When should parents start making their girls wear shirts around the house and yard?

[topolino]

A friend of mine just posted some pictures of her kids playing in the pool in their backyard, and then around the house after they'd gotten out of the pool. The daughter is six and is shirtless in all the pics; she only has on a bathing suit bottom.

I'm not saying I have a problem with this, but I'm just curious. I have no kids and no sisters, so it's never come up in my life.

Should a parent begin to teach their daughters to wear a top, even long before they've developed?

 

[Reddy]

I have never seen a girl older than 2 not have a top on
sometimes the bikini top isn't in the right spot but at least it was on

 

[ThreeBeans]

I think you should probably think about something else

 

[PollyannaMom]

I think over 2 is common here as well.

 

[topolino]

I think you should probably think about something else

 

[Magpie]

Many middle class North American parents make their little girls cover up by the time they're a year old. Or earlier!

But in general, I think it really doesn't matter until the child starts "budding". When she's got something to cover, that's when she should start wearing a shirt.

I know some very hippie, granola type families, and that was the rule.

 

[Acklander]

I don't have girls here but I've always thought that it wasn't something that needed to be taught. As she gets older and more aware of her body she'll want to cover up. It isn't really necessary or a bog deal before then

 

[sharonmickey]

Once a child is potty trained she should be wearing a shirt outside the house IMHO.

 

[punkin]

I think you should probably think about something else

I agree. Seriously, an average six year old girl looks exactly like and average six year old boy. Why would anyone even think twice about this?

 

[topolino]

I agree. Seriously, an average six year old girl looks exactly like and average six year old boy. Why would anyone even think twice about this?

Just wondering what the board members feel is the proper age to start teaching about modesty.

 

[dngnb8]

I agree. Seriously, an average six year old girl looks exactly like and average six year old boy. Why would anyone even think twice about this?

I think the perception is for pedophiles. What the OP doesnt understand is that pedophiles arent attracted to gender, theyre attracted to age.

 

[lpereira]

I think the real question here is why would someone think its ok to post naked pictures of their child on the internet. Our backyard has aprivacy fence and the have been pool days in panties. But no internet pictures for wandering pedophiles to see.

 

[topolino]

I think the perception is for pedophiles. What the OP doesnt understand is that pedophiles arent attracted to gender, theyre attracted to age.

Honestly, pedophilia didn't even cross my mind when I posted it. I was more curious about parenting styles and teaching about modesty.

 

[Acklander]

I think the real question here is why would someone think its ok to post naked pictures of their child on the internet. Our backyard has aprivacy fence and the have been pool days in panties. But no internet pictures for wandering pedophiles to see.

The child isn't naked. Just wearing a bathing suit bottom.

 

[lpereira]

Wearing just a bathing suit bottom is naked. In some cultures is acceptable, just not this one. Mind you i have no problem with it but in public i adhere to cultural norms.
Back to the op original question if the child can walk then the child needs to be dressed before appearing in public. Internet pictures are public. Far more public than say taking a child in bathing suit bottoms to the grocery store whee only a couple hundred people (at best) will see the child.

 

[brookmey]

When they reach school age, like 5. We stopped letting DD run around the backyard without a shirt the summer before she started Kinder.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

We did not teach our boys about modesty. We have no "nudity" rules in our home except when we have company - and that is out of respect for the company.

Modesty, in this context, is a negative thing, IMO. It effects self image.

 

[punkin]

Just wondering what the board members feel is the proper age to start teaching about modesty.

I think modesty should be taught as early as possible. I think that what I consider "modest" differs appreciably from your conception of "modest."

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Many middle class North American parents make their little girls cover up by the time they're a year old. Or earlier!

But in general, I think it really doesn't matter until the child starts "budding". When she's got something to cover, that's when she should start wearing a shirt.

I know some very hippie, granola type families, and that was the rule.

My family is about as far from crunchy granola as you can get, but that was the rule when I was little. But I always wanted a top and underwear and something over it. I never would even wear a bikini after about 4 - I wanted a full coverage once piece! (And my mom, who kept her figure until I was in middle school wandered around in a modest 2 piece - don't ever call it a bikini in her hearing. Preacher's wives didn't wear bikinis, don't'cha know. ) Still, it wasn't a problem. My mom has tons of pictures of me running around as a toddler or itsty little girl in just my underpants.

 

[topolino]

Wearing just a bathing suit bottom is naked. In some cultures is acceptable, just not this one. Mind you i have no problem with it but in public i adhere to cultural norms.
Back to the op original question if the child can walk then the child needs to be dressed before appearing in public. Internet pictures are public. Far more public than say taking a child in bathing suit bottoms to the grocery store whee only a couple hundred people (at best) will see the child.

I tend to agree.

I think if I were a parent of a girl, by the time she turns six I would've had the modesty conversation with her, to tell her that boys and girls are different and that girls need to cover certain parts that boys don't.