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Waterymellons

New Member
Jurisdiction
Wisconsin
I would like to know what the law is concerning letting a child run around naked in their own yard. We live next to some very nice respectable people. She works in law and he is an ADA. They have a 7 month old baby and a 3 1/2 year old little boy. There is a fence between our back yard and theirs, but it is not a privacy fence, it was built to keep a dog in the yard. It is only 4 ft high and not solid. My problem is they let their little boy run around in the yard naked all the time. He is potty trained and I think it is so he can play in the water. It makes me extremely uncomfortable. We have a pool and have told them they are welcome in anytime we are in the pool. But he has to wear a suit! We have a 19 year old daughter and an 11 year old daughter. My younger daughter doesn't understand why he is naked. Are there any laws regarding this? We live in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Thanks.
 
Nope.
It wouldn't be illegal for you to walk around naked in your yard either.
Indecent exposure laws typically don't apply unless the exposure is sexually motivated.
This is the same reason why it is not illegal for mothers to breast feed in public.
 
WI laws regarding nudity:
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Wisconsin Laws
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Have you spoken to your state's child protection agency?

I do see why such activity would confuse your youngest daughter.

Your quickest solution is to put a privacy fence in place ASAP.

It might not be illegal on its face, but its weird.

It could also be illustrative of some behaviors and mores that are occurring in their home.
 
well, you might consider that it is possible that he is not as potty-trained as one might think and this is helping that situation...and one of the best ways to do so with young boys is the 'go naked' method LOL.

An 11 yr old daughter should be old enough to understand that there is a HUGE difference between a 3 1/2 boy running naked in his own backyard than say another person exposing themselves in public or having some type of sexual intent. Obviously his parents don't have an issue.

personally there is no way I would call CPS for something like this...maybe it's because I've had a boy that age....I dont' see it indicative of anything in private. Some little boys (and little girls especially that age) like to run around naked. If he were older, I could see where it could get to be an issue.

(true story coming ahead...years ago, my FIL visited over Christmas time to TX where it can be pretty warm. He rented a car at the airport and drove himself to our home. The first thing he said to me was "do you know there are 4 little boys a few houses down outside running around naked?" I just laughed.... knew the family and the boys and wasn't surprised at all....never occurred to me to have an issue and honestly my girlies were probably about the age of your younger daughter)
 
Waterymellons said:
I would like to know what the law is concerning letting a child run around naked in their own yard. We live next to some very nice respectable people. She works in law and he is an ADA. They have a 7 month old baby and a 3 1/2 year old little boy. There is a fence between our back yard and theirs, but it is not a privacy fence, it was built to keep a dog in the yard. It is only 4 ft high and not solid. My problem is they let their little boy run around in the yard naked all the time. He is potty trained and I think it is so he can play in the water. It makes me extremely uncomfortable. We have a pool and have told them they are welcome in anytime we are in the pool. But he has to wear a suit! We have a 19 year old daughter and an 11 year old daughter. My younger daughter doesn't understand why he is naked. Are there any laws regarding this? We live in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Thanks.
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I don't see any problem with this. Why does it make you uncomfortable? Then don't look at their backyard if it does - and you are failing as a parent if your 11 year old daughter doesn't understand a 3 year old toddler running around naked. How do you know he's potty trained? My nephew wasn't potty trained until he was 4 - because he didn't want to until then. My brother and his wife tried everything. So don't assume things you don't know. I think the only way it's a problem is if he's running around naked outside in the middle of the winter. Middle of summer - in their own backyard - big deal.

Obviously you can require him to wear clothes into your pool.
 
mightymoose said:
Nope.
It wouldn't be illegal for you to walk around naked in your yard either.
Indecent exposure laws typically don't apply unless the exposure is sexually motivated.
This is the same reason why it is not illegal for mothers to breast feed in public.
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That is what I am saying, why invite someone that already has tendencies to get a free chance to see your kid? I don't think anything is going on in the family, I am not blaming the parents, I just would never let my kid run around like that. I used to take my now 19 yr old to swimming classes when she was small, starting at 3. I understood that Moms would be in their with their children, but there was always a sign that if old enough they should use the gender appropriate locker room. I didn't like when there would be 9-10 yr old boys in the ladies' locker room, I also had to put on a suit for the parent and me classes. I don't like when Moms bring boys into the ladies' restroom. I am 5'4" and I think if the kid is almost as tall as me, he should not be in there. One time at a festival there was a man in a wheelchair that seemed to be at least 30 yrs old. He was just riding around in there, not using the facilities and blocking the entrance to the restroom. I did not go in until he left. I could hardly nurse in the privacy of my own bedroom, but give credit to those that could do it successfully. The boy next door will be starting school in the fall and I know he is potty trained because they did that last summer. My daughter just doesn't understand why he is not wearing anything, he walks around in the front yard and the side yard, not just the fenced in area and not just when they are playing with water. Couldn't he at least wear a T-shirt, then it wouldn't be so noticeable. We cannot afford to put up a privacy fence right now and what sense would it make to put one up right next to their fence? Thanks.
 
Disabled Vet said:
Welcome to 2017... :) Where you can use any bathroom....
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It gets better, my friend.

You can SAY you're a man today, a woman tomorrow, and become an UNSURE the day after.

Yeah, an America to be proud of, my grandfather did his bit in WWI, my dad his in the WWII, you fought for this, I fought for this, my two sons, too, and my son-in-law died for, too!

SMDH confused because we allow our children to run around naked like savages in a jungle....
 
Waterymellons said:
That is what I am saying, why invite someone that already has tendencies to get a free chance to see your kid? I don't think anything is going on in the family, I am not blaming the parents, I just would never let my kid run around like that. I used to take my now 19 yr old to swimming classes when she was small, starting at 3. I understood that Moms would be in their with their children, but there was always a sign that if old enough they should use the gender appropriate locker room. I didn't like when there would be 9-10 yr old boys in the ladies' locker room, I also had to put on a suit for the parent and me classes. I don't like when Moms bring boys into the ladies' restroom. I am 5'4" and I think if the kid is almost as tall as me, he should not be in there. One time at a festival there was a man in a wheelchair that seemed to be at least 30 yrs old. He was just riding around in there, not using the facilities and blocking the entrance to the restroom. I did not go in until he left. I could hardly nurse in the privacy of my own bedroom, but give credit to those that could do it successfully. The boy next door will be starting school in the fall and I know he is potty trained because they did that last summer. My daughter just doesn't understand why he is not wearing anything, he walks around in the front yard and the side yard, not just the fenced in area and not just when they are playing with water. Couldn't he at least wear a T-shirt, then it wouldn't be so noticeable. We cannot afford to put up a privacy fence right now and what sense would it make to put one up right next to their fence? Thanks.
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You parent your kids how you want - they can parent their kid how they want. What are you even talking about here "but there was always a sign that if old enough they should use the gender appropriate locker room.." Is three "old enough" to use gender appropriate lockerrooms? I wouldn't let my three year old go into any bathroom or lockerroom alone. That's also different - that is a public place. They can set their rules for how people dress. Just like "no shirt, no shoes, no service" at most places.

It doesn't matter what you like or don't like. A 9 or 10 year old boy being in the locker room with his mom isn't a big deal. There are a lot of creepers around. Maybe those moms didn't want their kids to be alone and couldn't defend themselves. 9 or 10 is like 3rd or 4th grade. Still pretty small kids usually at that age.

"Couldn't he at least wear a T-shirt, then it wouldn't be so noticeable." Couldn't you just stop being a nosy, judgmental neighbor? It's so irritating when people don't mind their own business. One time when I was little someone called the cops on my parents because we had left clothes on the clothesline. They thought we weren't being taken care of because clothes were on the clothesline. Seriously? We have a pretty good idea who it was at the time too...and the lady saw one of my uncle's racing shirts hanging and figured out his number and called him. Stay out of people's business. Unless you see them neglecting or abusing their child, mind your own business. There is nothing illegal about what they're doing nor immoral. If you want to be covered head to toe and your daughter, cool.

If you don't like using public restrooms or locker rooms then don't. What the hell does a 30 year old man riding around in a wheelchair have to do with anything? Was it a coed bathroom? If it was he had every right to be in there. No one says you have to actually go to the bathroom to be in one.

So you're 11 year old daughter doesn't understand why a very young child would run around naked? That's on you then. Just tell her some parents let their little kids run around naked because it doesn't mean anything when they do. Stop sexualizing this small child. If you don't want to see him, don't look! Just don't look at their yard.

Oh and this: "That is what I am saying, why invite someone that already has tendencies to get a free chance to see your kid?" Who has "tendencies" and what "tendencies?" You don't know who is or isn't a pedophile. You seem to be the only person who has an issue. Letting your child run around naked or in certain clothes is not "inviting" anyone to sexually assault or molest your child.
 
I have no idea why a naked toddler in his own yard would bother you so much. Why are you paying that much attention to it anyway? I'm annoyed as well by boys in the ladies room, but not because I am prudish, simply because the line is usually longer already. When my much younger brother was this kid's age, and I would be out alone with him in public, yet bet he came with me to the restroom as he still needed help.
 
ElleMD said:
I have no idea why a naked toddler in his own yard would bother you so much. Why are you paying that much attention to it anyway? I'm annoyed as well by boys in the ladies room, but not because I am prudish, simply because the line is usually longer already. When my much younger brother was this kid's age, and I would be out alone with him in public, yet bet he came with me to the restroom as he still needed help.
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If there was a heart button like on FB I would heart this.
 

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