Are you comfortable with your little girl wearing a bikini?
Plenty of retailers stock gorgeous bikinis for kids, but do you prefer your daughter in a swimsuit or wetsuit?
First off, as we write this we have to say, here at MFM we think there's nothing wrong with bikinis - and, of course, it's up to parents to make the call on what their children wear (well, until they reach secondary-school age – and then it can all become a bit of a parent-teenager battle!)
But, it has to be said, we have been noticing some parents telling us they prefer not to let their child wear a bikini – because, simply put, of the world we live in.
The 'are bikinis really OK for little girls?' question has always been a thing but perhaps it started to get properly heated 4 or 5 years ago when US singer and celeb mum Jessica Simpson shared the below bikini pic of her little one.
The parents on our MadeForMums Facebook page were instantly divided in their reaction.
Some really couldn't see what all the fuss was about: "What is the world coming too! Bikinis have been around for so long! Was anyone complaining in the 90s?" aid Jess M.
More like this
Hazel R agreed: "Bikinis are fine."
As does Nadia B: "Oh my god, how can a bikini be wrong?"
But, on the other side of the debate, Donna K said: "Bikinis are for women. I don't think it's right to put children in them."
And Rachel R agreed: "Personally, no: bikinis are made in a shape for a reason – but each to their own."
Sheryl P was determined her child will have to wait a while until she can wear one: "My daughter is 11 and I've never let her wear a bikini.She's a child and as far as I'm concerned they don't belong on children. She can wear them when she's much older."
Alison M ended up having a discussion about it all her daughter and found a solution: "I don't like them personally [but] my 7-year-old wanted one last year, so I've finally found a tankini which she loves!"
Finally, Kye L reckons it's not bikinis that are a issue but rather, the way women's bodies have come to be defined by society.
"By saying that bikinis don't belong on children, you are saying that they are for adults. Why? Because they show more flesh?
"If that's the case, you're saying a woman's body is a sexual thing and that's why the bikini is not appropriate, because it's now become sexual.
"The problem here is the sexualising of women, not the inappropriateness of bikinis."
Does she have a point?
What do you think?
Does your daughter wear a bikini or swimming costume? Tell us in the comments below or over on Facebook
Read more
Authors
Tara is mum to 1 daughter, Bodhi Rae, and has worked as Content Editor and Social Media Producer at MadeForMums since 2015
How NatPat's wellness patches may help your family
NatPat's range of wellness patches and stickers aim to tackle everything from allergies to lack of focus. We take a closer look at the range.