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?

Would just add, their are very sound (sun protection) reasons for not letting your child wander naked on the beach.

Mine will be kitted out in those anti-uv suits this summer. And thanks for reminding me - really must order those!

But HMC how do you know a paedophile's level of sexual arousal would be more acute if a child is naked? I think that's a hugely risky thing to think. Just as many men find women sexier with lacy underwear on, than completely naked, some paedo's get far more turned on by the sight of a little girl in pink wellies and Barbie rain-coat than completely naked.

So whatever your child wears or doesn't wear, you can't predict or guarantee that your choice of attire for her won't be the very thing that a paedo finds an absolute turn-on. So covering her up isn't necessarily "protecting" him/her from a paedo's arousal.

I agree I'm more concerned about sun-damage.

Apropos the sun-cream thing, I'm sure I remember reading somewhere that it's better to wear a T-shirt as sun cream just covers up damage, rather than preventing it.

Naked on a beach. In Scotland? No. The poor bairn would freeze to death.

OMG I can't believe how much people psychoanalyse EVERY situation!!

I used to run about naked as a kid.... ahted having a wet swimsuit on!

Let them BE CHILDREN!

Jeeeso. Makes me sad .

goodpoint about sun protection, mine only stip off if the beach was impromptu and I forget their bathers

it is totally a moot point IMO though because any child on a beach should be in a SUNSUIT anyway

HMC no, can't join you, don't want sand to get in my naked bits

Toothache,
In response to the "I can't believe how some people physchoanalyse everything...." I could reply "I can't believe the lack of common sense.....etc" (but I won't, because I don't wish to be rude!)

going back to the swimming pool changing rooms I think they should have family changing rooms that are not linked to ever teh ,ale pr female changing rooms as dd finds it off putting getting changed when there are older boys in there so whilst recognising their mums want to ensure they are safe it does nothing to teach my dd that boys should respect girls judging on the way they behave
back on thread as parents we have aresponsibility to protect our children so whatever it takes sto achieve this should be done

Caligua,

You probably have a point that some paedo's will find a fully clothed child (if it projects the right image for them - i.e. for example your barbie wellies suggestion!) more sexually enticing than a nude child.

I am making an assumption that because my own personal sexual thing is adult men, and they do more for me when naked, then the same principle applies to everyone. But yes that might not be the case.

However I am all for being a pragmatist, and I am more comfortable with my children not being naked in public places...and it's simply not an issue for them. They don't feel constrained or limited because most other people are in swimsuits - so it simply doesn't come up as a question for them. Were they to raise it, I would tell them that I am protecting them from the sun.

If I were to let them run around naked on the beach I would feel constantly uncomfortable and perpetually on the alert for cameras etc

HMC - Was going to say "Like how you always manage to dress up an insult"... but I won't.

I had a friend who swore blind that she would NEVER let her ds use a public toilet on his own until he was 16! How impractical and unrealistic and neurotic is that???

It is sad that people feel the need to be SO paranoid about their childrens exposure. I loved running about naked as a child.... and like others have said, there comes a time when you're own modesty takes over and the innocence of youth starts to slip away..... Please for goodness sake let your children be children and frolick naked on a beach if they like! Anyway, that's MHO.

And I don't see the difference between boys playing around in their pants, or swimming trunks. That kind of confused me.

Toothache,

I don't dress up my insults that well - because they are transparently obvious!

HMC - I clearly wasn't directing my original post at anyone in particular so don't really know why you felt the need to jump in with sarcasm. I hadn't actually read any of your posts at that point!

only just seen this thread - haven't read it all though

Yes I'd let my boys run naked at the beach if they wanted to - DS1 (4yrs) 'prefers' pants on, and hates running round naked even at home...........

DS2 (18 months) I think will be wanting to visit the nudist beaches when he's older PMSL.

I'm not offended, as such, by the sight of naked children on the beach but I do feel sorry for them as they may get sunburn on their tender parts or injure them. If the children are in underpants I assume the parents forgot their cossies or simply haven't got any.
Further, I would not let my dd be naked in any area I consider to be public as I don't think its appropriate - agree with ssd and soupdragon etc.
I also think its weird to attack posters on this thread who have expressed the "less liberal" view or whatever point the attackers think they are making.
Changing rooms in gyms, my gym has separate male and female rooms with an age restriction of 6 for opposite sex. But there are also magnificent family rooms for parents taking an opposite gender child swimming. The problem our club has had is couples without kids using the family changing rooms

Not sure how the thread has progressed but I would never let ds run around naked on the beach purely for the reason that I am very concerned about sun exposure.

Ahnow the sunburn issue is definitely a reason I would cover them up. Every time I turn my back ds is stripping off! I just think it's funny.... but not if he got his bits burnt!

Don't you think this is another example of how we have let ourselves fall into the trap of believing everything "bad" is preventable? If someone takes a picture of your child and posts it on the web, is it your fault as a parent for putting your child in a position where they could be photographed?

DS is much more comfortable in a sun suit rather than me rubbing sunblock on him when he's sandy. Only have to do his hands and face and no worries about too long in the water either.

The paedophile issue is one thing, but I don't really want any other adults (probably I mean men) looking at my naked daughter - I feel like its my job to protect her from anything I consider to be inappropriate.

Cam what d'you mean by "the less liberal view"? I think it's interesting that you use the word "appropriate" - I think the word appropriate is used in the same way now that the word "proper" was used 100 years ago.

Substitute the word "propriety" for "appropriateness" and I think you'll get my drift. I simply don't understand the meaning of the word "appropriate" in talking about children being naked on a beach (surely the most "appropriate" place for them to be naked, apart from in the bath apart from the sun issue.) Whereas the sight of a nine year old in a crop top which says "Sexy" is highly improper, imo, or inappropriate, if you want to use the more modern term.

I guess I'm uncomfortable with the idea that children's nakedness can ever be improper; it smacks to me so much of the over-sexualisation of children which is going on in our society. I actually don't think I'm very liberal on this issue - I'd quite happily ban little whore outfits for eight year olds but the retailers tell us it's what kids/ parents want.