Nobody tells you that your kid is going to stare - so here’s your heads up!

One day, you’ll just notice your kid staring at people living with disabilities, people with short stature, people with tattoos or piercings, naked people or almost naked people, or generally anybody that doesn’t look like them.

It’s normal and yet as parents we are usually unprepared with how to respond to the situation when we are in the situation. So what should you do and say if you notice your child staring at a person in their bathing suit or their birthday suit?

Our Topless Beach Day

One summer, my family and I went to Spain and decided to go to the beach. When we got to the beach and were setting up our spot for the day, my kid whispered to me that that a woman forgot her top. She pointed out a lady sunbathing while sharing her observation with me. That’s when my husband and I looked around realized that it was an optional topless beach. I then explained to my kid that this was a topless beach, meaning that everybody gets the choice to wear or not wear a top.

She asked me if I was going to take my top off. I said that I was not used to going to topless beaches and prefer to keep my top on like some of the other beachgoers. That makes me feel most comfortable. She said OK and that was it.

Kids will notice differences and their curiosity may lead them to stare at someone while pointing out those differences to you. Letting them know that what they’ve observed is not wrong but just different, is a part of helping them to make sense of their world.

If my child continued to stare at the topless beachgoer, then I would’ve said: