Dear Urban Diplomat: can I ask my neighbours to cover up their naked kid?
My neighbour’s little boy is four, and he’s been running around our street in his birthday suit all summer. It’s getting a bit weird. At what point should small children be clothed when in public? Is there a law?
—Unfree Willy, Riverside
The legal answer is clear: it’s against the law to run around naked in public. However, the age of criminal responsibility in Canada is 12—which means the cops aren’t likely to haul in your neighbour’s kid for indecent exposure anytime soon. The moral answer is, as always, more complicated. School age, in my opinion, is borderline too old for cavorting starkers around the neighbourhood. Four or five is also the age that children should be learning to keep their privates private. But that doesn’t make it any of your business. Assuming the kid is under proper supervision and the only issue is the all-over tan, I suggest you butt out and keep your barefaced disapproval to yourself.
Send your questions to the Urban Diplomat at urbandiplomat@torontolife.com
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/city/urban-diplomat-unfree-willy/&title=Dear Urban Diplomat: can I ask my neighbours to cover up their naked kid?&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/urban-diplomat-unfree-willy.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_286799" align="alignleft" width="292"] (Image: Amanda Tipton/Flickr)[/caption]Dear Urban Diplomat,
My neighbour’s little boy is four, and he’s been running around our street in his birthday suit all summer. It’s getting a bit weird. At what point should small children be clothed when in public? Is there a law?
—Unfree Willy, Riverside
The legal answer is clear: it’s against the law to run around naked in public. However, the age of criminal responsibility in Canada is 12—which means the cops aren’t likely to haul in your neighbour’s kid for indecent exposure anytime soon. The moral answer is, as always, more complicated. School age, in my opinion, is borderline too old for cavorting starkers around the neighbourhood. Four or five is also the age that children should be learning to keep their privates private. But that doesn’t make it any of your business. Assuming the kid is under proper supervision and the only issue is the all-over tan, I suggest you butt out and keep your barefaced disapproval to yourself.
Send your questions to the Urban Diplomat at urbandiplomat@torontolife.com){kind=link}
The larger issue is the pedophile down the street.
(sigh)… here we go again with all the pedophiles (disguised as Naturists, or from behind whatever mask they try and rationalize this).
Again, I’m down with being naked BUT again – time and place (and age). If you want your kids to run around naked in your backyard… whatever (but after a certain age well you’re just being a tool). BUT if you have your 5 or 6 yr old off of your property and running around the neighbourhood, you – sir or madam – are a dick, and should go live in a Commune. End of.
I am sorry but what is wrong with being naked. We were born naked and should embrace it as long as we possibly can. I’m more concerned that the neighbour is uncomfortable with a four year old running around naked on their front lawn…what is the problem here? Let children have fun.
Why do we assume there is a pedophile down the street?
Because there is…. http://globalnews.ca/news/1313399/heres-the-sex-offender-map-ontario-didnt-want-you-to-see/
can I just call you an IDIOT, with your WAY too simplistic view, or do I need to elaborate on what makes your ignorant statement seem like it was written by the child you were likely ogling in the picture?
Agreed.
http://www.memoirsofanesha.com
Its a very cute thing to see a little child bathing in summer with lots of joy……….
Studies show that they’re more likely to be preyed upon by the pedophile under their roof – most sexual assaults are committed by friends or relatives. Making you scared of your neighbours is better for ratings, of course.
Are you SERIOUS? There is NOTHING wrong with nudity, how dare you accuse someone who is comfortable with nudity of being attracted to children! That is disgusting and THAT is simplistic and so out of line!, you are the idiot. Do you plan to teach your children to be shameful of their bodies?
What a F*ing simple TOOL you are (also…). Show me where I said nudity was bad, or wrong? If I have to explain however, what is wrong with this scenario… well, you’re too stupid and closed-minded to waste my time on.