Naked in the Sprinkler (almost)
Jul 22nd, 2008 by Elaine
I hesitated writing about this but the entire incident just seemed “weird” to me. Early yesterday evening I was on the deck watering the flowers and tending to the flower pots. The house next door has 4 young children, ages 5, 3, 2, & 1. The Mother is rarely outside, she stays indoors with the younger 2. They moved in less than a year ago and I don’t know much about them. They keep to themselves yet wave and say Hi like most neighbors do. Since summer has arrived the older two (boy and girl) will come over to my yard to see Poco and follow me around as I am working in the flower beds and such. They are both very articulate for their age and seemed well cared for.
As I was watering I noticed the little girl (3 year old) in her backyard where a sprinkler was on from earlier in the afternoon and the kids had been playing. She had changed from bathing suit to shorts and shirt. There was no one around, the other children had gone inside. I couldn’t help but watch as she stood there so serious looking at the sprinkler spraying it’s water into the air. I could tell she wanted to play in the water again.
She took off her shorts, then her panties and was going for her shirt when I heard both parents calling from the house, “COME INSIDE NOW”. And this went on for several minutes. The little girl just stood there, bottomless looking at the water. Finally she put her clothes back on and went inside. Immediately the garage door went down, toys left outside and the kids didn’t come out the rest of the evening. During this entire exchange neither parent came outside.
I don’t know about you but this seemed such an odd way of handling this situation which was obviously upsetting to the parents. Why didn’t the Mother come out with the little girls bathing suit? Or tell her to put her panties on and then let her play in the water? We have big yards, in a very nice residential area, it’s not like anyone can even see their back yard except me (and only if I’m on my deck) and the neighbor on the other side of their house.
Early this morning the tree trimmer was at our house trimming the Bradford Pear, their garage door went up and the toys left out last night were picked up. It’s been down the rest of the day and no children have been outside the entire day. I feel sorry for the little girl being punished for something so innocent as wanting to run through the sprinkler naked. Something every 3 year old should be allowed to do without feeling ashamed.
Makes absolutely no sense to me but then again, not much about today’s parents seem to make much sense. Can’t seem to discipline their kids properly, can’t seem to praise them properly, can’t seem to teach them properly, can’t let them play, can’t seem to spend any time with them. It’s that “Time out” generation of parenting and the results are pretty plain to see.
Not saying all modern day parents are like that of course but those that take parenting seriously (like my folks did and I’m in my 50th year) often end up with a lot of grief from their State as well as certain “nosy” neighbors.
Seems like that little girl was being very logical about the whole thing but I would have waited with her bathing suit at the door (out of sight of course) to give her enough time to make the decision on her own before I brought it out. Then I would have told her that next time she wanted to continue “soaking her head”, just to ask me and that we’ll go get that bathing suit again. Of course I’d have to tease her first.
What you described sounds like a huge over reaction by the parents. There are so many better ways to have handled the situation. But I must refrain from being prescriptive in my approach since I used to run through the lawn sprinkler myself as a young boy, sometimes in swim trunks (parents’ preference), sometimes naked (my preference). That personal preference continues today but is expressed somewhat differently
skinny dipping is great!
Anybody who has 4 children obviously gets naked at *some* point.
It does appear that the parents are probably a bit prudish, more than a little controlling, and should have used a much lighter hand when dealing with the sprinkler stand-off.
The stakes could be much higher when the kids become teens, and the battles not so easily contained.
Creativity…. yes kids/children need to develop that sort of informal creativity and adventure. But tame or train them as thier age advances. Problem may be 4 children that too with lesser age difference and naturally parents may become restless.
Kirk - I thought she was being logical too…as in, better not get my clean clothes wet. Parents reaction totally floored me.
Affinity - yes I agree, a huge over reaction, and like Cilicious said, just wait to the teen years!
Cilicious - I hear ya on those teen years, pick your battles wisely for you can’t win them all.
Cholestatrim - tame or train, haven’t heard that exact expression, will have to remember it. Thanks for stopping in.
Well Elaine, here we go again. The nature of our license demands that we observe and report. You have a gut reaction, and not to be an alarmist, it would make sense to pay attention. Not that I need to tell you that, I know you will. Some people just have no idea about parenting and then some others have no idea about parenting.
Have a great trip, and enjoy the yesterdays. They have played a big part in who we are today.
aj
The mother could have simply brought a towel out to the little girl lovingly wrapped it around her and explained, not to take your clothes off where someone might see you. if you want to go back under the spinkler simply come tell mommy so you can change into your bathing suit again……
things sure are different nowdays from when I raised my own kids, to bad you can’t trust anyone.
I’m inclined to think that it’s absurd that there’d be anything objectionable about a naked three year old anyway, but maybe that’s just the hippie in me…..