Culture against anti-UV bathing suits

What are your concerns? Do you believe sun exposure leads to skin cancer? Do you think too much sunscreen leads to cancer? Do your concerns about uv exposure outweigh your concerns about "modesty" Do you think it will be hard for her to adjust to a more confined culture if you let her run around naked?

As for me... I would let DS run around naked if we were at a nudist beach, I would let him run around naked if most of the kids around were naked, I wouldn't let him run around naked if only a minority of kids were, because to me it screams that the adults around him will not accept it and that could cause staring and pointing I don't want to expose him to. It should be about stress free fun!

Three yo's in thongs are not ick unless the person looking at the views them as inappropriate... thongs are just suits... Take how you viewed those three yo's and that is prob how those adults saw your child ... I wouldn't respond to the other parents in any other way than to say, " how interesting that our children wear such diff. outfits... I am certain that she is cool enough, but I will keep an eye on her to be sure"

Quote:
:

Quote:
Yeah, that's what I was thinking,too.

My vote is, a cold stare for the busybodies, followed by criticisms of all they are doing wrong with their children :

Quote:
We actually bought one specifically for DD since she is darker skin toned because its so hard to tell when she is getting burned. You can't see her skin get the pink stage so one minute she's fine and the next she can be burnt. I would let them know you appreciate their concern and let them know you'll keep an eye on her.

Quote:
ITA

Quote:
Ditto

Dd is almost 6 and loves her UV suit. Her current one is hot pink and has a ruffle, and she loves it!

She wears them to indoor pools too, although once she was sad when some other little girls told her she looked funny. I said we could get a different suit for indoors if she liked, but since then she's been fine with it.

Personally, if I were you and your daughter asked to go naked when it was hot and sunny, I'd at least encourage her to stick with the suit. I think that it is a healthier way to protect her skin than by way of chemical sun blocks, although the occasional dose of naked time is ok. The 'thong' thing I wouldn't even consider ok'ing. I agree that in western culture, today, putting a three year old in a thong is sexualizing her, and I wouldn't be keen on that.

So far as how to respond to other parents goes, I'd just say "Thanks for your concern, but this works very well for us," with a bright smile that, one hopes, shuts things down.

My in-laws are in-Italy Italians, and I do get the impression that they think a lot of stuff we do is completely kooky: it seems fairly conformist there in terms of child-rearing, at least to my untrained eye, so you may be getting a big dose of different=bad.

Quote:
That's something important. If you're living in a new culture, it's important to be aware of the social morays there. When I travel, I stick to the old addage "When in Rome... do as the Romans"... unless the Romans are still over-sexualizing children!


Seriously tho, different doesn't always=bad. Look for a balance between your west-hem-point-of-view and culture shock. I liked the idea of telling your dd the options (maybe injecting the reasons behind those options... ie: "This cute suit protects your skin from the sun best, and this cute suit is less protective... if you choose the less protective one, we'll be putting a ton of sun-lotion on, and covering up after a bit, ok?") and let her decide.

In Hawaii we slathered on spf 50 every morning before we went out, and about every hour after that, had dd (2.5, and half Cambodian) in her choice of three suits with varying degrees of coverage from bikini to UV, and no sunburns. Good times.

Tell them she's happy! All our kids wear UV suits. They're so cute (we've found ones with flowers and polka-dots and Hawaiian patterns). They're not hot--I wear the shirts for adults.

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_6117263

"New evidence suggests overall sun exposure, not just burns, in childhood is a big factor for those who later develop deadly skin cancer."

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/19/he...th&oref=slogin

"Dermatologists consider "covering up" to be the first line of defense against skin-damaging ultraviolet radiation.

. . . for as long as parents can get away with it, clothing is the ideal sunblock.

Wise parents will start putting hats on their children as soon as they are born and never stop. That greatly reduces battles about wearing a hat when they're older. A baseball-style cap is not enough. The hat should have a full wide brim or desert-type flap that shields the face, ears and back of the neck.

Dark-colored clothing (again, not ideal for a hot summer day) is a better sunscreen than something light-colored. A white T-shirt, which some children wear in the water, has an sun protection factor, or S.P.F., of only about two when wet.

Instead of buying your child a costly toy this summer, consider investing in clothing specially designed with a built-in S.P.F. of 30 that offers 97 percent ultraviolet protection."

I'm all for nakedness--my toddler is nude 80% of his inside time. But, it's my responsibility to protect my fair, freckled kids of Irish descent from skin cancers. We spend our summers at the beach. They know that we go out early, leave in the middle of the day, and return in the evening. They skinny dip after dinner .

Tankinis and such are for indoor pools.

Quote:
Are you really saying you think those parents are sexualizing their children? You say it is not uncommon to see three year olds running around in thongs in the op... are you sure it isn't just your culture differences that make you see it as sexual? Having spent a great deal of time in Europe I will say that a lot of American prejudices about nudity and sex do not carry over... I wouldn't keep pushing the issue but it bothers me that I see someone sexualizing young kids when they shouldn't be, IMO here it is you with your perceptions not the parents who are simply dressing their kids in what they see as normal swimming suits. I can't make you change your opinion, but I hope you will try to look at it from all perspectives... do you really think ALL those parents are sexualizing their kids... isn't it possible it is just your perception?

Quote:
A thong is as sexual in Italy as it is in the UK, France or the US. As for the intentions of the parents, I assume they just think that their 3-year old looks "cute" in it, just as many parents everywhere think that their baby or small girl looks cute in a bikini - also sexual and quite ridiculous for a female of that age if you consider that the purpose of the bikini is to cover adult/pubescent female breasts.

And the norm on continental Europe for small children bathing is either naked or with just the bottom. A thong is not the norm. I have only seen that here in Italy this year and last year.

cmlp, I guess we just have totally differing views. I don't think of a bikini as sexual, like the thong it may have started that way but to me it is just another bathing suit. If I had a girl I'd probably scandalize ya', just know if you ever see me out with a little girl in a bikini it isn't MEANT to be sexual! ETA: I know lot's of people who wear thongs because they swear they are more comfy than reg. undies.... I just assumed that people felt the same about their suits.

Quote:
A little OT, but my 2 year old wears a bikini. The pants are like shorts, and the top is a big rectangle across her chest (not a "cleavage-cut").

I LOVE seeing her in that suit. Why? Her little toddler tummy sticks out like a Buddha belly. SO CUTE!