The great shirt debate: house rules for boys?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find this thread fascinating. I never thought about a rule in the house about shirts. Both my husband and 14 year old son always wear some sort of shirt at all times, except when they are in the process of looking for a shirt to put on. I think going around shirtless is low class, and we don't have to go through the trouble to enforce it because they don't feel comfortable walking around without a shirt unless they are at the pool or beach.

In movies the Southern hicks always put on a tank top to go out to eat and are shirtless when hanging outside in the holler.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Males going around shirtless is not nearly as common as when I was growing up in the late 70s and early 80s.

My brother was shirtless 24/7 in the summer. Mom not only didn't care, but was happy about it as it meant less laundry and less $$$. Many, if not most of the other boys in our neighborhood often went without a shirt in the summer. The men in the neighborhood, my dad included, often did yard work with no shirt.

My DS never went without a shirt unless he was at a pool or the beach.

My 2 DGS even wear a shirt in the pool. However, just recently my oldest DGS (13) has become obsessed with working out and suddenly start going around the house bare chested. So maybe the trend is starting to change again.

Same. My DS (14) likes to go shirtless in the summer but gets annoyed when we pester him about sunscreen. Same for me as a mid 40s dad. I would much rather do the yardwork shirtless, but its easier to put on a SPF shirt then sunscreen up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I never created a house rule for clothing. Being shirtless -boy or girl - was always fine with us.conce the kids hit puberty, they've worn a shirt if they were girls, and the boy just put on a shirt for meals on his own.

I think if the girl has to wear shirt, so should the boys. Dudes lounging topless, or exercising without shirts, is so . . . . ugly, tacky, unnecessary.

It’s not the same for girls. Boy can't stop staring at breasts, men either. Some would be “accidentally “ touching the girls.

[Anonymous]

I honestly don't want them, or their body oils, on my nice furniture.

So go ahead and be shirtless, but you gotta sit on the floor

[Anonymous]

So trashy. We don't drink from the milk carton or belch out loud either.

[Anonymous]

OP how exactly does it hurt you that you just roll with your husband on this one and they wear a shirt? I cant see outsourcing this not just going with your husband on this one. It hurts no one to wear shirts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So trashy. We don't drink from the milk carton or belch out loud either.

It may be trashy to go out in public in places where one should be properly dressed. But what is wrong or trashy with not wearing a shirt in the privacy of your own home?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids are grown now. When my boys lived at home they were certainly not allowed to walk around the house without shirts on. How tacky!

+1 million. No wonder Americans are such slobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Shirts are required for everyone in my house. period.

We aren't rednecks, nor do we live in a trailer.

This.

[Anonymous]

My DS always dressed very nice. Would win Best Dressed in High School every year. He was very neat and well groomed and kept his bedroom clean and organized. He was the opposite of a slob and was no redneck.

But he also never wore a shirt around the house or anything but a pair of gym shorts. I never cared nor did his sister. He had the right to be comfortable in our home.

Some of you are beyond uptight and petty.

[Anonymous]

The first thing DS (14) does when he is in for the day is take his shirt off. It goes back on whenever he has to leave the house the next day. I can't think of one good reason why he needs to wear a shirt at home, if he doesn't want to

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm with your DH on this one. Shirts for everyone in main areas. If you want to be half dressed you can be in your room, you don't get a pass because you were born with a penis which btw OP is what you are teaching your daughters.

I don't really get what the problem is. In society, women don't go shirtless. If you'd like to fight the patriarchy, that's cool. But also it's ok to teach your girls that going topless is taboo.

[Anonymous]

We're still working on convincing the 3 year old she doesn't have to get totally naked every time she pees or poops

The 6 year old is clothed for fear I will capture him and hug him to keep warm. Maybe you can try "You look cold, get over here"

[Anonymous]

In the summer DS7 will often take off his shirt while he’s outside playing with friends or if he’s all sweaty after soccer or running around at the park. And sometimes he will come down to breakfast in just his underwear, but he doesn’t habitually hang around the house like that. That’s just his preference though, my only rules are that his butt needs to be covered outside his room and if he’s complains about being cold, I’m sending him upstairs to put on pants, hoodie, etc.

[Anonymous]

So as respect to ladies we had to wear a shirt during daytime after 9pm shirtless and undies were allowed at our room anytime