Playing in the garden naked?

[francinejayne]

Last week when the weather was lovely I had the paddling pool out. My DS aged 2 was in a swim nappy (he was due to do a poo!) and mindee aged 3 and a half was in her swimming costume.
DS needed his nappy changing and after I'd finished changing him he jumped up quickly and ran off into the garden laughing. (the previous weekend when I wasn't minding he spent most of the weekend naked and he loves it!) So I slapped some sun cream on his bottom and he carried on playing.
When mindee saw DS was naked she said 'I want no clothes on' and promptly took her costume off!
I put sun cream all over her and they happily played.

There was no-one else in the house apart from me. I made sure that before my older children came home from school and my OH came home from work that they had pants on. When mum collected mindee she was fine with her being naked earlier in the day (I told her!) and commented that she bet they'd had a lovely time playing in the water.

I took photos of them both, being careful not to take any full frontal photos - I took photos from the waist up, or of their bottoms from behind if the photo contained all of them (IYSWIM)

My question is....
would you do this also? Do you think it is OK to have my DS and mindee playing naked?

If I wasn't minding I wouldn't think twice, but as a minder I thought about it afterwards and wondered if I should have allowed it or not?

Thanks

(I hope that this thread reads OK and no-one mis-interprets it!)

[marzi]

I'd be interested to see what answers you get. I'm not minding yet but my son is always starkers if the weather is nice lol. :blush:

[miss mopple]

Nope, I wouldnt do it Im afraid. You were the only one home but what about neighbours peering out windows?

I hate seeing children play naked if Im honest, especially outdoors. It just seems a bit wrong to me. Its one of my pet hates when we go to the beach. I would never let my own kids so I certainly wouldnt let somebody elses.

Sorry :blush:

[FussyElmo]

I dont know my own ds last year was always naked whatever chance he got in the summer. Would I allow my mindee to do the same mmm I dont know.

Probably not just incase they fell or got burnt mindee is really fair only has to see the sun and goes red.

Ps this year he hasnt seemed to want to be starkers yet :laughing:

[huggableshelly]

personally I would not do it because my fences are low and my garden is overlooked on both sides and back.

When I've had the pool out all mindees wore shorts and tshirts not pants or cozies and i had the gazebo up with the side pannels on to protect their privacy.

you say parents was fine about it, make sure you risk assess, go and look out of your neighbours window if you need too, ensure that noone can oversee your garden and see or even take pics.

My neighbour allows her children to play in the nude, this has happened whilst I was minding so i called all my children in as some were pointing and laughing (afterschoolies). Neighbour questioned me as to why the mindees were all inside on such a nice day so i told her, she ensure her children are dressed now when i have mindees but at wkends it doesnt matter as its just my 2 kiddies.

[Curly Quavers]

I personally wouldn't with mindees but would if it were just my own children at the weekend. If your parent is happy enough then fine no probs. But I would ask her to sign something to say she knows it happened and is ok with it. 21 years we have to keep children's files so that is a long time where something could possibly come and bite you on the bum.

:thumbsup:

[Trouble]

Nope, I wouldnt do it Im afraid. You were the only one home but what about neighbours peering out windows?

I hate seeing children play naked if Im honest, especially outdoors. It just seems a bit wrong to me. Its one of my pet hates when we go to the beach. I would never let my own kids so I certainly wouldnt let somebody elses.

Sorry :blush:

im the same im afraid but your kiddys sounded like they had fun and thats all that matters xxxxx

[Mouse]

No, I wouldn't let a 3.5yr old mindee play naked in the garden and I certainly wouldn't take photos.

I know it's all innocent play, but in this day & age I wouldn't do it.

Also, from a sun safety point of view, I never let young children play without a t-shirt on. Even in the paddling pool they wear one over their swimsuits. It's just something I have always done with my own children & will always do with mindees.

[sweets]

i hate seeing naked children on the beach too, not now a days!

As for in your garden with mindees its such a shame as its all completely innocent but i'm afraid i agree with everyone and say no i wouldnt allow it, just in case there are overlooking windows and dodgy people.

[TheBTeam]

I wouldn't but my dh is also here so it takes the decision away really as I think it would not be good for our business. My dd is 8 and doesnt like to have clothes on and never has, but we have made sure that she has bottoms on for a fair few years, especially if going outside.

Also from a sun cream point of view, i dont really want to be rubbing sun cream over a nude child that wasnt my own.

I generally keep mindees with t shirts and bottoms on, we have had them covered by a towel when we have been to a splash pool and they are changing from wet tshirt and shorts to dry ones.

I probably would advise against it, simply because there is always the chance that someone could see and report you, i wouldnt take photos of other peoples children like this because i wouldnt ever plan to put them in a learning journey, just dont think worth having to potentially pull them out and explain them to ofsted.

[Playmate]

Definately not, sorry in this day an age you have to do everything to protect yourself and the children and certainly not photos unless fully dressed. Must admit I'm like some of the others and don't like seeing children playing with no clothes on, went to view a house once that we wanted to buy and child of about 2 was running a around without clothes on and it put me off buying the house :blush:

[Hebs]

no i wouldn't nor would i have taken photo's :panic:

i understand that your own child is used to this and thats fair enough, but if this was my child i would have been more than a little miffed actually :panic:

sorry if thats not what you want to hear, but i have been on the end of 2 malicious complaints recently and i know that ANYONE will report you for the smallest of things :( and as a minder you must ensure that no one has ANY reason to file a complaint (as told to me by the inspector who came out to see me unannounced last week!!!)

sorry x

[Mouse]

I'm a bit funny about having bare bottoms on the toys as well! A few years ago our neighbour's toddler got into our garden. He was naked & sat on one of the sit on toys - I had to get the antibac wipes out :rolleyes: :laughing:

[LOOPYLISA]

Nope, I wouldnt do it Im afraid. You were the only one home but what about neighbours peering out windows?

I hate seeing children play naked if Im honest, especially outdoors. It just seems a bit wrong to me. Its one of my pet hates when we go to the beach. I would never let my own kids so I certainly wouldnt let somebody elses.

Sorry :blush:

I agree :thumbsup:

[kindredspirits]

no i wouldn't do it personally. and if i were you i would give parents a copy of the photos you took and delete them all - certainly the ones showing their bare bottoms - it might not be frontal but i don't think its appropriate to have photos of your mindees bare bottom i'm afraid.
my son took a photo of me changing a babies nappy the other day and i deleted it straight away when he wasn't looking.

[Mookins]

my dd last year was forever stripping off shes now 3 and half, i prefer her to keep covered...wouldnt let mindees go nudey...its a shame really but its just not safe

x x x

[funemnx]

"I know it's all innocent play, but in this day & age I wouldn't do it. "

Really sad though isn't it?

[LOOPYLISA]

"I know it's all innocent play, but in this day & age I wouldn't do it. "

Really sad though isn't it?

It is a very sad world we live in :panic:

My mum has pics of me and my bro in the paddeling pool when we were little :blush: :D

[Hebs]

its fine for parents to make that decision but no one else :panic:

[TheBTeam]

its fine for parents to make that decision but no one else :panic:

That is how i feel, i just think we have to be whiter than white, i am also funny about where even my kids sit if they come down from a bath, i dont want them sat on stuff with no kit on! Even if the parent was okay, like you say you just dont know who is watching may report you etc

[onceinabluemoon]

Definitely not.

Wrong on every level, especially taking photos of the mindee naked! :eek:

[Mouse]

It is a very sad world we live in :panic:

My mum has pics of me and my bro in the paddeling pool when we were little :blush: :D

My mum has got a picture of me naked in the garden when I was about 3. I absolutely hate it & vowed I would never take any pictures on my kids naked. Even as babies there are none that show so much as a bare bum! I don't want them to live with the embarrassment of having their naked photo brought out at every opportunity :blush: :laughing:

[LOOPYLISA]

My mum has got a picture of me naked in the garden when I was about 3. I absolutely hate it & vowed I would never take any pictures on my kids naked. Even as babies there are none that show so much as a bare bum! I don't want them to live with the embarrassment of having their naked photo brought out at every opportunity :blush: :laughing:

:laughing:

I have pics of dd in the bath, sink etc, this was 12 years ago though :thumbsup:

[Alibali]

After recent reports of nurseries and unsuitable photos I wouldn't take the risk, albeit completely innocent its still not worth the chance of having to explain it all to ofsted. Glad the lo's had fun though.

Up here we have to show how we change nappies while maintaining a childs privacy & dignity, so I should imagine this would come under the same thing,

[Curly Quavers]

Up here we have to show how we change nappies while maintaining a childs privacy & dignity, so I should imagine this would come under the same thing,

I'm under the watchful eye of cc to and was thinking the same thing

[Hebs]

i also really hope mum was ok with it and not too shocked to comment :panic:

[juejue]

Sorry but I wouldn't dream of it and taking photo's :panic: . I am surprised mum was ok with it.

If they were both my own children then yes, but not with mindee.

x

[michellethegooner]

i wouldnt let mindees naked, my ds used 2 when he was very little constantly used 2 strip off every opportunity, encouraged him 2 at least leave his pants on:rolleyes: In this day and age it is too risky, also what if u have a dodgy neighbour, bad enough them looking but even worse if they started snapping pics, iyswim

[Pipsqueak]

No sorry I would not leave myself wide open to allegation like that.

I am overlooked by both sides of my neighbours and i trust them impeccably but its not worth the potential problems that can arise.

As for taking photos of a nude child that is not my own - that is a huge no no too.

sorry if this isn't the answer you wanted but its the world we live in I'm afraid.

its ok doing it with your own children - if you feel comfortable with it.

Even when i am changing childrens nappies/clothes I ensure that they have privacy.

[francinejayne]

i also really hope mum was ok with it and not too shocked to comment :panic:

Yes I'm 100% sure she was fine with it, I know her quite well and she's very laid back.

Thanks to everyone for your comments. I do think it's sad that children just can't be children - we were all born naked and there's nothing but innocent fun in what they were doing. I do however understand the implications. And I have now deleted all photos. And I won't allow them to play naked again.

[Mookins]

Yes I'm 100% sure she was fine with it, I know her quite well and she's very laid back.

Thanks to everyone for your comments. I do think it's sad that children just can't be children - we were all born naked and there's nothing but innocent fun in what they were doing. I do however understand the implications. And I have now deleted all photos. And I won't allow them to play naked again.

bless your heart, it is a real shame but for the best i

x x x

[LOOPYLISA]

bless your heart, it is a real shame but for the best i

x x x

I agree x x x

[Bushpig]

I would let my own kids run round the garden naked. We did it as kids and there's no harm in it. I would NOT let a mindee run around naked, whether I was overlooked or not.

[Pipsqueak]

Yes I'm 100% sure she was fine with it, I know her quite well and she's very laid back.

Thanks to everyone for your comments. I do think it's sad that children just can't be children - we were all born naked and there's nothing but innocent fun in what they were doing. I do however understand the implications. And I have now deleted all photos. And I won't allow them to play naked again.

it is a crying shame really that we have to think of innocent children in this way but society has made the whole kit and caboodle of nudity such a shameful thing.

[mamasheshe]

Yes I'm 100% sure she was fine with it, I know her quite well and she's very laid back.

Thanks to everyone for your comments. I do think it's sad that children just can't be children - we were all born naked and there's nothing but innocent fun in what they were doing. I do however understand the implications. And I have now deleted all photos. And I won't allow them to play naked again.

not only do you have to protect the child but also yourself really not fair that this all has to be considered :(

[Rubybubbles]

:( it's just a sad fact of life though isn't it.

Also what about being covered up in the sun? I know you put sun cream on but you really should be covered shoulders and all that:) with t-shirts

[aly]

I wouldn't let my kids outside naked as there are a lot of potential 'watchers' so mindees would be a defo no! And no to pics too

sorry if you think we are against you but like others have said we are left open to allegations as it is and this would be too easy for you to be complained about.

it is so sad when in this world now something that is innocent can be so wrongx

[Ripeberry]

I've let my own kids go naked but only up to the age of 4yrs old. After that I insist that they have a swimsuit or sunsuit on.
Mindees, I would rather they wear a sunsuit to be honest.
Naked on the beach is a bit yuck as the sand gets in all their bits :p

[Donkey]

I let mindee play in the paddling pool in shorts and a vest, with a sun hat and covered in factor 50 swim play sun cream. and mum was fine with that...

another mindee I have who is 3 occasionally has accidents and despite my best intentions of washing mindees clothes sometimes we run out. yes I have filled my washer upon collecting her from nursery and put things in my dryer to dry her clothes as she has gone through 4 changes of clothes.

on one of the hotter days as she had run out of clothes, she was wearing a dress and she had wet it, I let her run around in pants inside the house, what else could I do? I had no boy mindees and it was me, her and my dd 2.5, im not putting her in my dd's stuff and mine would bury her!!!

[jellybean cc]

I'm not minding yet but would not let my own children out naked. My main reason is the sun safety aspect and the thought of injury to the child.
A friend used to nanny for a little boy who's parents let him play outside naked one weekend and he sat on some wood and ended up with splinters in his bum. By all accounts it was so painful getting them out and tender for a few days after.

[francinejayne]

Also what about being covered up in the sun? I know you put sun cream on but you really should be covered shoulders and all that:) with t-shirts

The children weren't in the midday hottest sun, and they were only in the sun for half an hour. I keep them in the shade when it is hottest and the sun is at it's strongest. Just for info though, it is wrong to assume that a t shirt will provide sun protection - it won't unless it is specifically made for sun protection. http://www.simplybeach.com/docs/HelpBeachSunProtection.aspx

[nokidshere]

Well I wouldn;t let a child - any child - play outside in the sun naked, but only from a health point of view ie. sunburn. I also wouldn't take pictures of naked children - mine or anyone elses - after watching a court case in the states about a family playing and taking pics and then being reported for it by the film developer - they were acquitted but who wants to go through that!

"in this day and age" means what? There have always been peadophiles if thats what you are talking about, nothing has changed over the years apart from the hysterical reporting in rags such as the daily mail. I am sure there were as many peeping toms watching naked children when I was a child as there might be now.

"changing a nappy whilst maintaining the childs dignity and privacy" I am gobsmacked - I am not sure I can even comment on this for laughing - what a complete load of s***!! There is no dignified way to wipe sticky pooh of genitals.....

[onceinabluemoon]

"in this day and age" means what? There have always been peadophiles if thats what you are talking about, nothing has changed over the years apart from the hysterical reporting in rags such as the daily mail. I am sure there were as many peeping toms watching naked children when I was a child as there might be now.


For what it's worth there may be 'only' as many peeping Toms around as when you were a child (although that's doubtful since the population has increased so it follows the population of perverts has also increased...) but technology has advanced so much that one of those peeping toms could take an innocent photo, photoshop it beyond all recognition and make it into something obscene with the original child's face etc still on it in plain view. It's no longer a case of 'just looking' :(

As for papers like the daily mail, yes they are sensationalist rubbish but they've brought this out in the open. A double edged sword really because whilst children now get to hear that this happens and may now have the courage to speak up if it happens to them, the perverts also know that there are many more out there like them and can form little 'groups' or whatever making them intrinsically more dangerous...

.................................................. .....................................

To the OP, for what it's worth I think you have done the right thing. It is a huge shame that children cannot run around naked in the privacy of your own garden but when we are caring for other people's children we have to be seen to be whiter than white...

As for naked kiddies on the beach, I hate it! Most people do not want genitals or bottoms thrust in their faces whilst eating their picnic lunches!!! Yeuck!!! Only parents think their naked child's bum is an admirable thing to look at! :rolleyes: ;)

[Mouse]

"in this day and age" means what? There have always been peadophiles if thats what you are talking about, nothing has changed over the years apart from the hysterical reporting in rags such as the daily mail. I am sure there were as many peeping toms watching naked children when I was a child as there might be now.



When I said "in this day & age" I wasn't talking about paedophiles. I was talking about the way everyone is so willing to sue you these days for absolutley anything. As someone caring for young children, you can't leave yourself open to any kind of accusation :panic:

[welshcake]

I dont think i would allow minded children to do it, our garden is over looked.
I did allow my 2 1/2 yr old too last week but only when i know he cant be seen by anyone but the main reason was for potty training and making it easier all round.

He goes to a child minder twice a week, even thou i trust her i would not of been happy knowing he had been naked in her care.:panic:

[nokidshere]

When I said "in this day & age" I wasn't talking about paedophiles. I was talking about the way everyone is so willing to sue you these days for absolutley anything. As someone caring for young children, you can't leave yourself open to any kind of accusation :panic:

Apologies :D and yes I agree about the sueing, its got really out of hand now.

[hectors house]

I would put them in pants - even the ones normally in nappies - mostly for a hygiene and safety thing as I have got grass, bark and gravel in my garden as well as the sand pit which could be uncomfortable.

A mum arrived last week and said she was potty training her son - I only have him once a week, she said she had been letting him wander around the house without pants on - I said I would be putting pants on him otherwise he might have weed behind the sofa or up the curtains and I wouldn't know - at least when you spot wet pants - you look for the puddle! Also hygiene and safety and privacy for that child and for the other children here that day.

At the end of day unfortunately we can't always do with the mindees what we would do with our own children and that includes naked photos.

[auntym]

Hey hope you are all well,
Just to say personally minded children are always in nappies/shorts, t shirts hats and suncream.
But although my kids are now 14 and 15 When they were little if they wanted to get naked in my garden they did- I personally dont have a problem on a beach if parents want to let kids run naked.
That is me personally, although I do also appreciate all comments and reasons they should not.
Im just sayin as an individual it does not bother me.
What a shame kids cant be kids any more, and couldnt agree more with the claim mad comment. We are living in a society where some people sue for an injury they get breaking and entering! X

[moljak]

Sounds like the kids had great fun.
I do think you've done the right thing deleting pics ect but just for your own safety.My mum has loads of pics of me and the neighbours children playing naked in a river and dam building.some of my favourite pics lol.Harmless fun.

Got to be so careful especially these days especially with minding.

You might not have pics but you will have your memories about the fun they had :)

[AliceK]

"I know it's all innocent play, but in this day & age I wouldn't do it. "

Really sad though isn't it?

I agree I'm afraid. I won't even let my own 2 play in the garden naked you just don't know who might be looking out of their windows. It's sad that we have to think like this though isn't it.

I went to see a childminder about 4 years ago to look after my DS and she had her own 2 children playing in the garden naked and it put me off using her. I feel quite bad admitting that for some reason :blush:

xxxx

[Princess Sara]

I let my youngest play naked in the garden smothered in sun cream and in the shade.

I wouldn't have a problem with other children running naked in my garden either, but I will no take the risk of being accused of X, Y and Z so I don't let them.

It is a shame that we have to restrict their play like this, but there's plenty of other fun things to do with them isn't there?