Kids lacking swimsuits at the pool?

Rachelilly23 · May 2014

We went to the pool at our Y this morning and were hanging out in the zero entry pool that goes down to 2 ft. I was holding E's hand and walking around in the pool with him while DS1 was playing with a bunch of little boys his age. All of a sudden a mother sends a little girl into the pool with just a bathing suit bottom on. So her little boobs were completely exposed in a pool full of little boys.

Does anyone else find this odd? The girl was probably a little bit younger than DS1 so maybe 3.5? I just don't understand why they couldn't have covered her top.

ChrisG83 · May 2014

I agree with bandeddie. Little baby no big deal but at that age I think it's important to already be enforcing which parts are private. This reminds me of this worksheet I saw on Pinterest the other day.

stephcarter · May 2014

3 and a half is definitely pushing it. Under 1- meh, maybe. Even under 2 and I wouldn't think too much of it, but anything over that and id judge.

My friend has a 5 yo and that girl never has a shirt on. But they're French, I think it's a cultural thing maybe?

Rachelilly23 · May 2014

This little girl's hair was a hot mess and she clearly had some kind of food smudged all over her face. I was really judging those parents. The parents were not even near her either and she was not able to climb out of the 2 ft. end by herself so the lifeguard had to keep helping her.

scrumpfy · May 2014

I'd consider under one a baby, and then I see no issue with just a swim diaper or whatever. Toddlers is a gray area for me. But by three or four, yeah, they have a concept of privates. And covering them.

Rachelilly23 · May 2014

NeedUtonite said:
I'd say borderline....2-3 years old-no big deal. Three plus- not ok.

Although I wouldn't let any age kid run around uncovered in public without a reason(sand, too hot, etc). If there is a top available...put it on!

Yeah it was like 75 degrees when we were there this morning!

wesleycrusher · May 2014

BrooketheCat said:

Eh I must be the more blasé parent of the group. I think no top til kindergarten is just fine.

eh, we already know where I stand on this from my other post and it wouldn't bother me. Also, I don't think I would say a 3.5 year old has "little boobs." sorry, that just rubs me the wrong way.

Wally3 · May 2014

It is common in many European countries for both young boy and girls to wear just a bottom speedo type
Bathing suit no top. I live in south fl most boys wear a top shirt as protection from the sun.

@Rachelilly23‌ I have been in fl way too long. 75 to me is not hot - especially at a pool.

Rachelilly23 · May 2014

@Wally3‌ I wasn't saying 75 is hot. I meant it's the opposite of hot. Not like it was super hot and she needed more of an excuse to go without a top. I live in GA.

@awesomesauce123‌ Little boobs wasn't meant to offend, sorry. It was the only thing that came to mind in describing what I saw. I mean, it was clear she had more of something there than, say, a 3.5 year old boy.

Sillygirl85 · May 2014

am I the only one who would worry about pedophiles?

LorMor · May 2014

I wouldn't think twice about a little girl with no top on. She doesn't have boobs at that age. And are boys oggling boobs at that age?

At that age, in many kids, you can't even tell the difference between boys and girls, so it wouldn't concern me at all.

Rachelilly23 · May 2014

LorMor said:
I wouldn't think twice about a little girl with no top on. She doesn't have boobs at that age. And are boys oggling boobs at that age?

At that age, in many kids, you can't even tell the difference between boys and girls, so it wouldn't concern me at all.

I see what you're trying to say and I'm not trying to sound snarky at all. But all the boys in the pool were looking at her like "Where's your top, girl?" I mean, yes, she didn't have actual boobs and I wouldn't expect little boys to be oggling her, but like I said she clearly had something more there than a little boy would. It was just really odd to me. I honestly was a little embarassed for her.

Rachelilly23 · May 2014

Sillygirl85 said:
am I the only one who would worry about pedophiles?

This too. Especially when there was an incident at the mall nearby with a man taking pictures of young kids on the indoor playground and then going immediately to the bathroom. Security was involved in that. We don't live in the nicest of areas and there are some sketchy characters out there.

wesleycrusher · May 2014

Sillygirl85 said:

am I the only one who would worry about pedophiles?

DD went topless for a little while at the spray park today. Honestly, I don't worry about the very small chance of a pedophile when she's having fun and doesn't know any better. She'll have enough to worry about soon enough in life, ya know?

Rachelilly23 · May 2014

I think if it was a private pool or party it would be a little different. But this was at the Y, which is family-oriented. They have signs that say you can't have anyone under 16 in the locker rooms... and signs that say we're to wear cover ups over swim suits in the building outside the pool areas. So I would say they're a little more conservative on nakedness spectrum around people.

Under 2, I wouldn't bat an eye. Under 5 at a private place, fine. But I think this scenario was odd and uncomfortable.

Sharon&Paul · May 2014

It is cultural. We have had several Au Pairs living with us from Europe and Latinos. It is odd to them that we have our kids so covered at that age. I would not judge.

Rachelilly23 · May 2014

@CK2MD‌ She was definitely on the chubby side.

lady dixneuf · May 2014

I'd be totally fine w it

Doubletrouble12 · June 2014

Seems weird to me. If they could stick bottoms on here why not put a top on? I think at 3 you need to start teaching about private parts. I think no top would be fine at home, but not at a public place.

Sharon&Paul · June 2014

We just encountered this issue this past weekend. We have a blow up pool in the backyard. I had our DD in a swim diaper only. However, she kept asking to use the potty. Doing nothing of course. After several trips to the potty I brought the small potty outside and left her naked. This way she could go sit on the potty as many times as she wanted to.

Rachelilly23 · June 2014

Um, ok...

Rachelilly23 · June 2014

haygurlhay said:

Rachelilly23 said:

Um, ok...

Sorry, guess I just can't relate to that kind of judgemental thought process.

Sure, because you've never judged anyone in your life. Those parents had no interest in attending to their child. All I'm saying.

ETA: I'm not basing the parents' lack of interest in the kid on the lack of swimsuit top. You called me out on judging for her messy face and hair. It was a combination of things that gave me the impression that the parents had no interest in their kid, along with the fact that she was alone in the pool and required help with the parents not even close by.

Rachelilly23 · June 2014

Sure. We can agree to disagree.

Honestly, I don't understand the thought process of parents who just send their child into a public pool with food smeared down their face. Most public pools have rules about rinsing off before entering. I don't want to swim with the remnants of your child's food, thanks.

My husband is deployed. I'm with my children 24/7 alone. I get that things come up and life happens. People probably judge me all the time for taking screaming kids into stores, but fuck, I dont have another choice. But it's not like they know that. I at least take the time and pay attention enough to my kids to clean them before sending them into public water.

I also don't understand how I sound like I'm being "wayyy judgmental." We all judge. And like I said, there was a combination of things that just seemed off.

Kids lacking swimsuits at the pool?

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