How do you feel about.........

Karen - posted on 07/02/2010

I dress my child appropiately to the weather. My daughter wears at least a onsie, sometimes pants over them, and socks if she feel a bit chilly.

Jennifer - posted on 07/01/2010

If shoes are fitted properly by a qualified shoe fitter in the shop, they pose no risk to children who are learning to walk. Yes barefoot is best when they are cruising around the home but when they are actual walking wearing shoes is best as it supports them properly.

Katie - posted on 07/01/2010

It all depends on the weather and where you are going. I usually try to keep a onsie on my 8 month old son. If I have time before I leave the house I will make sure he has on shorts too. It is too hot in Texas for shoes unless we are going to church or out to dinner he is usually just in a onsie. There have been times when I have taken him out in a diaper and at shirt. Or when we have been out at the amusement park when he has just been in a diaper. It is best for babies to not be in shoes fot the simple fact that they cannot feel the floor when they are learning how to walk. Shoes can be dangerous to children learning how to walk. I am in no way saying to let your child run around in public barefoot. That is even more dangerous. I am just stating that unless it is absolutely necessary to have shoes on them kids should be barefoot.

Jocelyn - posted on 07/01/2010

To add, however, Safety matters.

Jocelyn - posted on 07/01/2010

My take, is it depends on what they are comfortabel in. I am a pretty casual type person, so to me there often is not shoulds and should nots, more personal taste and individuality. I am basically a "who gives a crap what someone might think" within reason of course. To each is own, as long as it does not hurt someone else or our child or ourselves.

Melissa - posted on 06/30/2010

It's up to the mom. For me, shoes or socks when they are walking for safety reasons. And they dress for the weather. If I wear down they wear down. For hot weather we all wear shorts and flip flops (the baby sometimes wears just a onesie). We have outfits for every temp and we dress accordingly.

Kim - posted on 06/30/2010

babies should be kept safe and comfortable....if they're walking they should wear shoes....but as far as clothing goes, whatever makes them comfortable...if it's hot, a onesie is just fine...

Karen - posted on 06/30/2010

my grandson is 2 and he love wearing his shoes and clothes and it depends on the weather as well ..one thing kids like are shoes and clothes ..i know i have shopped for all my grandkids for weeks and they love when they get to pick out there own things

Tara - posted on 06/30/2010

No need for shoes until they need them, my baby is 7 months and is barefoot every day now that it's summer.



We dress for the weather, and if it's hot and humid than I let my little guy go out in just a diaper, or a diaper and a t-shirt or a onesie, whatever is appropriate for the weather.



My older children are allowed to dress themselves, including my 5 yr old daughter, they pick their clothes based on the weather and they know to layer so if they are hot they can remove clothes to cool down. This is one thing I don't exert any motherly control over, as long as it's appropriate for the weather. If my daughter wants to wear a pair of jeans under a skirt with a tank top over her t-shirt and a hoody over that, why not? She's warm, she's layered and she's happy cause she made the choice of what to put on her body. Don't sweat the small stuff. Having choices and being responsible for their comfort is valuable learning imo.

:)Tara

Rachel - posted on 06/30/2010

i try to dress my son in complete outfits when we go out in public, but if its really hot i just put him in a onsie he gets hot easily and gets uncomfortable. i tried making him wear shoes but he just kicks them off, but i always put socks on him if we're in public. he doesnt quite walk by himself yet, but when he does i will enforce shoes more.

Erin - posted on 06/29/2010

IDK? I view onesies as a t-shirt that wraps around underneath them because of the creeping affect shirts have on kids...because of that I don't put my son in tshirts and pants/shorts. I can't stand having to pull his shirt down all the dang time! If I have a pair of shorts I'll throw them on, but otherwise think a onesie is perfectly acceptable as it does cover the diaper. So no, I do not take my boys out in only diapers, around the house is one thing, but not in public. If my son was overly hot (my baby) then I'd strip him w/no regard to others, but I wouldn't step out like that, plus if its that hot were staying inside in the A/C!!!

My son, 9mos old, still does not have shoes. He is crusing and I have been thinking about getting him shoes or looking through my supplies as I figure I MAY have a pair that'll fit him??? But when we go out he does not get to cruise so I do not worry about it soo much. Once he starts walking and wanting to do so when we are out I will put him in shoes...

Jennie - posted on 06/29/2010

To each his own.... All of my kids wore shoes from day one... They grew acustom to the shoes and it is second nature to them now that they are much older and I hardly ever have to fight them to put them on. For sure shoes out in public if they are walking age... You'd hate to get some nasty cut or infection for lack of shoes. Clothing wise... I wouldn't take my kidos out in a diaper just like I wouldn't run around naked or in my undies... LOL But a onsie or a dress is light weight enough to keep cool. Depends on the weather...

Hayley - posted on 06/29/2010

tracy, based on what you said, you were probably right in reporting her - I guess I just see needless reports made to the authorities all the time. i have seen the impact these reports have on loving families and the time and resources they take up from children who really do need help. I am also over certain people making judgements about some mothers who are doing their best with what they have - but have other people with nothing better to do, causing problems. Some people out there seem to think that if parents is poor or of low means or if their house ect are not spotless, then that makes them bad parents. Well, people with spotless houses and lots of money who even send their kids to private schools and have the best money can buy can also abuse/neglect their kids. I tend to ask if their is anything I can help before I judge!! o and by the way, I agree it is common sense to carry extra clothes when you go out - but then I have also been guilty of running out the door at the last minute and being caught short. We are all human and err many times - lol!!!

Korrinne - posted on 06/29/2010

i agree too but there are the safety issues but i woud be barefoot too and my youngest is like that too....but clothes on in public.....and yes under like 8mths a onesie is clothes

Shannon - posted on 06/29/2010

We were in the bank today for about 40 minutes (doing a name change) & my walking 13 month old was with no shoes or socks the whole time... She had pretty dirty feet after, but I just washed them with a wipey. I'd go barefoot all the time if I could. But I have to at least wear flip-flops..
She is always dresses in public though. At home is a different story. She'll run around in a onsie, I'll even let her run around the house naked!! :-) I see no problem with any of it....

Korrinne - posted on 06/29/2010

depending on age is what i think....shoes well if they are walking then yes they should wear shoes but not then no....clothes well they should have clothes on no matter how old.....

Brooke - posted on 06/29/2010

did you know where I live that a baby born the size of my daughter is impossible to find clothing that all of you would call APPROPRIATE. So my daughter wore onsies... As far as thinking that a nappy is inappropriate, What is any one seeing?? a pair of legs... oh jeez im sorry but I see 20, 30, 40 year old women who wear shorts that show more that that! get over yourselves you stuck up snobs and stop putting people down until you know there situation.

Jessica - posted on 06/29/2010

If they arent going to be walking they dont need shoes really. but when it comes to clothes, my daughter will always wear clothes in public. i think it is up to the parent really. there isnt any reason a child should have to have clothes on unless they are like 5 or older or somewhere around there. i think when they start school its good to keep them in the habit of wearing clothes unless its at home.

Jennifer - posted on 06/29/2010

I dress Logan who's 7 months old according to the weather. Over here in the UK we don't get the best weather but when we do it's far too hot for him so it's shorts and t-shirt when out and about and in the house just a babygrow. He always wears shoes or socks when out and about too. I think people should think a little more sometimes...the other day it was about 25 degrees celcius and I saw some dipstick with a baby wearing a snowsuit....stupid people! Over here you don't generally see a baby wearing just a nappy although I did see a couple of months ago a girl weaing no knickers or trousers...she was half naked sitting in a buggy in a shop, I was disgusted to say the least as was everyone else around me. I think she may have had an accident but that's why everyone should take spare clothes...who in their right mind lets their child sit half-naked in public?

Meagan - posted on 06/29/2010

The only time I take my son out without shoes on is when I take him for a walk in his stroller around our apartment. That is the only time I don't put shoes on him and he never gets out the stroller. Whenever we go somewhere public (like the mall or a restaurant) he is always fully dressed depending on the weather. Since it has been hott out lately he wears sandals/sneakers, shorts, and a t-shirt or a sleeveless one piece outfit. Of course I always carry at least 3-4 extra outfits in his diaper bag and he always has a jacket on hand just in case it rains or gets cold. I do think that if your child is going to be walking around then appropriate footwear is a must.

User - posted on 06/29/2010

I think shoes are a neccessity these days if children are walking, as you don't know what people have left lying around, and as for clothing, in the current blazing heat, keep them covered, you can cool down with water etc, you can't turn back sunburn.

Melissa - posted on 06/29/2010

the best advice i was given regarding clothes was always dree the baby in as many layers as you have if its shorts and t-shirt then dress your baby in apropriate clothes if your wearing jeans and a jumper and so forth but in saying that always keep a warm and cool change in the nappy bag and always a blanket on hand.. as for shoes my 7 month old has worn them once or twice but he does often wear slippers as it very cold here at the moment.

Sarah - posted on 06/29/2010

Punky wears clothes at 9 months, but never shoes. I used to put shoes on her, but by the time we would get wherever we were going, she'd have them off allready. I did have her in her diaper at the pool- it was just too hot to put her outfit back on, and I wanted her out of her wet swimsuit. At home she pretty much lives in just a diaper, or a onesie at best. She's happier that way, so be it.

Tracy - posted on 06/29/2010

Jennifer, cool! Ok, I'm glad you were being a smart ass. Inflection gets lost in print. :)

Haley, I see your point. And I've had my son do just that, vomit all over himself right as we pulled up to his grandmother's wake. I had to send his uncle and father to go get him a new outfit. Had we just been out shopping in horrible weather, we would have gone home. I can't see a new pair of shoes being more important than my child's health and well being. There was no was this child could have been warm, it was in one of those umbrella strollers. The cheap fold out ones. They offer no warmth or protection. And this was an infant, most moms carry at least an extra outfit for baby. Sorry, I still think I did the right thing by reporting her.

I always make my kids wear shoes, even though we ALL love being barefoot. But that's because we're in a rental right now, and the yard is full of stickers and other just crap. We're hoping to buy a house in the next 2 years though, then we'll be able to run barefoot in the yard again!!! I miss that.....

Becky - posted on 06/29/2010

I think it depends on where you live and where you are going. I do think it's inappropriate to take your child to a shopping mall or a restaurant or somewhere like that in only a diaper. Plus, a lot of these places are air conditioned (here anyways), so your child would probably get chilly in only a diaper. At the beach or a campground, on the other hand, I don't really see it as being inappropriate.
My kids are always dressed in at least shorts and a t-shirt (or onesie or short overalls) when we're outdoors. Even if we're swimming outside, they have a t-shirt on. This is really only because I'm a little paranoid about them getting sunburnt, because we're all very fair, and I burn in about 10 minutes flat! In the house though, they're often in just a diaper. My 2 year old son loves to run around in just his diaper.
In the summer, I don't generally bother with shoes and socks on my 9 month old. If it's cooler or rainy, then I will. And of course, once he starts walking, he will always wear shoes outside, just like my 2 year old does. Although I love to go barefoot - but I figure I'm more likely to watch where I'm walking and less likely to injure myself going barefoot.
I probably would've called on someone who had their baby out in just a diaper and t-shirt in below-freezing and snowy weather too! That is indeed neglect. Having your baby in just a diaper when it's 40 degrees out (Celcius, for you Americans. :) on the other hand, is not neglectful. Some might view it as inappropriate, but it's not neglect.

Hayley - posted on 06/28/2010

tracy, you were probably justified calling the police on the lady and I would NEVER allow a child to be in a car without a car seat - that is NEVER acceptable!! I now live in central queensland and it is probably similar to the weather in Texas. But unless you have experienced the tropics then you cannot imagine just how hot it is - you may get little rain - but in the tropics - the rain actually makes it feel worse - similar to being in a sauna - I am also a firm believer in the child being comfortable above all else. Yes, there are standards that need to be maintained - but I also think that people can also jump to conclusions. For example, yes that mother you mentioned was apparently paying for shoes, but how do you know that that child hadnt just thrown up all over its clothes just as she pulled up - maybe she had stripped the child so that she could quickly run into the shop and figured she would be a little warmer in the pram and going into a warm shop?? How much more offended would you have been (not liking children at the time and all) if she had come into the shop with a baby smelling of spew. I know what its like to be in a hurry ect - you are probably right, the mother was probably neglectful - but just putting another point of view out there. I try not to judge people based on appearances ect!! I am not saying that there are not neglectful and abusive parents out there - I am a survivor of such child abuse - but there are always contributing factors.

Johnny - posted on 06/28/2010

It seems that this may be somewhat cultural as well. It really depends on where you live. And this thread reflects that to some extent. I see lots of kids running around here in the summer in just a diaper, and I think nothing of it. I've never heard a negative comment about it, unless they appear to be getting too much sun. Many people here hail from countries where kids spend their lives up to the age of 4 or 5 running around in their diapers. It's not neglectful, perverted, or anything. It is the norm.

I suppose if I spent my life worrying about perverts looking at my child, I would dress her in a burlap sack. I suspect many of those perverts get rather turned on by little girls in cute dresses or little boys in overalls.

Obviously safety, warmth & comfort should really be the main concerns when you are dressing your kid. Everything else is just entertainment.

Heather - posted on 06/28/2010

hmmm I never knew that this topic was that bug of a deal until this post. When my son was 6 months last summer and couldnt walk I didnt put shoes on him, never thought it was a big huge sin. Apparently to some it is. NOw that he walks of course he wears shoes for safety, although I still dont think its a big deal Geesh people stop being so mean.

Medic - posted on 06/28/2010

Tracy I was more being a smart ass...and I did not take offence. I just wanted to remind everyone how we grew up. If we stress about how specifically our girls dress now we will have an uphill battle when they get older. Now for the no sunblock I would box someone I understand that totally both my kids are so white they make white walls look tan. And I do understand exhusbands especially the trashy ones.....message me if you want on that topic.

Stina - posted on 06/28/2010

My 3 and 5 yo are dressed in the same amount of clothing as I wear when we go out. At home, on nice days, I allow them to go barefoot in our yard and now that summer is here, I do allow my 3 yo dd to go topless for the sprinkler if her swimsuit is in laundry limbo.

the 14 mo baby has started walking so she wears shoes to places where I expect to set her down but going to the grocery store, she sometimes goes barefoot since I know she'll be in the cart or my arms. At home, she's barefoot.

Sharon - posted on 06/28/2010

A child should wear an outfit that mimics the parent.

If the child is walking - then shoes are required for safety.

Glass, bugs, flicked cigarettes, all are dangers to the babys' tiny feet.

Tracy - posted on 06/28/2010

Jesus, Jennifer, did you even read my whole post? I don't care if YOUR child is running around in the yard naked. I don't allow MY kids to do that. I really didn't appreciate that their father allowed my daughter to walk around a campground in a diaper with a bunch of strangers around. Should I also mention, NO sunblock on either kid? They were burned when I caught up with them in Padre. Her father is trash and I'm in a constant battle to teach her to be a lady instead of a little brat.

If you took my post as a personal insult, I apologize, it was not meant as such. This is simply my views on how to raise MY kids, not a judgement passed on those who think differently. You don't have the uphill battle I have with my former husband and his warped family ( be VERY happy for that!) So, yes, I'm very strict and conservative in a lot of ways, but only with my kids and only on some things. I've got my 8 yr old listening to the Cure and Slayer.......:-) Peace, Mama!

Shannon - posted on 06/28/2010

My baby is hardly ever wearing shoes right now.. She likes to be bare foot. Only if we are somewhere that has pokey ground or something. I even let her run around the store with naked feet. What's the big deal? She takes a bath every night before bed.

Misty - posted on 06/28/2010

I think it all depends on if it is a baby or a child. I think if it is summer and it is a baby, no shoes is perfectly ok. I think if it is a child capable of walking they should wear shoes.

As to clothes I think it depends on where you are and age of child. I think if they are a baby and not of walking age and it is summer, a onesie is fine. I think if you are in public at all they should at least have a onsie on. If you are with just friends and they are real close friends and it is an intimate setting not like a gathering of many, then stripping the baby to a diaper only is fine. I think that once a chlid reaches the age of walking they should have a shirt and pants/shorts all the time.

Tisha - posted on 06/28/2010

Thanks Moms for such a lively conversation! I definitley think that everyone's parenting styles are different. It doesn't make anyone a bad parent or neglectful. I agree that if the child is clean and well cared for then it really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks and that if you feel that you are doing what is best for your child you shouldn't be concerned with others opinions. I just wanted to see how other people viewed the topic.

Karla - posted on 06/28/2010

Most public places require shoes and a shirt. If planning a shopping trip, stores want your child to be clothed.

Gayle - posted on 06/28/2010

I don't think there's any need for a child to wear shoes out until they start walking as for clothes it's mostly common sense dress them appropriately for the weather and what they feel comfortable in. Most importantly remember they're kids not dolls

Sylvia - posted on 06/28/2010

Well, are we talking about babies, or are we talking about children? Totally different question!

I wouldn't take a baby out in public in just a diaper, but a diaper and a onesie? Absolutely! My DD was born at the beginning of August in a record hot summer in our area, and she wore nothing but onesies until at least the middle of September. (She was also a small baby, and none of the cute clothes people gave us for her actually fit, because they'd bought, like, 3-6 month sizes.) I don't see how anyone could possibly object to dressing a baby in a onesie in the summer.

No shoes, either. It's very bad for babies' feet to wear hard-soled shoes before they've learned to walk. Since we do live in Canada, where it gets chilly in winter, she had a snowsuit with feet and some fleece-lined soft bootie-things, and when she was a little bigger she sometimes wore Robeez, but at home she never had anything on her feet. (We don't, after all, so why should she?)

She got her first pair of real shoes (size 4.5) when she was 15 months, about 2 months after she learned to walk, and only because it was October and starting to get cold again. After the first day, we had absolutely no trouble getting her to keep her shoes on (it probably helped that they had laces, and it took her a while to figure out how to untie the bows).

Now DD is 7, almost 8, so obviously she does not get to run around in a onesie anymore ;^). We don't wear short shorts or tank tops in our family, but DD is allowed to wear shorts as long as they're, I dunno, past the middle of her thighs. Also, since she has a penchant for climbing things and hanging upside down, she has to wear bike shorts or leggings under her skirts. But I certainly don't make her wear shoes to play at the park, and since she's skinny with long legs, I've given up on trying to make sure her skirts come down to her knees. We'll have that conversation again when she's a teenager, I'm sure (my mom and I certainly did!) :P

Kathy - posted on 06/28/2010

I always dressed my children as I dressed. When it was really hot out, my babies were good in a diaper and onsie. Once they got walking, shoes for when we were outside or in public for safety. Once they got into the naked stage-clothes when company came over or when we left the house.

Shana - posted on 06/28/2010

I guess it depends on where you live too...I live in Australia (in Queensland). My summer is quite brutual so when 2 of my boys where babies a nappy and singlet was all they needed and all they wore (and a truck load of suncream) However our winters are bitter too so definately need to rug them up... as for shoes, i think kids who are walking need them when they are out for safety but my younger 3 boys all had given to them soft baby shoes which they wore before they where walking more to keep feet warm than anything else!!

Denikka - posted on 06/28/2010

For the first 6 months, my son wore a onsie (sleeper for some...footie pajamas :P whatever you want to call them) whenever we went out. After that, he actually started to fit into the t-shirts and pants we had for him, so he wears those now instead.
During the winter, we have long sleeved shirts, sweat shirts and the like, along with full pants and socks. In the summer, it's mostly t-shirts and shorts (sometimes pants for a nice place or if it's a little chilly)
The only time he's actually in clothes inside the house is after we've gone out (I usually won't bother undressing him until bedtime) or if it's cold inside (even in the summer, the fan can make it pretty cool). Other than that, he spends most of his time running around in his diaper.
I dress him the same way I dress myself. He overheats REALLY easily, just like I do, so I'd rather have him in fewer clothes that I can add to as needed. We also cosleep so having him in a sleeper, or even a t-shirt at night, just makes for a very hot and grumpy family through and through :P

As for shoes, he wears them when we go out. Before 6 months, he didn't have any. His feet were always covered with his sleepers/onsie feet, so I never bothered. After 8 months, when he started walking, he always wears shoes when we go out, except occasionally when we go out to play in the backyard (fully fenced so no worries about animals coming in and doing their business, and we always make sure there's nothing dangerous for him to step on). He loves the feel of the grass on his feet :P
I would rather not see a child in just a diaper, especially out in public, but I can understand where it would be beneficial. Boys can get down to shorts, girls in bloomers and a sundress or shorts and a tank. But I'm definitely not going to condemn someone for stripping their kidlet down if it's really hot. It's when the parent is obviously too lazy to put their kids in weather/temperature appropriate clothes that bother me (aka, it's sleeting/snowing and the kid is in nothing more than a tank and shorts, etc or even if it's 100+ and the kid's bundled up like it's below freezing XP)

Josie - posted on 06/28/2010

My son is fully clothed in weather appropriate attire if we are out of the house. I don't care if we're walking to 7-11 down the corner or if we go to Target or a friend's house, he always has shoes and clothes on. Inside the house is a different story, he usually walks around in socks, a shirt and a diaper. He's never naked though, I don't want him to get used to that.

Medic - posted on 06/28/2010

So I guess I'm a horrible mom because when it was 105 degrees here in Texas I took my then 4 month old out in just a diaper cover and a big bow on her head. I am not going to make my child suffer just because someone else has THEIR view of what children should wear. 99% of the time my baby is dressed sometimes moreso put together than I am but I have taken her out in bloomers and a tee. My almost 4 year old son always is dressed unless we are just going to friends houses then he has been known to wear just some shorts and flip flops. I am not going to force my kids into someone elses mold and I do not think that just because little girls run around in a diaper they are going to be pole dancers... that is a bit extreem. When we were kids we used to run around the back yard naked in the sprinklers, and none of us are pole dancers or even dress skanky.

Tracy - posted on 06/28/2010

Haley, it's just hot as h*ll here from May to October. I'm pretty sure we're looking at another summer of 100+ days and at least a month or so of no rain. We spend a lot of time exploring the shady creeks!

As for the lady in the snow, this woman came in to drop a couple hundred dollars in shoes for herself. It's below freezing and sleeting outside, and she can't be bothered to bundle that baby? That's neglect, period. I'm sure they did catch up with her, since I gave them her license plate number. :) I've done the same when I've seen someone driving down the street with their kid on their lap. I can not condone using your child as an airbag, under any circumstance. There are too many free carseat programs around here for someone to not have one.

September - posted on 06/28/2010

Our son is fully clothed when he is out in public unless he's at the beach.

Hayley - posted on 06/28/2010

tracy, I dont know what it is like in texas - never been there - but I dont think it is the tropics as far as I know. In the NT - it is the humidity that kills you and I can tell you it NEVER snows. In fact, during the build up and the build up to the wet season is the worst - and after it rains - the humidity is worse!! Whilst i agree with you being horrified about the lady with the child in the pram with little clothing on in the snow - I wouldve asked the lady if she needed help rather than calling the police - who more than likely didnt catch up with her anyway. If after talking to her, it was obvious that she knew what she was doing, then fair enough. In that part of australia, people would be more concerned that your child was not too hot - it is all about comfort. There are lines that need to be drawn - but I can guarentee you that my children were always dressed and clean and happy - and that is what counts. Call the police if the children arent fed, or have bruises on them, are dirty, or have a nappy on them that is completely feral - that is when the authorities should be called!! There are many many worst sins than allowing a child to run around in a nappy and a singlet - you know there are parents out there that dress their children well but still abuse their kids - just because a child is in a nappy and shirt when appropriate, doesnt make them a bad parent!!

Lydia - posted on 06/28/2010

Its all down to the parents judgement - there are some places I wouldnt let my girl go without shoes but then there are others where I dont feel that shoes are necessary if she objects. As long as they are dressed appropriately to the situation (warm when its cold, shoes where there is likely to be glass etc) then who cares? I theyre happy then it shouldnt bother me...

Tracy - posted on 06/28/2010

Carol, my child was running around a campground in nothing but a diaper. How is this NOT appropriate? You wouldn't run around in front of 100 strangers in your undies. My daughter shouldn't either. I'm raising her to be a lady, not to work a pole.



There are too many perverts around. And, as I found out AFTER this trip, one in her father's family who was present.



Haley, I live in Texas, where it's usually over 100 degrees most of the summer. I still insist on clothing for my kids when we're in public. I make sure they have plenty of loose, lightweight clothing to wear. I'm not judging others, I don't care what other moms do. I just know my standards for MY kids.



Years ago I had a woman walk into my store pushing a baby in a stroller. No shoes and just a shirt and diaper. I called the police. Why? It was January and sleeting. SHE was bundled up, but didn't make sure the baby was too. No way was I putting up with that, and I didn't even like kids at that time!

Hayley - posted on 06/28/2010

well ladies, for those of you who think it is innappropriate for children to go out in public in just a nappy - should maybe consider different climates. My two eldest boys were born in the northern territory of australia where it is the tropics and unimaginably hot - in fact, in the middle of WINTER when I put a grow suit on my firstborn - I was told that he would die from heat - it is soooo hot there that I remember wearing modest but light clothes and still wanting to strip my clothes off.

When it comes down to it - I believe that as long as the child is clean - the nappy is clean on the inside and out - and the shirt is clean - then there is not a problem. If we judge mothers because they take their children out in a nappy and shirt - such a trivial matter - then we are not really being supportive. I would be concerned if the infant did not look 'cared for' or if the child had bruises or was being pushed around in a dirty or damaged pram - or worse still - didnt have a car seat!! I think that as long as common sense comes into play - then there is no problem!!

Toni - posted on 06/28/2010

Generally my 8 month old son wears clothes and shoes (when I remember to put them on) when we are out and about. When he was under 2 months old I sometimes took him out in his sleepsuit because it is more comfortable for him and I wrapped him up in his snowsuits on top as it was really cold when he was born what with all the snow.

I do dress my son as I am dressing as others have said so if I am in a jumper so is he if I am hot in my sun dress he just wears his shorts and a t-shirt (with no bodysuit underneath). I feel that older children should be dressed and should wear shoes where neccessary.

Andrea I see no reason why people have a problem with you stripping your daughter to her nappy to cool her down because she was sweating - surely it's better you do this then your daughter have a seizure because she has overheated? I would definately do it to my son if I felt he was too hot!

Tisha if people have that kind of agenda they will get a kick out of seeing little girls and boys regardless of what they are or are not wearing - nobody is suggesting taking their child out naked! Do you think you shouldn't take babies swimming because they may show off a little too much torso and somebody may get a kick out of it no! IMO yes we need to be vigilant about these kinds of people but we cannot live our lives as if everyone is!