To two-piece or not?

**Just a note, as requested by hubby, we have gone back to screen names for the kiddos.
Lady Bug-11 year old daughter, Wild Thing-8 year old son, Little Man-5 year old son**
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 With summer here and the heat wave in full swing we are all having to find ways to keep cool. We have not had a chance to get our window a/c in just yet, so we are keeping doors, windows, and curtains closed and our fans strategically placed through out the house to keep it as cool as we can.

This morning we decided that we'd had enough, so we took off to a small splash park near our home. We met with a few friends and let all the kiddos run and cool off in the water for a few hours.

It close to our house, lots of fun for the kids, and best of all, it's free!

While we were there today a friend and I were talking about what swim wear we will and will not allow our children to wear. She and I both have what seems to be "old fashioned" ideas when it comes to swim suits for kids, especially girls.  

The last time we went shopping for a new swimsuit for my daughter, these were they types of suits I found in

 her size.

                 

It took going to 3 different stores to find a "normal" swim suit that did not show nearly every inch of the body. I know these are common in adult size swim suits but I was really surprised to see them all the way down to sizes for girls as young as 8 or 9 year old. Lady Bug even pointed out some really questionable style suits for toddlers. Now, granted I do seem to have a very different idea of appropriate wear for young girls compared to what is normal and accepted now.

I have not allowed Lady Bug to wear bikinis, short shorts, very tight clothing, or anything with words across the tush. I will however allow her to wear what ever else she wants as long as she is modest. So when she walks out in knee high socks, shorts, long sleeve tye-dye, and a baseball cap, I smile and say, "ok". And when she wants to dye her hair blue, I will agree with that before I let her walk out the door in short shorts with the words "hot stuff" across her tush!

From the time my kids were little we have talked about what our family's idea of modest and appropriate clothing is. Luckily, my kids have very rarely given me any trouble with what they are and are not allowed to wear, other than the occasional fit when I mention real shoes instead of flip flops...when it's snowing! Of course the boys could care less about what they wear, but even Lady Bug has only a few times wanted to wear something I don't allow, and usually it has been a old favorite piece of clothing that is now two sizes too small.

For my daughter, we've talked about the difference of an adult choosing to wear something revealing and a young girl wearing something revealing and the different types of attention it will draw for both a woman and a young girl. We have also talked about women and girls wanting to look sexy, what that means and why we need to be modest. I am happy that for now, she too feels that many of the swim wear for young girls and teens is too adult like and not something she wants to wear! I know that may change in the near future as she is nearly 12 and I'm sure eventually her taste and desire to look a certain way will change.

You can call me a prude but I am one who feels that so much of the clothing and swim wear for young girls today, sexualizes them way too early, and that is already a problem in our society. I don't care to have my young teen look "sexy". Even when the young girls are not trying to draw attention with their clothing or swim wear, unfortunately it can draw attention from those you wish to keep away from your child.

Now that I have finished my little rant, I hope you all are having a great start to your summer.