A Mother's View from the Pool-Bikinis on Babies?by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger 24 Aug 2008 03:12 PM Have you been to your local community pool this summer? It has been the hang out of choice for my preschooler, who finally learned how to tread water on her own (well, kind of). Our near daily visits to our county's aquatic center have not only afforded my daughter the opportunity to learn how to swim, but it has served as inspiration for quite a few of my blogs. The city pool is the perfect place to people watch. You see a variety of people and just as many different parenting styles, techniques and problems. And then there are the fashions. Swimsuits galore. There's the classic one-piece, the monokini, tankini, sport bikini and string bikini... but these suits aren't being modeled by the moms, rather these are the types of bathing suits little girls are donning. So I have to ask: How young is too young for a girl to wear a string bikini? Before you answer let me clarify a few things: First, moms who have always dreamed of having a daughter to dress up probably can't wait for the day they can slip their baby's chubby legs through an innocent looking two-piece suit that comes with a matching sun hat. I get that. Whereas I deliberating chose to bypass that fashion option for my own chunk of a baby, mainly because I am a fanatic about exposed skin and sunburn (having grown up in Hawaii and now being at high risk for skin cancer-I am hypersensitive about protecting my child's skin), I can see why some parents would think nothing of allowing their tot to splash around in a bikini. Other moms I have spoken to completely disagree. They find that a bikini on a girl of any age sexualizes them. I must admit when I saw a recent picture of rocker Chris Cornell's 3-year-old daughter wearing a miniature version of her mom's string bikini (Cornell's wife is a sizzling hot former model named Vicky) taken during their Hawaiian holiday I did think it looked a bit inappropriate, but I'm very conservative so that's not saying much. Then you've got the other moms, who rightly point out that many young girls---in this country, but more so in Europe, the Mediterranean and South America---allow their young daughters to frolic on the beach wearing just a bikini bottom. (You can see an example of this on the front of Coppertone Water Babies SunScreen Lotion.) "Nobody raises an eye when a toddler is splashing around in the waves topless," one of my mom pals noted. So at what point does a mom who dresses their infant and then toddler in a two-piece suit suddenly declare that bikinis are off limits for their daughter to wear in public? I must say I've seen quite a number of girls---from infants to preteens---donning bikinis at our local pool, but I've also seen quite a few girls wearing those UV Swim Shirts (the ones with long sleeves that have built in UV protection). I'm sure the moms who insist their children wear those shirts feel as though bikinis are, at the very least, an impractical choice for their daughter. What do your daughters wear to the pool? Related Articles: A Mother's View from the Pool: Why are you Wearing Crocs in the Water? Learn more about Michele Cheplic  Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism. Relevantparenting tags User Comments  Kara (21275) 25 Aug 2008 08:03 AMMy daughter has worn a one peice, a bikini, and once while at the beach just a swim diaper because we forgot the suit...I don't think it matters at her age. I do think it matters when they get older. They should start to learn its not appropriate to walk around without a shirt...but I think a bikini is okay as long as it's not showing their bum or anything. I wouldn't let her walk around in a bikini for no reason....its strange how my standards change when its about going swimming or dressing for everyday. Samual (11722) 25 Aug 2008 09:14 AMPippa wears a bikini when we go swimming, otherwise having her nappy changed is horrible for her as we have to take the whole thing off. Starrlight (5255) 25 Aug 2008 12:49 PMI was amazed at the preteen girls strutting around the pool at the Y this summer ( and yes they were strutting!) in their bikinis. I wouldn't allow my DD to wear that to the pool or beach. Now a nice two piece (not bikini) is fine (IMO) and my DD has one, but she actually prefers swim shorts. My issue this summer with trying to by her shorts is everywhere is selling the daisy duke type shorts - come on for little girls!!! I finally had to go to the Disney store and spend more than I wanted to get her some decent shorts that wouldn't show her booty if she bent over. Samual (11722) 25 Aug 2008 01:30 PMStarrlight, a two piece is a bikini.  Michele Cheplic |
Parents categories |
