Is this a joke? Seriously. Wear a freakin bikini. It has nothing to do with being professional. It's a pool. Don't let overly conservative people dictate what you wear...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who would let someone other than then take their non swimming toddler to a pool probably doesn't care what you wear.

Seriously?!?

Lol this is funny. I nannied for a family during the summers and took their toddler to the pool every day. I was a lifeguard during the school year, taught swim lessons for kids aged 9 months - 5 years, and was an avid competitive swimmer up until a shoulder injury in college required me to stop. I was definitely more qualified to take the toddler to the pool than her mom was.

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who would let someone other than then take their non swimming toddler to a pool probably doesn't care what you wear.

I had a high school who was a swim team member and a life guard who took my child to the pool since I also had babies. She took him alone or went with all of us. It's easier and faster to go to the bathroom in a 2 piece so get a tankini for kid pool trips. Or wear a conservative bikini.

I would just get a more "sport" like top from Nike or speedo, etc (they look more like sports bras than bras if you will) and rotate that with your regular bottoms. That way the toddler can yank all she wants and you won't feel like you are going to fall out. But also might be cheaper to just buy the top online rather than a few new suits.

You could ask your employer. As a MB, I would appreciate you wearing a sturdy, stay-put suit and wearing a coverup outside of the water. But that has more to do with modeling sun protection that it does with modesty. (And yes, my kids wear rash guards and swim shorts, and I wear one-piece/tankinis and coverups.)

No skimpy bikini. In college I worked at a summer camp with young kids, and some of the little ones would grab. And you need to be ready for anything, including running after and playing with the kids. Bikinis are a no-no in this type of situation. They just aren't practical.

For similar reasons, I believe all kids should wear clothing that they can be comfortable being active in. It isn't a matter of being a prude. I see girls at the playground wearing little dresses with no leggings, and they can't do anything except sit around looking cute. It's a real problem when girls' clothing prevents or discourages them from doing certain activities. I don't understand why some parents don't see this. If you are working with kids, you need to dress in a way that allows you to be active. String bikinis, probably not.

Other PPs have made good suggestions for bathing suits. Here's one more: check out Title Nine. They have a variety of sporty and cute one or two piece suits that are practical and minimize wardrobe malfunctions.

I work in childcare (though not a nanny) and I would never wear a bikini to take kids swimming - it's just not practical! Kids have their hands everywhere, especially when playing in the water. That stuff doesn't hold up well enough. I wear a one piece and swim shorts, makes it easy to carry kids around, pick up, set down, play with them etc.

My DS's swim instructor wore a string bikini. She was an official swim instructor through a company.

The only thing I found odd was that with new swimmers I was concerned that grabby hands might accidentally pull the strings.

wear what you are comfortable in. people love to talk but who care. if you can wear a bikini, go for it.

Wear what's comfortable when you're with small children. I always wear a tankini, usually with short-like bottoms. That way there's no tugging/riding up going on and its comfortable.

One piece or a tankini

OP. We are more conservative her than in Europe, as is evidenced by some of these hateful posts. Although I personally think it doesn't matter, the responses here suggest you might get treated better at the pool by the other people there if you cover up a bit. People should always be polite, but clearly some people won't be.

I would choose a tankini instead of a one-piece because it is more discrete in the dressing room and peeing in a one-piece is really annoying.

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who would let someone other than then take their non swimming toddler to a pool probably doesn't care what you wear.

Seriously?!?

I agree with the others about babies grabbing on to your top. No string bikinis but you can still wear a two piece but more of a sport style.

It is funny how everyone here has to justify wearing a bikini with having an amazing/great/hot/whatever word choice body. Of course, aesthetically, it is more pleasing to be seeing bodies that are in good shape versus not, but truly, women have so much to worry about. I am one of those who is self-conscious, and I would not wear a bikini. So, bravo/kudos to the women who are confident and don't have body image issues, but you do not have to have a great/hot/etc. body. Please, by saying that, you are just perpetuating the usual stereotype that women are supposed to look good.

I have three kids and I wear a bikini. It doesn't look amazing but it looks good enough and it definitely looks better than a one piece.

My au pair has a great body and wears a bikini. It never even occurred to me to worry about what she's wearing.

I care 10,000x more about whether she's taking good care of my kids. That's more important to me than how she dresses.