't think I'm comfortable with them all getting dressed and naked in front of my 6 year old son especially being the age his is as he is at an age where his notices a lot more (rather than being a baby that doesn't take any notice of things like that).

obviously I know taking him swimming would mean that somebody would need to share a changing room with him to get dressed but my son being exposed to multiple (naked) women in one changing room is what I'm feeling slightly uncomfortable over.

would anybody else feel the same or do you think I am being silly maybe ?

and what age would be considered not right for the opposite sex to share a changing room with my son?

This is a great opportunity for you to talk to him about privacy and respect.

That commenting on other peoples bodies (even after the fact) is not ok.

That when he's bigger he'll charge on his own, but until then it's good manners to just focus on getting himself changed, and not pay any attention to other people's bodies.

I think it’s fine. I’d say up to 8 in with the ladies and then off to get changed independently in the gents. Honestly I do think that an issue is the over sexualisation of breasts, it’s really much more common to be communally naked in other European countries. Growing up surrounded by normal female forms probably is probably a good thing in todays world. Otherwise you grow up to think think women look like the filtered versions on the internet.

On a practical basis it’d be convuluted I assume for adults to supervise him getting changed. Then take turns to get changed themselves.

I will repeat @boymumtoone

And, frankly, if you’re really that concerned, why are you not there with them?

Never once said the word worried. I just think it's a bit strange they are all going in one cubicle together when the swimming pool has multiple cubicles. I didn't know they all shared one cubicle until my son mentioned seeing his aunties boobies. Not sure you would be saying the same If your daughter was talking about seeing a relatives penis.

No that’s pretty normal imo. It’s just a body in a non sexual situation.

I work unfortunately

So you’re happy with him seeing one set of ‘boobies’, but not more than one set of ‘boobies’? Why?

‘boobies’?

Call them breasts, like any other adult would. You can manage the word ‘penis’.

All of this is really weird from you

They’re obviously in a communal area not a cubicle.

So what would you rather your son do while you’re working? Have you told them then they’re caring for him wrong?

So you would be happier if he was in a changing room with one relative possibly seeing her boobs - rather seen seeing maybe 3 adults boobs

how old are the little cousins ?

I guess I kinda get it , if other way round and dd was in with grandad uncle great grandad and seeing 3 willys v possible one

If you were trusting a man to take your daughter swimming, surely you’d assume that meant sharing a changing room with them?

Clearly they are comfortable enough about their bodies to get changed together. That's a good thing and it would be good if your son can feel as comfortable about it too. Would you rather he feel ashamed of nudity?

How will you ever cope with him watching TV when he's older? What about all the sexualised ads around the place he sees?

If my DD was talking about relatives bodies I'd tell her it's polite not to look and just get on with changing.

If it's bothered him then ask if one person can take him into his own cubicle, get him changed, then swap with someone else who has got dressed already so the other person can go and get changed.
Its right on the cusp on whether it will be awkward for him or not at that age so even if he's not bothered yet it'll need to change soon.

My 7 year old comes in with me to get changed after swimming as he likes to have help but doesn't want to go in with dad or sister anymore as he's got more private. (He can get dressed fine usually but after swimming is cold and wet so likes the help still!)

I am really not sure what the problem is here. Your son is with your family. Nakedness is not bad. Plenty of places in Europe swimming pools and saunas that don't have these hang ups. If he makes a factual comment about seeing "boobies" then that's fine. If you make it a problem, then it will be a problem.

Is it definitely a male and female change? The pools I know have unisex changing villages, with some big cubicles for families and some smaller. If so he could just go in a different cubicle?
Even if in the women's changing room I'd have thought he could have own cubicle?

yikes Your being ridiculous they probably change in the group change or family change

it’s just peoples bodies why are you weird about it.

he’s only 6.

What's your solution then?

(and fairly obviously it is a group changing room rather than a cubicle)

This wouldn't bother me at all but I live in a country were nudity isn't a big deal. My Ds (age 10) has seen loads of boobs on the beach and at the pool.

Why are you. Okay with him seeing grandmas bits but not auntie's

Calm down @BIWI

i have come on here for some constructive advice/opinion. No need to personally attack. I said the word "boobies" as that's what my son calls them.

Everybodies feelings are valid and I felt that them all sharing a family cubicle all together when there is 100 others made me a bit uncomfortable. I personally haven't seen any of my family members private parts so maybe that's why this situation made me feel uncomfortable as it's something I'm not used to.

taking on some opinions from others - maybe it's not as strange as I thought. And that's why I started the thread in the first place - I'm glad to know it's not such a strange thing and that puts my mind at ease.

look i swim a lot, cubicles are 3x3 if that. if everyone shares a cubicle they are NOT all in it together they are taking turns. family change rooms, which someone might also call a cubicle are 6x6 sometimes slightly bigger with ample room to keep your towel covering most of your body.
have you not been to the pool and seen the set up?

Are you sure there are a hundred cubicles? If I had to give a child their own cubicle, I'd be lucky if I got just one without having to wait and waiting for two side by side would be good luck to get at any time. I used to just crowd myself and my children into a family changing room for that reason.

Agree with this - if more than 1 adult they are safeguarding each other, rather than being 1-1 with a child which could be seen to be more problematic

Would you be alarmed if your child said he’d seen his aunt’s breasts while she was breastfeeding? Why is that any different?