'Unsupervised' kids

mildred1978

shellsuit wrote: »

I'd be just as shocked as you, and would judge the parents of these kids too.

You do surprise me!

shellsuit

mildred1978 wrote: »

You do surprise me!

That's unfair.

If you were walking through a park and saw a couple of 3yo's playing naked with no adults near, are you seriously saying you wouldn't bat an eyelid??



I know you're talking about what I said to you on another thread, but the only reason I was shocked is because of the times...I love being a Mum, I have 3 kids, 15, 13 and 2, but I also love me time.

I never judged you on that thread and don't think you're a bad Mum at all. If anything, you have the patience of a saint to spend all that time with your little one!

mikey72

shellsuit wrote: »

That's unfair.

If you were walking through a park and saw a couple of 3yo's playing naked with no adults near, are you seriously saying you wouldn't bat an eyelid??



I know you're talking about what I said to you on another thread, but the only reason I was shocked is because of the times...I love being a Mum, I have 3 kids, 15, 13 and 2, but I also love me time.

I never judged you on that thread and don't think you're a bad Mum at all. If anything, you have the patience of a saint to spend all that time with your little one!

But it was a group of 12 kids, up to at least age 8, and the parents were close by.

mildred1978

My thoughts on the OP go something like this (and they probably aren't much like anyone else's):

The nakedness doesn't bother me in the slightest. My parents have lots of photos of me at a similar age in a local outdoor pool naked. I do not believe human bodies are shameful, nor that they should always be hidden. I believe children should be encouraged to express themselves.

I don't believe there are more pedophiles/child snatchers now than there were 30 years ago, nor that they are more predatory. The hysteria around them is completely out of control.

I am more concerned that the parents were not near by because the children could have hurt themselves.

(while I was thinking I wondered whether shutting children indoors because of fear of pedophiles isn't part of the problem. Perhaps allowing children to be children is the best first step in tackling it....???)

tankgirl1

Felicity wrote: »

Very elequent post OP, I agree with you re supervision but fear the green eyed monster is clouding your judgement in this case.

Please Felicity, explain your thoughts on why I may be bothered by the green eyed monster...

If it is to do with the picnic-ing mum's standing in the community, please let me assure you I could think of nothing worse than everyone in the village knowing my name, what i do for a living, etc etc

And as for the PTA *runs away from all the super mums tripping over myself as I go*

No ta - I like the quiet life - but I do think those mums who get involved with everything going should at least keep an eye on their little ones, you know - like at least be able to see their 3/4 yo playing - and perhaps intervene when they strip off!

DS loves to strip off too, which is fine, but not in public !!!!!!!

shellsuit

mikey72 wrote: »

But it was a group of 12 kids, up to at least age 8, and the parents were close by.

And it was 2 of the youngest who were running around naked.

Naked at home and in the garden OK, naked in a family members house or garden OK, naked on the beach in the sea with Mum and/or Dad OK, but not being supervised properly in a park?

OP says the 3 parents couldn't see the children properly either.

You might think that's OK, but I don't and the OP did ask for people's opinions on it.

tankgirl1

shellsuit wrote: »

And it was 2 of the youngest who were running around naked.

Naked at home and in the garden OK, naked in a family members house or garden OK, naked on the beach in the sea with Mum and/or Dad OK, but not being supervised properly in a park?

OP says the 3 parents couldn't see the children properly either.

You might think that's OK, but I don't and the OP did ask for people's opinions on it.

Thank You Shell - and for the record the older kids didn't bat an eyelid at the little ones stripping off - nor did they go and tell the adults about it...

Ummm - you all remember that talk about the bits that swimming costumes cover? And we all agree that private gardens etc are OK, but not the play park !!!!!!!

marywooyeah

FWIW OP I don't think you're overreacting at all. Whilst I can understand that the older kids can look after the younger, thats all well and good as long as the parents can supervise their children, which if they are at a bottom of a hill which they can't see up then this is ineffective.
Yes it's normal to be naked - but not in a park! what if they got bum burn off a slide or swing? fell over? they'd have more cuts/grazes than they'd normally get.
I seriously wouldn't discount the idea of the possibility of some kind of sexual issue eg perverts or pedophiles being a risk either - yes being abducted or the like is a small risk it still happens, I certainly wouldn't let my boy run round naked for a combination of the above.
And yes, the fact that they are on the PTA shows a voluntary assumption of responsibilty for children at that particular school, so it gives the impression that they would be more caring towards their own children, which their behaviour does not show at all.
I think I would mention it to the mums OP.

missindecisive

i don;t think you are over-reacting, the children should be watched, even if from a distance, just so that if they get hurt an adult would be able to help them.
Everyone has different attitudes to parenting their children, some let them play out on their own at 3 years old whilst they sit in the house having a cup of tea. Some let theirs go to the shop/local park at a younger age then you would let yours. Some are happy to let anyone babysit so they can have some 'me' time, that might be a babysitter you would'nt dream of using. Each to their own I say..as long as you are confident you are doing the right thing for your own children let the rest get on with it !

peachyprice

shellsuit wrote: »

naked in a family members house or garden OK,

And the biggest child abuse threat is from family members.