What is the issue with my son playing outside shirtless? Is not wearing a shirt outside inappropriate?

[Anonymous]

Wait what...? Is this really a thing?

My son is just a year younger, and he more often than not plays outside in just underwear when it's hot.

People need to stop sexualizing kids, that's freaking weird and gross. My only concern would be possible sunburn. But, aside from that? No, I don't care, not at that age.

[Anonymous]

This thread is a wonderful lesson in how no matter what you do, someone is judging you harshly

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait what...? Is this really a thing?

My son is just a year younger, and he more often than not plays outside in just underwear when it's hot.

People need to stop sexualizing kids, that's freaking weird and gross. My only concern would be possible sunburn. But, aside from that? No, I don't care, not at that age.

Shirtless nbd, pantless is trashy though. Reminds me of driving through west Virginia and seeing kids running around in their dirty underwear and no shoes.

[Anonymous]

Shirtless is tacky. Pantless is trashy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m pretty strict on rules and I don’t care at all about boys or men being shirtless at home. I grew up with sisters and my dad wasn’t shirtless. Dh however loves to be shirtless and I got used to it. He loves to mow the lawn shirtless. He’s an avid runner and likes to run shirtless (nipple chafe otherwise).

Tell your husband to put on some clothes in public!

[Anonymous]

Everyone needs sunscreen. All year round but definitely now. Protect his health

[Anonymous]

In our house it’s trying to uphold minimal standards. If you can be seen by someone outside our household, you must be dressed - shirt, pants/shorts. If the doorbell rings and the pizza guy is here, throw on a shirt. My son loves to wander around in underwear and a blanket (which was a concessions from when he was a small child and just loved to run around naked - one of the first sayings he was taught was ‘must wear under wear’). I never let him go outside in just a diaper, either, and if you’re letting your older boy outside in underpants, that’s not okay.

Social norms don’t just start happening without a push. It’s the entire concept of unseen privilege - some people wind up at a disadvantage because they just didn’t know which fork to use, or whatever.

Shirtless is not quite as bad as underwear, but it’s noticed. Your husband is right.

[Anonymous]

How times change. Good thing many of you apparently weren’t around in the 1970s and 1980s. Males of all ages were outside shirtless all the time in the summer and no one thought it was tacky, trashy or inappropriate.

DH says when he was growing up, from school letting out until school started back, his summer attire was nothing but cutoffs/gym shorts and he only wore a shirt when absolutely necessary. But his family wasn’t at all low class and he always won best dressed in high school.

My two DS never have gone shirtless much outside. But the shirts come off as soon as they are inside the house. Doesn’t matter if it is 20 degrees outside.

And don’t get me started on year round shorts. My two boys hate long pants, but I have given up on that battle and let them wear shorts even when snow is on the ground.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How times change. Good thing many of you apparently weren’t around in the 1970s and 1980s. Males of all ages were outside shirtless all the time in the summer and no one thought it was tacky, trashy or inappropriate.

DH says when he was growing up, from school letting out until school started back, his summer attire was nothing but cutoffs/gym shorts and he only wore a shirt when absolutely necessary. But his family wasn’t at all low class and he always won best dressed in high school.

That was like 50 years ago! Half a century
My two DS never have gone shirtless much outside. But the shirts come off as soon as they are inside the house. Doesn’t matter if it is 20 degrees outside.

And don’t get me started on year round shorts. My two boys hate long pants, but I have given up on that battle and let them wear shorts even when snow is on the ground.

[Anonymous]

I would think it is OK in your own home or property. But once beyond the property line, observe a dress code.
I hosted a friend's son for a few months when he got his first big city job out of college. His parents did not teach him not to belch, burp, snort, hack and go shirtless in other people's homes. He probably did this at home growing up but wasn't informed that it's probably a bad idea to continue this behavior outside of his home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How times change. Good thing many of you apparently weren’t around in the 1970s and 1980s. Males of all ages were outside shirtless all the time in the summer and no one thought it was tacky, trashy or inappropriate.

DH says when he was growing up, from school letting out until school started back, his summer attire was nothing but cutoffs/gym shorts and he only wore a shirt when absolutely necessary. But his family wasn’t at all low class and he always won best dressed in high school.

My two DS never have gone shirtless much outside. But the shirts come off as soon as they are inside the house. Doesn’t matter if it is 20 degrees outside.

And don’t get me started on year round shorts. My two boys hate long pants, but I have given up on that battle and let them wear shorts even when snow is on the ground.

My sons wear shorts year round and most of the kids at their high school do the same. The school is overheated in many rooms from October to June.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not really want to see any person outside shirtless frankly, and neither do my daughters (their preference). As a mom of 2 daughters, it bugs me that no one bats an eyelid when a boy is shirtless but it would make people uncomfortable if even a very young girl (eg 6-7) was shirtless in public. And I’m not arguing for the solution to be that everyone be allowed to go shirtless. Why is it so wrong to teach all kids to keep their shirts on? It is obviously not impossible if 50% of kids can do it.
I may be an outlier, I know. I also don’t love it when men go shirtless because I’ve had many instances when I’m running where a shirtless man passes me closely and his sweat (that would have been caught by his T-shirt if he was wearing one) hits me in the face. So gross.

Girls can wear skirts and dresses in warm weather, though, which is an advantage, and no one expects boys to wear those things.

[Anonymous]

I don't have a boy but I would be worried about sun exposure. Is he wearing sunscreen when he's outside shirtless for hours on end?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do not really want to see any person outside shirtless frankly, and neither do my daughters (their preference). As a mom of 2 daughters, it bugs me that no one bats an eyelid when a boy is shirtless but it would make people uncomfortable if even a very young girl (eg 6-7) was shirtless in public. And I’m not arguing for the solution to be that everyone be allowed to go shirtless. Why is it so wrong to teach all kids to keep their shirts on? It is obviously not impossible if 50% of kids can do it.
I may be an outlier, I know. I also don’t love it when men go shirtless because I’ve had many instances when I’m running where a shirtless man passes me closely and his sweat (that would have been caught by his T-shirt if he was wearing one) hits me in the face. So gross.

Girls can wear skirts and dresses in warm weather, though, which is an advantage, and no one expects boys to wear those things.

There's not much of a difference between skirts and shorts. My daughters wear shorts under their dresses and skirts which is an added layer that boys don't have to worry about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Completely fine to be shirtless outside at any age. Re: schools - 100% in support of strong dress codes and/or uniforms. There's time for play and there's time for studying. I expect young men at my work to show up in a suit to client meetings, but I'm totally fine if they want to play skins and shirts during a game of basketball in a neighborhood.

Hot take: it's ok for prepubescent girls too

Completely agree! I grew up in eastern europe and you didn't wear a top on your bathing suit until you had boobs. When i came here and saw babies in bikinis I had a heart attack.

I think parents mostly do this with babies because it looks adorable, not modesty reasons?

It doesn’t look adorable. Do you also think makeup on little girls looks adorable?