Naked kids on the beach - would you let them?

[ssd]

I mean would you let your say 6 year old play naked on the beach?

Today thanks to the sun at last we went to the beach, it was fairly busy. A family next to us let their approx. 6 year old boy play around the waters edge naked for a while before the cold got to him and he put on pants as in underpants. The other kids ages about 3 - 9 years old were playing in their underpants (all boys).

Now I'm not prudish but I don't think its acceptable to let a child play on a beach naked, nor would I want an older child playing in his pants. My ds1 would never play and run around in front of strangers in only his pants and he's 7, the other kids I mean were older than him.

I don't care what anyone does at home or in their garden, but I'd want them dressed more appropriately at a beach.

What do you think?

I am totally saddened that anyone would see an issue with a 6 or 7 year old running around naked

And I bet you are the same kinds of people who think kids grow up too fast too. Well they do because idiots think there's an issue with kids being kids.

As long as they were protected from the sun good for them and good for their parents - it is wonderful to think there are still people around who believe in the joy of childhood without warping their kids to feel dirty

blossom i sort of understand your point of view, i don't agree with it, and it makes me sad, but i can see where you're coming from. i cannot for the life of me see the attitude that children's genitalia are somehow offensive, should be kept private and are a visual assault as anything but suspect and that's being kind.

I don't think I'd like my DSs to be running about naked on a public beach, simply because I wouldn't know who's watching or taking photos They can run round butt naked in the garden and the gardens of friends if they want though. The first thing DS1 and his friend did last summer when the friend came to tea was to get naked in the garden

I'm nut sure I understand the problem with running about in pants though... they're the same as swimming trunks!!

Totally agree with Mud and Fran1. They are children, fgs, let them enjoy being carefree and uninhibited. What would you say to your child if they asked why they couldn't be naked like the other children? Yes, I realise that there is a small chance that a paedophile might see them but a rapist or serial killer might see me, or a drunk driver might not see my car....you'd go completely nuts if you spent your life terrified of what might happen.There are no more paedophiles around today than there were 30 years ago when I ran around naked.

Agree with Mud. I think it's absolutely ridiculous to get uptight about a six year old naked. And for those of you who are scared of paedo's being turned on by the sight of your kids naked - what about the paedo's who are turned on by the sight of a child in a school uniform? D'you stop your child wearing school uniform as well, on the offchance that a pervert might like it?

I am far more disturbed by the sight of a little girl in a prostitute outfit with Barbie written across it (which appears to be all the rage now).

30 years ago though there weren't digital cameras or the internet. It's the accessability rather than the frequency that worries me.

so you worry and restrict your kids from being kids and who wins???

big brother is watching my kids and he's a paed

Thing is, I don't think I'm stopping my children from being kids just by making them wear pants or trunks on a public beach. I don't see it as restricting them in any way.

Am really shocked by Stitch feeling that she/he is 'visually assaulted' by the sight of a child's naked body. I can't even articulate how incredible I find that statement.

Have to say that I was a bit surprised at the strength of that statement. I couldn't give 2 hoots about other children being naked on the beach.

Agree with soupdragon. Nowadays with thinsg like camera phones you really cannot be careful. I am not having some paedo. getting off from looking at my naked children. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.

paedophiles are no more prevalent than when we were young, they just hit the papers more frequently. and a paedophile would get equal pleaseure from seeing your child in a school uniform.

as I have just watched strictly ballroom I would like to add that 'a life lived in fear is a life half lived' and you're passing that fear on to your children .. a paedophile is not around every corner but you can sure your live your life that way if you want to

In Croatia, where I grew up, children to this day quite comfortably walk naked around the beach so I'm kind of used to it and would let my kids do the same. There is always a fear of some peadophile lurking around but I can't let myself think that way, or I will soon be wrapping my kids in cotton wool... I also think it's kind of good not to have swim suits on as the kids can catch all sorts of infections through wet suit / cold air / wind combination. My mum had a bad case of ovaries infection when she was around 10 due to the same reasons and unfortunately had terrible problems in later life - very painful periods, one ovary couldn't function at all, infections "down there" every so often and so on. I'm not saying that might happen to kids wearing swim suits, but whilst they're young and can walk naked gracefully with no complex, why not let them?

I agree with Caligula and Fran1 - it's such a short time in their lives that they are happy with their bodies and can run around uninhibited - I think it's something to celebrate, not hide away.

Mrs Wood

For you

LGJ - lol, got me kind of worried there - thought it was pics of kids naked in Croatia being watched by some peados... Thta would show me!

Ds1 is nearly 5 and was at the paddling pool at the local park in just pants and a T-shirt. The T-shirt was on because I was worried about sunburn and not because I thought someone might be watching. I agree with Caligula's point about finding it far more disturbing to see young girls dressed in adult outfits.

I think it's fine at the age of SIX. Fgs, whyever wouldn't it be? Six is a child, at six children shouldn't be ashamed of nudity. If they can't run around on a beach naked or in pants at six when can they? (I assume never is the answer to that for some people). And who cares about a child playing in his pants? Well, other than ssd, obviously, I just don't see the problem.

Am shocked at the strength of your post stitch, have to go but may come back to this.

ofgs
let them be kids - no need for them to get our hangups too early on in life.
can I also ask,
do some of you really spend all that time worrying about pervs hanging round trying to get photos of your kids on their mobiles? (incredulous tone) worrying someone will kidnap them - that I could understand, but what on earth is the point worrying that someone is going to take their photo.

Stitch - visually assaulted?! Forced to see a child's bits? Don't look! I doubt they'd come and waggle them in your face.

I have no problem whatsoever with naked children on the beach or in the back garden - it's up to them. I think there are more problems caused in UK society by the strange juxtaposition of OTT prudishness and titillating flaunting we see in newspapers and on tv.

Also, LGJ, I'd like a word with you. I thought I was your twin?

Snafu it is then

Personally don't have a problem with it, but my nearly 7 yr old DS has himself started to be occasionally 'shy' of showing himself naked to others - nothing anyone's said, I think it just ties in with wanting to be alone to go to the loo and that sort of thing. So I don't think he would want to run around naked on a beach anymore.
Really wouldn't seriously occur to me that anyone might be watching them - if they were, I suppose I feel that they'd probably be almost as excited by swimwear anyway.

Did I say my MN twin did I ??

Well did I ??

No I just happened to agree with the girl, where were you then ??

Well ??

Well ??