Kids swimming in underwear, OK, or not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s absolutely fine. Most western countries outside the US wouldn’t bat an eye to this. These are the fun, spontaneous, carefree memories that make childhood.

Yep. It’s a weirdly American thing.

[Anonymous]

It’s fine. My kids and friends have always spontaneously jumped into pools together. Often they have on their clothes, sometimes the boys may just have on underwear.

[Anonymous]

If we're being honest, underwear would be a step up from what my kids usually end up wearing when they swim in our pool.

Not because of some aversion to swim suits. They're usually just too lazy to bother changing into them if we're at home.
Around family (ours is small) I do insist on at least underwear or shorts or something.

[Anonymous]

The pools I swim at usually have some sign that you can’t wear woven fabrics as they unravel and clog filters. So, for that reason I might have concerns.

But from a modesty perspective? No concerns at 7.

[Anonymous]

No, i would not bat an eye at this. My kids are 11 and 7 (boys). Heck my boys go swimming in the creek with their friends in their underwear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Random question that came up this weekend, while at a spontaneous family/friends sort of gettogether. Completely unplanned, everyone just sort of showed up with food last second, due to the nice weather.

I suppose no one expected 1.) the weather to be so nice. and-- 2.) The host's outdoor pool to be opened already (and heated!). So no one really came with swimsuits packed at all. Somewhere along the way, someone in another family told their kids they could swim in their underwear as an alternative. Twenty minutes later, half of them were in the pool.

DS is my first, and only kid, so please forgive my ignorance here. But...

Do folks around here care, one way or the other? I'd say we're generally a pretty private family, when it comes to clothing. HUGE family, and although there were certainly some family members there I wouldn't bat an eye at DS (7 yrs old) being in underwear around. But, there are a couple that I had second thoughts on. I ended up allowing him to join the rest of the kids anyways. But, am I wrong for being a bit hesitant?

That is your issue. Not kids in underwear. Why would you even bring your child to a large group event with people that you feel icky around? That’s pretty messed up.

I don't mean to say I feel 'icky' about anyone necessarily. Perhaps I worded it poorly, my fault.

It's more just a case of we have a very, VERY large family. Like, 10-11 aunts and uncles on ONE side sort of large. I have cousins/family that we either have never seen before, or see them maybe once or twice a year, and that's it.

On the flip side, I also have family that I'd trust with anything (the majority of them really). For some reason though, I just felt odd sending DS running out there in just his underwear. I figured I was being silly, so just tried to ignore it. It's the first time we've ever ran into something like this, so I guess I just kind of semi-panicked, in the moment. Idk. I suppose it was a dumb thing to be nervous about, given I (I think?) was the only one at all phased by it.

Regardless, I guess going forward I'll be keeping a travel bag of swimsuits etc and spare clothes in the car going forward.

Kind of confused what was really going on? When you said spontaneous friends/family get together, I assumed you meant a few families. Did all 20 of your extended family aunts and uncles cousins and every relation show up? Is weird Uncle Frank swimming in tighty whities?

[Anonymous]

Good idea to keep a swimsuit in the car for this kind of thing. My 8 year old was in this situation, went swimming in his jeans and because he didn’t have anything else to change into afterwards he had to wear one of his brothers pull-up diapers.

[Anonymous]

Im not american, so i probably would have been fine with all the kids being naked. underwear is the same size as a swimsuit, so i cant even fathom what the issue is here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s unsanitary. [/quote

Life is unsanitary. Deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s unsanitary. [/quote

Life is unsanitary. Deal.

This post confuses me.

How is swimming in underwear any different, sanitation-wise, to wearing a swim suit? Have you ever swam in an ocean? A lake?

What do you imagine goes on in those particular bodies of water. Stupid post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s absolutely fine. Most western countries outside the US wouldn’t bat an eye to this. These are the fun, spontaneous, carefree memories that make childhood.

Yep. It’s a weirdly American thing.

What? Have you ever been to a public pool in Europe? They are absolutely more strict and would throw you out if you tried to swim in underwear.

In fact, many pools in Europe require you wear a swim cap and men can’t even wear swim trunks since they could be mistaken for street clothes. They must wear speedos. Only tight fitting swim attire (or nude) plus swim caps on everyone. And the shower prior is a must- they don’t ignore that rule like the US does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Im not american, so i probably would have been fine with all the kids being naked. underwear is the same size as a swimsuit, so i cant even fathom what the issue is here.

that's what happens at our house...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Random question that came up this weekend, while at a spontaneous family/friends sort of gettogether. Completely unplanned, everyone just sort of showed up with food last second, due to the nice weather.

I suppose no one expected 1.) the weather to be so nice. and-- 2.) The host's outdoor pool to be opened already (and heated!). So no one really came with swimsuits packed at all. Somewhere along the way, someone in another family told their kids they could swim in their underwear as an alternative. Twenty minutes later, half of them were in the pool.

DS is my first, and only kid, so please forgive my ignorance here. But...

Do folks around here care, one way or the other? I'd say we're generally a pretty private family, when it comes to clothing. HUGE family, and although there were certainly some family members there I wouldn't bat an eye at DS (7 yrs old) being in underwear around. But, there are a couple that I had second thoughts on. I ended up allowing him to join the rest of the kids anyways. But, am I wrong for being a bit hesitant?

That is your issue. Not kids in underwear. Why would you even bring your child to a large group event with people that you feel icky around? That’s pretty messed up.

I don't mean to say I feel 'icky' about anyone necessarily. Perhaps I worded it poorly, my fault.

It's more just a case of we have a very, VERY large family. Like, 10-11 aunts and uncles on ONE side sort of large. I have cousins/family that we either have never seen before, or see them maybe once or twice a year, and that's it.

On the flip side, I also have family that I'd trust with anything (the majority of them really). For some reason though, I just felt odd sending DS running out there in just his underwear. I figured I was being silly, so just tried to ignore it. It's the first time we've ever ran into something like this, so I guess I just kind of semi-panicked, in the moment. Idk. I suppose it was a dumb thing to be nervous about, given I (I think?) was the only one at all phased by it.

Regardless, I guess going forward I'll be keeping a travel bag of swimsuits etc and spare clothes in the car going forward.

Your sketchy pedo relatives are the problem. This isn’t a problem you can crowdsource swim wear opinions on.

[Anonymous]

I am curious how about for girls topless and wearing only bottom underwear in a private pool? What are the ages deemed inapporpriate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am curious how about for girls topless and wearing only bottom underwear in a private pool? What are the ages deemed inapporpriate?

I would say it’s fine as long as their chest is indistinguishable from a boy’s, and they are comfortable with it. Once they start to grow or become shy about nudity, it’s time to put on a top. So this will be different for everyone.