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Original poster

Naked children

235 replies

nappyaddict · 01/06/2009 12:57

Which of these places do you let your children run around naked?

  1. Public paddling pool
  2. Outdoor swimming pool
  3. Whilst using the play equipment at the park
  4. Beer garden
  5. Your street
OP posts:
Dree · 01/06/2009 17:54

Absolutely not!!

OrmIrian · 01/06/2009 17:57

But honestly, what harm will come to your child is someone gets their rocks off looking at a picture of them? It's a horrible thought and has a big yuck factor obviously but that is all surely? And a partially clothes child might be even more alluring, no?

Jux · 01/06/2009 17:57

DD went naked at the beach until she was about 4 or 5, but otherwise was naked at home or in the garden. She is much too interested in clothes now (nearly 10).

I don't think she was ever naked in any of the places you state, except as a total exception but I don't remember it happening.

Sullwah · 01/06/2009 18:04

None.

I am too lazy to apply sunscreen all over the bodies of two squirming toddlers.

Mine have been in their all-in-one sunsuits and hats in the garden (which is not overlooked - so not a question of modesty). Then only have to apply cream to face, hands and feet.

I would not have a problem with nakedness in the house - but as my two are not toilet trained yet I never allowed it ..... especially after DT1 left a deposit in the walk-in wardrobe of a posh hotel

trellism · 01/06/2009 18:09

I recently unearthed some old Super 8 footage that my dad took when I was a kid. There's one reel featuring me (8), my sister (10), my brothers (5 and 3) and my two cousins (4 and 3) running about the back garden, all in the nudd. For sun protection, I believe my mother used to slather us in Vaseline.

I found this footage hilarious and was going to telecine it and put it on Facebook, but realised that I absolutely could not. It's a shame - also a shame that my dad would probably get locked up if he'd taken that film in to be developed now. I don't see anything wrong with a child running around the back garden in the nip.

I would perhaps draw the line at Waitrose.

BarefootShirl · 01/06/2009 18:12

Nappyaddict - yes, DD did used to come shopping in just her knickers when she was young - if I put anything else on her in summer then she would only take it off anyway.

Fennel - DD(10) is running around the garden naked with her friend as I type and shows no signs of losing her uninhibited attitude. She loves clothes when she has to wear them but also loves getting nude when she doesn't. I am making no moves to change her attitude as I feel she is developing a good understanding of the limits of what is "socially acceptable". Also, I am probably a bad mother in the eyes of many on this thread as I am also sitting here completely naked .

RumourOfAHurricane · 01/06/2009 18:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

yappybluedog · 01/06/2009 19:01

We go to Bigbury beach, NEVER see naked children, definate change in attitude last few years

pavlovthecat · 01/06/2009 19:04

yappy - obviously not at the same time as us then, as DD refuses to keep her clothes on .

SolidGoldBrass · 01/06/2009 19:04

I agree that kids who are not fully toilet trained shoud be wearing a nappy or a pull up if in a public place but that's about hygiene, not paranoia or silly inhibitions. And I am definitely with those who say that it really doesn't matter if someone takes a picture of one's DC: it doesn't hurt the child in any way.

SolidGoldBrass · 01/06/2009 19:04

I agree that kids who are not fully toilet trained shoud be wearing a nappy or a pull up if in a public place but that's about hygiene, not paranoia or silly inhibitions. And I am definitely with those who say that it really doesn't matter if someone takes a picture of one's DC: it doesn't hurt the child in any way.

BonsoirAnna · 01/06/2009 19:28

SolidGold: what extraordinary naïvity to claim that it hurts no-one if someone unknown to you takes a picture of your child naked

MANATEEequineOHARA · 01/06/2009 19:39

To add to the 'someone may have a camera' debate, to NOT allow a child to strip off because of that fear is actually allowing a paedophile to control your child's body! The chances are so small, that they would anyway really, and I don't think that is being naive.

Greensleeves · 01/06/2009 19:44

I can't quite believe there are people who would prevent their children from running about naked because a paedophile might take a photo

The phrase "victim mentality" doesn't even begin to cover this level of minny-pinniness

BonsoirAnna · 01/06/2009 19:48

How about a paedophile ring that identifies children and then kidnaps them? These things do exist and we are constantly warned aobut them.

We have issues with paedophiles in the central Paris park that my DD's very nice school is on - central Paris, 8th arrondissement.

Just because it rarely happens doesn't mean you shouldn't be vigilant.

Hulababy · 01/06/2009 19:55

DD would always have a costume if planned to use (1) or (2). If unplanned and unprepared she'd keep her pants on and then just go home pantless under her clothes.

Not sure why she would have to strip off at all for (3), (4) or (5).

Hulababy · 01/06/2009 19:57

BTW - has nothing to do with the chance of paedophilia. I just thing DD is better to have had at east her bottom covered - possibly a dirt type issue maybe, not sure why really except I prefer it.

In the house wouldn't bother me at all, and she has been naked in front of friends and family on occasions, even now at 7y. Doesn't bother her if it is someone she knows.

OrmIrian · 01/06/2009 20:11

But in that case anna, it's the kidnap that would be the problem, not the photo. There are little children all over the place - why would a paedophile ring bother to take photos first. Or avoid children that they didn't have photos of.

HouseisJackBauersDoctor · 01/06/2009 20:23

On the other side of the photo thing when we were away there was an 'official' photographer taking snaps of all the kids, which you could then go and view and order.
If he hadn't been taking them some people would have missed out on loads of beautiful pictures of their children.
It was a French resort, not sure if that makes a difference.

(I thought he was a creepy perve cos he kept looking at my norks, but no reason not to let him take pics of the children)

BonsoirAnna · 01/06/2009 20:25

I don't know why paedophiles take photos of little children to identify which ones to kidnap - just that they do and that we are clearly advised, regularly, to be alert to that...

andirobo · 01/06/2009 20:28

None to all of them - due to not wishing to put that much suncream on a little body, and the fact that their skin is so thin and sensitive.

BonsoirAnna · 01/06/2009 20:28

The official photographes in French resorts (ski and beach) have licences, police clearance etc and are generally very well known - we have pictures of the DSSs taken every year since their early childhood by the same photographer who is at Deauville every July and in Val d'Isère every February. DP knows him by his first name as does every other family we know in Deauville and Val d'Isère.

Gemzooks · 01/06/2009 20:29

I live in Holland and it's definitely more relaxed, we were at a paddling pool today with DS 2.5 and most kids up to about 4 were naked, and a lot of older kids as well. I wouldn't take DS to say a supermarket naked, probably also would put pants on to go on the street, but in any kind of swimming/paddling/garden play situation, yes, have no problem with it. I think it's very British/American to be so hung up on nudity = sex..

SolidGoldBrass · 01/06/2009 20:36

Anna: don't forget that abduction of children by dangerous strangers is still very rare (most abuse of children is familial). Life is too short to give in to peedo-panic, which is anyway usually manipulated by governments/the media to serve an agenda that has very little to do with protecting children.

Voltaire · 01/06/2009 20:48

I agree with Seeker. She puts it all very well.

BonsoirAnna - The French don't even let their dogs go naked.