Naturism with school age children

[handbagofoblivion]

We are going to take the children to a naturist campsite this year for the first time since they have been of school age.

I don't tend to tell people that we are naturists, it's not a major part of our life, one holiday every three yrs or so.

I'm a bit worried the whole village will know come September

Anyone got any experience of this?

Regular namechanger BTW

No experience but likely whole village will know, plus teachers thanks to endless drawings of naked folk.

My DD gleefully told me yesterday how she'd told her teacher I had kicked the cat so now feel need to explain am not animal abuser. I hadn't kicked her, just given her slight nudge with foot BTW.

I think that you will just have to accept that the whole village, plus school friends, parents and teachers will know by September.

You can't expect the children not to say, plus asking them not to would probably feel wrong anyway.

Yews, the whole village will know. Or rather they'll hear a garbled story in which you took the children somewhere they saw lots of naked people.

ok- this may not be a typical response but i have a friend who was taken to these things as a child and feels fairly disturbed by it. She was also sexually abused so I know it isn't representative but she experienced the whole naturist thing as being part of this shameful experience she had that made her feel different and overexposed. I wouldbe interested to hear from others who experienced being taken to naturist camps as children to see what they felt. After heraing my friend's feelings about it I would be wary.

Well DH and his sister have been going since they were 9 and 7 respectively and they are both fine with it and don't have any problem with people knowing without publicising it.

I didn't experience it until I was an adult when I went with DH so I'm the one who has a problem being open about it with general aquaintances. I can handle my good friends reactions.

I don't want to tell my children not to talk about it, I'd rather they were comfortable with it.

for your friends experience.

It is so lovely swimming without a costume and you warm up and dry off so much more quickly!

I'm sure they will be comfortable with it, as you are too, but they WILL tell everyone about it.

We went nudy camping with my parents from the age of about 5 through to 10 (although as I got towards 10 I got a little more self conscious and wore a suit) - to be honest, I don't remember either me or my brother telling anyone about the naturist aspect of it. I think maybe because it just wasn't a big deal to us as we were kids so therefore didn't realise it might be a bit of a social 'taboo' or whatever - we were more excited about being on holiday full stop. So maybe (just maybe) if you don't play up the naturist aspect, and just emphasise how natural it is to want to take your kit off on the beach, then it won't 'get round' your village.

Although... saying that... it was always interesting trying to explain the photos of giant sandcastles which caught the lower half of dad standing in the background! A bit of careful editing might be needed...

This is what I fear.

I hope I can relax and enjoy despite knowing what awaits me on my return.

Handbag - I wouldn't worry too much about other people knowing. Even if they are they probably won't say anything. The only feedback I've had when I've told people about our family holidays as a child is a bit of gentle ribbing about being a hippy family (which we weren't, very conventional!). I think (maybe I'm a bit naieve) that most people are fairly relaxed about it, especially if its just on holiday.

I agree, I have friends who are naturists and there is a bit of a "fnaarrr" for about ten seconds and then you forget. It's not very grown up is it, sneering at naked people?!! So I wouldn't worry. Being a caravanner would be far more embarassing.

DD's only comment upon being taken to a nudist beach in Croatia was wonder at Daddy swimming (something he doesn't do much) rather than Daddy in the nude.

Thanks.

But they will whisper and giggle about me behind my back!

MP how do you know we are not going there in our caravan?

"It's not very grown up is it, sneering at naked people?!!"

You're right. I may be a tad but I will hold my head high and try to feel more mature!

good good! Yes hold your head high

unless you are going in a caravan

Have no direct experience but I would assume it is going to get around the school and village to some extent! Although we do not go on specifically nudist holidays we frequently go to nudist beaches when we are away and when at home I have a tendency to go around in little or no clothing - both facts seem to have become "public knowledge" over the years . Personally I would say don't worry about it - just because people know doesn't mean they could give a damn and I think the attitude to nudity is generally much more relaxed nowadays anyway.

handbag, I think the more at ease with it you are, the more accepting and at ease others will be, too. I think there'll be more scope for ribbing if you're obviously self-conscious about it. So relax and hold your head up high.

DS's dad and I took DS on naturist holidays a few times when he was a toddler/pre-schooler. DS loved it, but was too young to go on about it to everyone. However, without raving about it, we were open with friends about the kind of holiday we'd had, if asked, and I think because we were very relaxed about it, any initial raised eyebrows were quickly replaced with acceptance. And a few people particularly liked the idea/were inspired. All this said, I haven't taken DS (now at school) recently, and we live in a village too, so I know what you mean about it becoming hot gossip! I can imagine a few ladies in my village having a field day with this kind of information ... but if you puff your (clothed!) chest out, hold your head up high and relax, I doubt any gossip will last long, and they will end up looking silly.

And I agree, naked swimming rocks! And so little laundry - bliss.

HTH

Thanks, yes exactly that kind of village!

No MP, we are not going in a caravan!

Hi handbagofoblivion, I know this is quite an old thread but I was wondering what happened when you returned from holiday last year? I'm in a similar situation this year and have been delaying booking our holiday because of possible reactions in September. I would be really interested to hear your experience. Hopefully you had a great holiday and didn't encounter any negative reactions!

It was fine.

We told them a few weeks before that people wouldn't be wearing any clothes on the campsite. That it is nice to be naked when it is hot outside and that we would have to get dressed to leave the campsite because the law says you can't be naked in public except in special places.

They totally accepted it. The 4 yr old didn't really say anything about it and the 6 yr old told me that it was great not having to get dressed and undressed and is disappointed that we won't be going again this year.

They didn't mention it to anyone as far as I am aware.

Thanks for replying. Really glad it went so well, hope it's as easy for us!