Where are all the teenagers?
Geoff
to be relative casual. We are nude at home regularly and visit CO
beaches in UK during the summer. We are not club or BN member and have
no interesting in joining either. So, you'll excuse me for being
rather clueless regarding certain topics.
We have been regulars at Studland (our favourite beach) for many
years. Around 15 years ago there was always a smattering of teenages
at the beach (not a large number but a small representative) but since
then the numbers have dwindled to almost zero. This year we stayed in
the area for two weeks visiting the beach many times and not once did
we see any teenagers apart from our own. Our children and not
particularly bothered by this as we tend to keep to ourselves. Have we
just been going at the wrong time (though we always visit during
school holidays) or is there another reason? Do they tend to stick to
clubs as it more likely to be free from pervs (yes, we are aware of
them at Studland) or do they only feel comfortable enough to go naked
in places like the resorts in France? Are there a greater number of
teenagers there?
Duncan Heenan
"Geoff" <geoff.f...@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:refje2p0thqfkccre...@4ax.com...
Yes the age range in naturism in France is much more reflective of society
as a whole.
I would suggest that one reason that there a re so few teenagers, and
children in general is the atmosphere of fear which has been created by the
disproportionate Child Protection industry in this country in the last
decade or more. People are afraid to deal with children now for fear of
suspicion and many parents are afraid to include their children in naturism
for the same reason. No one wants to be thought of as a pervert, but
nowadays you hardly have to mention children for eyebrows to be raise, and
mix that with an occasional textile view of naturism that it's to do with
sex and................
Ian Murray
Even in clubs with a large number of children (such as our club HERITAGE -
http://www.heritageclub.org/mainmenu/mainmenu.htm), there is a definite
dropping off in late teen children. This week ( children's week at the
club ) we have a lot under 10 but less than a dozen teenagers around - its
not that 'cool'. My own 16yr old daughter might be there just one evening -
thats all; she prefers 'shopping', 'Pirates of the Carribean' and hanging
out with school friends - and actually I think thats great - normal teenage
activity! (phew!)
Interestingly naturism itself is not the issue - my own teen kids cant stand
the idea of cozzies in swimming pools and on our villa holiday near NICE (
yes they still come! - we pay ), they dont even bother to pack a cozzie, and
I still get emails from our eldest now in his 20s detailing the naturist
beaches he has come across on his 'youth' holidays with friends.
Duncan's point has a certain validity. There is a general paranoia which
parts of the UK naturist industry (including BN) have subscribed to - read
the recent advice from BN about 'contact sports' - which would simply and
instantly have killed most of our 'children's week' activities including the
pool games, sports field events and even some of the camping. Similarly BN
requires CRB checks on all who wish to contribute electively to the
organisation.
Some clubs such as ours are large enough, have enough youth, kids and
teenagers, to 'buck the trend' but we are still also effected. One mustn't
forget the changing UK demography, later child rearing, smaller families,
changed holiday and recreational agendas. There are just fewer younger
parents with teenagers. Interestingly our foreign visitors this year (mostly
Dutch) consistently recounted that we were the only club they visited which
still had children (plural) - and in two cases extended overnight stays to a
week or more.
Once naturism (like any lifestyle or organisation) loses its youth - , the
next generation, its 'seedcorn' - it is effectively dead. UK naturism is
struggling not to die - lets hope its successful.
Ian M
david lloyd
attendance brought their two teenaged girls along. The weather was moderatly
warn, but nobody else was nude. The swimming pool was closed, despite it
being a weekend, and there were no tennis rackets about, so if you didn't
have your own you couldn't play. It was no wonder the girls were complaining
of being bored, and if they are bored when they go with their parents, they
will no go to be bored when they grow up.
--
Dave Lloyd
So open minded, my brains dribbled out.
valleyboy
I think a contribution of blame must go to the teenage media. The music
channels now are so powerful in shaping the attitudes of teenagers. Just
watch some the channels for a hour or two (if you can take it) and you'll
see that the body image portrayed is one of almost impossibility. Couple
this to teenage magazines which cover acres of paper with beautiful slim,
honed young people and your average kid feels he/she doesn't stand a chance.
My teenage kids (14 & 16) are far more image conscientious that I ever was.
They are reminded everyday by their media of the need to be perfect. So when
I discuss being naked they immediately respond by saying that most naked
people are ugly or words to that effect. The visit to a naturist beach in
France earlier this summer was not really appreciated. They firmly kept
their clothes on which is understandable but afterwards they told me they
were almost repulsed by the bodies of the "un-perfect".
They don't have fears about perverts and as parents we know there are far
more dangerous things in life like cars, motorbikes and drugs to worry
about. So perverts are not a problem.
Body image is.
valleyboy
Geoff
explanations given as being perfecttly reasonable for children to back
away from naturism.
Ours seem perfectly comfortable with naturist activites under the
right conditions. Although they regularly go without clothes at home
and visit clothing optional beaches with us, none of their friends are
aware of this and they have made it perfectly clear they wish it to
remain this way. For them it's the embarassment of being judged by
their friends and are not concerned about being nude on a beach full
of total stranger or at home when it's just us or our friends. There
is also the massive embarassment of being seen in town shopping with
mum and dad so it's not really naturism that is the issue.
I'm not sure I blame the media for it's portrayal of the perfect body
in newspapers, magazines and films. There would be no supply without
demand so it's society in general to blame for this state of affairs
rather than a few powerful media companies.
Geoff
Unknown
I do have a hard time understanding what's going on in their heads.
Studland is a regular haunt of mine and a couple of weeks ago I was
camped out next to a family and the behaviour of one of their girls
totally bemused me. The younger of the two at around 12 years old kept
her bikini on all the time which made perfect sense if she was self
conscious about being naked. The older girl of around 14 was the
enigma. She had her bikini on at the start and kept it on for some
time. She went for a paddle and the bottom half got wet. On returning
to her things she took her bikini bottom off and immediately put on a
spare dry pair. A very rapid change. Later she decided to go for
another dip and switched her bikini bottoms back. Another quick
change. This time she didn't make it into the water and wandered back
as soon as she reached the water's edge. When she got back she picked
up her spare bikini bottoms and looking ready to change again but this
time took off the ones she was wearing and dropped the other she was
holding back where they were. She then wandered around a bit, had a
bag of crisps and a drink. After finishing the drink she took off the
bikini top and hung that over the windbreak. So now naked she wanders
around a bit more munching on an apple. After another 10 minutes she
decides now would be a good time to put the bikini on again. She kept
it on for the rest of the day. Now does that make sense to anyone? The
very hurried changes to start with then naked for 30 minutes then
bikini back on. All I can think of is that she was ok with being naked
but wanted to make sure she got tan lines.
Classic Car Man
when they want - girl or boy?
<Neil Stokes> wrote in message
news:9ng9g2ticfnt8pbtf...@4ax.com...
Jerry
<Neil Stokes> wrote in message
news:9ng9g2ticfnt8pbtf...@4ax.com...
> bikini back on. All I can think of is that she was ok with being
naked
> but wanted to make sure she got tan lines.
Had she obviously been naked before, hint of an over all tan perhaps,
if not perhaps it was their (the sisters) first experience if public
nudity - if so her behaviour would make perfect sense.
Peter & Jane
Neil Stokes <> wrote:
> Well I've also noticed a lack of teens at beach in general in Britain.
> I do have a hard time understanding what's going on in their heads.
<details snipped>
All I can think of is that she was ok with being naked
> but wanted to make sure she got tan lines.
She probably liked her bikini. If she had had a new, say, skirt or top you
would have understood her wanting to wear it. Clothes are important to the
young, indeed to most of us in their place, and she probably wanted the fun
of wearing it. Could be a bit of body sensitivity as well, of course.
Jane
--
Peter & Jane : Totnes : South Devon
Please do not reply by mail.
Andy R
"Peter & Jane" <peter...@ukgateway.net> wrote in message
news:4e6499116e...@ukgateway.net...
> In article <9ng9g2ticfnt8pbtf...@4ax.com>,
> Neil Stokes <> wrote:
>> Well I've also noticed a lack of teens at beach in general in Britain.
>> I do have a hard time understanding what's going on in their heads.
>
> <details snipped>
>
> All I can think of is that she was ok with being naked
>> but wanted to make sure she got tan lines.
All I can think of is this poor girl going to a naturist beach where she
spends the day being studied intently by the bloke next to her. I can't see
any other way the poster could have written such a detailed report.
And you wonder why teenagers don't go to naturist beaches.
> She probably liked her bikini. If she had had a new, say, skirt or top you
> would have understood her wanting to wear it. Clothes are important to the
> young, indeed to most of us in their place, and she probably wanted the
> fun
> of wearing it. Could be a bit of body sensitivity as well, of course.
What do you mean, could be?
If you saw a kid at a fancy dress wearing something their parents had forced
on them and they kept changing into something else at every opportunity
wouldn't you think the child was a bit unhappy? The only difference here is
instead of fancy dress it's no-dress.
Rgds
Andy R
Mike H
<?@?.?.invalid> writes
>Well I've also noticed a lack of teens at beach in general in Britain.
>I do have a hard time understanding what's going on in their heads.
by peer pressure. The kid was almost certainly 'doing her own thing' and
responding to other stimuli. Stimuli to which you were blind - possibly
due to your apparent total fixation with her behaviour and with nothing
else.
--
Mike Hopkins
Swim? Naturally at Severn Vale
<http://www.svsc.fsworld.co.uk/>
Unknown
<newsr...@ada-augusta.demon.co.uk.INVALID> wrote:
>In message <9ng9g2ticfnt8pbtf...@4ax.com>, Neil Stokes
><?@?.?.invalid> writes
>>Well I've also noticed a lack of teens at beach in general in Britain.
>>I do have a hard time understanding what's going on in their heads.
>In which case you probably do not understand the important part played
>by peer pressure. The kid was almost certainly 'doing her own thing' and
>responding to other stimuli. Stimuli to which you were blind - possibly
>due to your apparent total fixation with her behaviour and with nothing
>else.
Ah. So a bloke located fairly close to a family and observing what was
going on around him is clearly inappropriate behaviour. Next time a
similar family decides to set up camp so close to me I'll have to ask
them to move along a bit so I can't see them or perhaps move all my
gear instead. Maybe if I get practiced enough at being unfriendly at
the beach I'll becomg grumpy enough to qualify being able to post
here.
Jerry
"Andy R" <and...@ukhome.net> wrote in message
news:4mkoacF...@individual.net...
>
<snip>
>
> If you saw a kid at a fancy dress wearing something their parents
had forced
> on them and they kept changing into something else at every
opportunity
> wouldn't you think the child was a bit unhappy? The only
difference here is
> instead of fancy dress it's no-dress.
>
Unless you know something we don't there was not mention of her being
forced into being naked, if she didn't want to be naked she would not
have gone naked.
Aldernat
"Andy R" <and...@ukhome.net> wrote:
>
> "Peter & Jane" <peter...@ukgateway.net> wrote in message
> news:4e6499116e...@ukgateway.net...
> > In article <9ng9g2ticfnt8pbtf...@4ax.com>,
> > Neil Stokes <> wrote:
> >> Well I've also noticed a lack of teens at beach in general in Britain.
> >> I do have a hard time understanding what's going on in their heads.
> >
> > <details snipped>
> >
> > All I can think of is that she was ok with being naked
> >> but wanted to make sure she got tan lines.
>
> All I can think of is this poor girl going to a naturist beach where she
> spends the day being studied intently by the bloke next to her. I can't see
> any other way the poster could have written such a detailed report.
>
> And you wonder why teenagers don't go to naturist beaches.
Now when I read the OP I didn't assume such an attitude. Where does the
'intently' bit come from?
Assuming they were there for a few hours, a glance every 15 minutes or
so would be enough to accumilate all the information given.
Maybe it's the peculiarly 'British' way of pretending people aren't
there. I just hope the poor guy didn't make the mistake of smiling or
<gasp> being friendly.
They do that in 'foreign' you know. Definitely NOT the sort of behaviour
Mrs Grundy would approve of.
--
Aldernat
David Looser
news:ZfzeQYDc...@ada-augusta.demon.co.uk...
> The kid was almost certainly 'doing her own thing' and responding to other
> stimuli. Stimuli to which you were blind - possibly due to your apparent
> total fixation with her behaviour and with nothing else.
>
Are you suggesting "other stimuli" that was external to the girl herself?,
that the OP was so fixated with the girl that he was unaware of what else
was happening on the beach?, because that's what your statement looks like
to me. So on one hand you are criticising the OP for being aware of what
this girl is doing, and on the other for being unaware of mythical "other
stimuli" for which there is no evidence at all. A kind of damned if you do,
damned if you don't attitude isn't it?
David.
Peter & Jane
Andy R <and...@ukhome.net> wrote:
> "Peter & Jane" <peter...@ukgateway.net> wrote in message
> news:4e6499116e...@ukgateway.net...
<snip>
Could be a bit of body sensitivity as well, of course.
> What do you mean, could be?
> If you saw a kid at a fancy dress wearing something their parents had forced
> on them and they kept changing into something else at every opportunity
> wouldn't you think the child was a bit unhappy? The only difference here is
> instead of fancy dress it's no-dress.
Yes. I agree.
Thanks.
jane
> Rgds
> Andy R
Julie and Phil
to late teens all wandered around, swam, sunbathed etc. naked and not one of
them seemed at all uncomfortable. Perhaps it's strength in numbers?
Julie
"Geoff" <geoff.f...@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:refje2p0thqfkccre...@4ax.com...
--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
Andy R
"Julie and Phil" <juliea...@talktalk.net> wrote in message
news:45092564$0$19648$8826...@free.teranews.com...
> Well, at Vera Playa hotel during our recent holiday, children from
> toddlers to late teens all wandered around, swam, sunbathed etc. naked and
> not one of them seemed at all uncomfortable. Perhaps it's strength in
> numbers?
Possibly, but judging by my experiences the last place I'd take an even
slightly reluctant naturist is a naturist beach in the UK.
We (that's me n the family) simply don't go to British naturist beaches any
more. Clubs are fine and we attend some as guests/campers and overseas is
fine for clubs, beaches or whatever but my wife won't go to a naturist beach
in the UK again and I certainly wouldn't take a teenage daughter to one.
Rgds
Andy R
david lloyd
>
> Possibly, but judging by my experiences the last place I'd take an even
> slightly reluctant naturist is a naturist beach in the UK.
>
> We (that's me n the family) simply don't go to British naturist beaches
any
> more. Clubs are fine and we attend some as guests/campers and overseas is
> fine for clubs, beaches or whatever but my wife won't go to a naturist
beach
> in the UK again and I certainly wouldn't take a teenage daughter to one.
>
are there for ulteria motives. There are, however, unofficial beaches which
are great for unharassed nude sunbathing. Cornwall has several, backed by
cliffs rather than dunes. Some are difficult to access, but that seems to
put off those who would go there for no good.
vg4cysss7001
writes
[snip]
>Clubs are fine and we attend some as guests/campers and overseas is
>fine for clubs, beaches or whatever but my wife won't go to a naturist
>beach in the UK again and I certainly wouldn't take a teenage daughter
>to one.
I understand why you have that POV, but doesn't that let the buggers
(sic) win?
Shouldn't nakedness come out of the "closet" of club's walls and hedges?
I despair at the uncouth, obese people I seem to be surrounded by, but
refuse to compromise, just to "blend in". Is that a non sequitor?
ISTM to be related to "The Freedom to be Yourself".
--
vg4cysss7001