The “elderly folks coolness” thread jogged this tidbit from my memory.
A few weeks ago we were having superhot weather. Mr. S and I were walking out of Fleet Farm (like Home Depot, if you don’t have FF in your area) as a family was walking in. Mom was carrying a baby (maybe a year old, just at walking stage?) that was wearing a diaper and nothing else. (The baby! Mom was fully clothed.)
Now don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against letting kids run around like that, or even naked, at home when it’s hot. I recall a warm rainy afternoon when I was about four, playing outside in the altogether. (Don’t do it anymore, sorry – or perhaps “you’re welcome.”) But in public – I dunno, it just seemed kind of trashy. Put some clothes on the kid, a pair of shorts, something. Not that there’s anything indecent about a diaper, but just that you put clothes on when you go out and about.
Then again, I’m not a parent. What do you parents say about this?
Do I take him out in public wearing only a diaper? well, not anymore…
seriously, when it was 90 degrees + humid, you bet I wanted him to be as comfortable as possible. OTOH, if we were going into a store, it was most likely air conditioned, so I didn’t do that part. But at a park or outdoors, sure.
I don’t. To me, it’s like taking a toddler out in just underpants. I wouldn’t do that, either, fwiw. My daughter isn’t yet potty trained (age 2) and she wears shorts or pants over a diaper unless she has a long dress on. Yes, she wears shirts too.
IMHO, it’s more comfortable for the baby to wear clothes, since they don’t get as sticky with sweat.
If my two-year old is going outside, you best believe he’s fully clothed. I HATE seeing kids outside with nothing but a diaper on. It’s so… oh I don’t know the word but trashy’s a good start.
I don’t, and the main reason is because I want him to have sun protection. Granted, a thin cotton T-shirt isn’t THAT much protection, but it’s better than just a diaper. The secondary reason is that, yeah, it feels kind of trashy. He has little shorts that are barely more than a diaper, and that’s what I put on him on very hot days. It’s not that much hotter than a diaper and it just looks nicer.
I don’t bother with socks and shoes, though. I figure there’s no point since he isn’t walking yet.
I’m in the “that’s a little trashy” camp here. My son’s that age (13 mos) and the only time he’s outside in just his diaper is on the porch or maybe in the yard. Like other’s have pointed out, sun protection and sweat-absorption are big bonuses with clothes, but in the end it’s just my feeling that it’s a bit impromper. Maybe I’m anal, but I’d no sooner take him to the store in just his nappy than I’d go that way myself.
That’s one of my pet peaves involving other peoples kids. what’s worse is when the diaper is holding a gallon of pee, and it’s three times the normal size and yellow. YUCK!
I also hate it when people let their little boys run around the yard bottomless, (thank goodness I’ve never seen baby girls like this). Maybe they’re trying to save on diapers, but it’s tacky and careless.
Nope. Not only did they not go about in only a diaper in public, they wore shorts or a onesie over it at home. Diaper = underwear, we do not go about in public or around the house in our underwear.
Please put clothing on your babies when taking them out in public. If you see the blond girl running away in disgust at the sight of an unclothed, droopy-diapered sprog, that would be me.
My mom says “That’s so KMART” when she sees a kid in just a diaper in public.
Would you want people saying this about your child?
Even if you WERE in KMART?
Didn’t think so.
One more vote for ‘that’s trashy’ and ‘protection’ here. Unless your kid is another Harry Houdini in the making, it doesn’t take that long to throw some clothes on 'em before you head out the door. From a hygiene standpoint, it’s a good idea, and as MsWhatsit said, a little cover’s better than none.
Of course, our little one’s at that stage of ‘Houdini-ness’ where she can take her diaper off of herself, if unobserved for about 0.45 seconds, too, so the pants slow her down enough that you can look at the thing you’re buying without having to handcuff her into the shopping cart. :rolleyes:
No, she always wears clothes, except in our enclosed garden which cannot be seen by neighbors or passers-by.
I think you teach your kids what you want them to know to be a member of society, and fortunately for us, it’s not socially acceptable to hang out on the street and in shops in your knickers.
I guess I must be K-Mart because when it was 98 degrees outside my daughter wore a diaper where ever we went. Why cover up a child when it’s that hot? I can’t understand disgust, it’s just a baby’s body. I’d rather see a kid in a diaper than some of the less than half dressed adults around here.
And no, I wouldn’t care if someone called me K-mart. I know I’m better than that. I’m Target. Maybe even Sears on a good day.
When I see a baby in just a diaper out and about in the store, or other public place away from home it makes me sad. As if the caregiver cares little about that tiny person’s needs.
I also think folks who get all weird at seeing a naked baby are overreacting. My kids went naked on our beach when they were babies. Once a bunch of guys stood around like buffoons staring at the naked 14 mo old. They didn’t know how to act, avert their eyes or get in their boat and leave if they had issues with innocent nakedness.
Aaron will NOT be allowed out of the house in just a diaper. It does look kinda, well, low-class. I mean, I know this is South Texas and all, and it does get hot here. But c’mon. A onesie covers things nicely and is light-weight enough that it’s not adding that much more. And indoors, it’s air conditioned enough that I don’t want him uncovered because he won’t be able to regulate his own body temp very well.