Girls wearing dresses on the playground

[TwoBees]

I just saw this story on Yahoo and I'm wondering how everyone feels about it. I, personally, make DD1 wear shorts or leggings under dresses to school because I don't think she should show her underwear to anyone outside of the family, male or female, and I want her to be able to play how she wants without worrying. I tell her that when she is at home or we are somewhere nice (where she won't be upside down) she does not have to wear shorts or leggings. And I'm very liberal.

What about you?

Poll coming.

https://www.yahoo.com/parenting/when...664169077.html

[basil]

I think underwear showing looks sloppy, on anyone. I don't like that I can see the top of DS's diaper over his pants when his shirt goes up, and if there was a viable option to get that to go away I would use it. I put him in onesies far too long because of it. Nothing sexual about it.

[hillview]

I have boys. I don't really care but if I had a daughter I'd have her in shorts under dresses (or leggings) mainly to avoid the "I see london I see france" I don't really think of it as sexual. If my DS (7 or 9) had some outfit on where I could see his underwear in general or when upside down (which they both love to do) I'd find a way to keep it covered.

[Giantbear]

I don't think having my daughter wear shorts under her dress is a 'blame the victim' attitude. It allows her to not care about her dress riding up, keeps her underwear clean when she is sliding (she hasn't discovered hanging upside down yet, so i am more concerned about riding up than being upside down) or, in my daughters case, falling (we are a family of klutzes, although i have no idea how she falls when standing still) and yes, shorts are a little longer than underwear and stops a pervert from viewing something he/she shouldn't be looking at (unfortunately i am talking about adults here). I think there is a difference between shaming a child or teaching them to be ashamed of their body versus teaching them modesty and practicality.

When she goes to school and the skirt is longer, so their is less chance of it riding up, she doesn't wear shorts, but a summertime dress at camp or the playground, then shorts underneath it is. I do not require shorts at the beach or pool or sprinklers over a bathing suit, which is a bit of a contradiction, but i am comfortable with that.

[Mamabear4]

I don't have girls, but I agree that if I did, they would be wearing shorts or leggings under dresses for playing.

[vonfirmath]

I don't see the teacher's suggested solution as any more or less terrible than the mom's -- it's just different.

If you are going to go into tears when someone else sees your underpants, then you have several solutions. One is to stop caring what others think. Another is to make it so your underpants won't show -- whether that be by stopping performing activities that show your underwear or by covering it up in some way (wearing shorts under the dress, wearing shorts/pants instead of the dress). I know adults that would prefer to be told if something private is showing (though adults have learned tact and hopefully how to tell each other these things nicely)

Personally, we often put pants underneath dresses for our 3 year old. If she was having problems getting pants down to go to the restroom, I'd find it fairly easy to just let her wear dresses for ease sake though.

[KrisM]

DD is 8 and in 3rd grade and wears a dress or a skirt every day except for gym because she's not supposed to wear it there. So 3 days a week. She puts on shorts or pants or tights in the winter. She doesn't want to show off her underwear, so she does it on her own. From kindergarten up, she's done this. In preschool I don't think she did and I didn't make her either.

Today, she's wearing an LE dress that goes to about her knees and Bermuda length shorts under. They don't match at all and she doesn't yet care . The shorts are longer than the dress, so it looks a bit odd, but she's comfy.

[JBaxter]

Little girls underpants cover their bottom. No one thinks anything about little girls in bikini's I have boys but I think its a choice thing. What ever they are comfortable with.

[vonfirmath]

Little girls underpants cover their bottom. No one thinks anything about little girls in bikini's I have boys but I think its a choice thing. What ever they are comfortable with.

No one?
I'm sure I'm not the only momma who won't put her little girl in a bikini.

[JBaxter]

No one?
I'm sure I'm not the only momma who won't put her little girl in a bikini.

I live in florida seems the norm on the beaches down here. I'm just going by what I see.