Do You Let Your Little Girl Wear a Two Piece Swimsuit?

I have since the kiddo was little, much easier to change a diaper when she's in a two-piece. I'm thinking of doing it again this year (she's 5) simply because it's easier for her to go to the bathroom, without having to take the whole thing off.

Nothing skimpy or stringy, I myself wear a tankini with boy shorts.

I don't have girls, but I wear two piece suits (tankinis) so I can go to the bathroom without wrestling myself in and out of a one piece. I bet that's a plus for little girls, too.

I read all the answers and I was amused that a lot of people answered "yes, but it's a tankini" THAT is still a two piece, a bikini, same thing.

My 6yr old daughter wears a two piece as does my 12 yr old daughter. Things like this are only a big deal when we make it a big deal. I can however respect another parents decision, and their reasons for that decision.

I am cracking up!! If the mamasource community is indicative of the views of the beach population in California then I guess there are a whole slew of people who think my bikini clad daughters (3 and 6) and I must have just gotten of the hoochie wagon!! LOL!! Seriously people?? Its a stomach and a back! I have to admit that I am downright shocked that people feel so strongly about not letting a little girl's tummy show at the beach. Why is it ok for a boy to show his belly then??? My M. used to strip me down butt naked to get the sand out of all of the cracks til I was like 7 years old!! People are so paranoid by the whole "perverts and children being sexualized deal"... come on guys, those people have always been here, we just hear more about them now that we are in the "information age" with the media and internet. I will not make my daughters wear a more conservative bathing suit until they start developing and even then I will still let them wear a tankini or boy-short type two-piece.

There are so many styles that can be included in the "two piece" classification. I wear tankinis (as long as I am not going water skiing or something like that.) As long as my children are in swim diapers, they will wear two-piece suits. After we've successfully gotten to/through the potty-training stage, I will continue to put them in two-piece suits so they can easily go to the bathroom without the wrestling exhibition of trying to get in and out of a wet swimsuit to use the bathroom.

Now, there is still a question as to what is appropriate. String bikinis are certainly not an option, but I do know of many two-piece sets that can be more demure than some one-piece suits. It's really just about showing good judgment and this seems a wonderful opportunity to instill some complimentary values of utility and modesty.

pfffffft. when i was little my parents as often as not took my top off when i was on the beach.
littles are beautiful little wild things. there's nothing sexual about them. the terror about *someone* looking at them inappropriately just fuels our society's weird ongoing fascination with sexualizing children. if a little girl's belly should be covered, so should a little boy's.
i'm for letting 'em all run nakey and free.
khairete
S.

Babies are meant to be NAKED, I don't see the harm in 2 piece bathing suits.

It's only 'too grown up' if you make it that way, or if you cross the line like Abercrombie did and make push up string bikinis for girls (WTH were they thinking!?)

Once they start closing the door while in the bathroom, want privacy while changing, etc, etc, that's when tankini's come into the picture. But little baby bellies and chunka butts should run nudie :)

I have to say my daughter has always worn one. She has several suits each summer, as do my boys, and she chooses a bikini more often than a one piece. They are more comfortable for her and she is able to wear them, so why not?

If we go to a water park or a place where I think she'll be moving too much to wear it, then we encourage her to wear a one piece.

I don't see anything wrong with it. If there are people looking at my 8 year old for wearing a two piece, they need help - not my kid :).

Hmmm I have never hear of anyone not allowing a two piece suit... interesting. Yes I prefer 2 piece suits for myself and my DD. I find no need to hide her belly. Belly, legs, shoulders - whats the difference? Plus, it is much easier to go to the bathroom.

My daughter is 17 now. She nor I have ever owned a one piece or tankini.

No, we don't look like skanks in our suits either. True, some people should never, ever put on a two piece.

You just have to do what is right for you and your personal choices.

It is not something that bothers me. I am more opened minded than many and far from prudish. Some of the responses really surprise me.

Back to my old saying..... I'd much rather see a little belly or skimpy suit than all the violence that people seem to be ok with on tv watching blood, guts and gore with people killing each other, etc.

Yes. They are much easier to deal with in the restroom.

I really am not sure why this question keeps coming up, or gets SO much attention!

I am so confused by the answers stating that they don't allow it for toddlers because it's "sexual" or inappropriate but they will allow it when the child is 8, 9, 13, 16, etc...? If it's deemed inappropriate for a toddler to show her body then it seems it would be, by the same logic, inappropriate for a 9 year old. If it's because the parent is afraid their child will be sexualized then how does it make sense to wait until an age when their bodies have developed to allow it?

Anyway, I agree that it's more about tasteful selections and fit. Kind of like jeans, skirts, shirts, or any other article of clothing. You can make any of it racy by the way you choose to wear it. I also agree that swimsuits are for swimming, water play. Not grocery shopping, neighborhood walking, etc.

If a sicko is turned on by a toddler in a two piece I'd dare say that he/she would be the type of person who would be turned on by a toddler in a one piece. At the end of the day, you have to be comfortable with what is best for your child. If you're truly not comfortable with it then continue with the one piece.

My girls are not allowed to wear 2 piece suits. On the same page with Cupcake, they won't be allowed when they get older either. Save the skin for their husbands. :)

Yes, of course. I've grown up in California - have lived here almost my whole life, and I never heard of anyone being against a 2 piece swimsuit until I came to Mamapedia. In my opinion, anything I can do to make it easier for my girls not to pee in the pool is a good thing. Ever tried to wriggle out of a wet one-piece quickly? Yup. Near impossible. Much easier to get bottoms off! And THAT, my friends, is why I never have to chlorine shock my pool. Case closed. ;)

Wow...apparently I'm in the extreme minority in that I'm repulsed by one pieces - how does everyone get the off for diaper changes or for newly potty trained kids? I'd actually consider a bikini over a one piece (and that's saying a lot because I'm pretty turned off by bikinis for children).

Anyway, my daughter wears takinis. Up until now it's been a tank top with a skirt bottom (I don't like being able to see diapers underneath the swim suits). She's potty trained now, so I won't require the skirt bottom, but boy shorts, skirt bottom, well covered regular bottom are ok. As far as the top - still has to be a tank. Just seems odd to have that little belly showing. As she gets older - maybe 8/9 I can see letting her wear a sports bra style top. The bikini tops won't be coming into my house until she's in her teens.

Uh oh... You must not have been here or seen what happened last year when this question was posed. Prepare for yourself.... =) To answer your question: I do not allow 2 pieces and I don't plan to, not even once they are teens.

No, my 4 & 6 yr olds are not allowed

Hi Molly ~

My DD is 7 yrs old & I definitely would not allow/buy a two piece swimsuit for her.

I really hate some of the styles of some of the clothes today for young girls especially the clothes w/words printed on the butt and the short shorts are a couple of things that come to mind. I think it's horribly wrong. IMO.

I was not allowed to wear one growing up - then around 12 I was allowed a "monokini" that had a cut out in the belly but was still a one peice - to this day I have always rather see little girls in one peices. I do not have a little girl, but I think I might depending on the bikini - not a little one but some of them are cute and I would not mind - I think!

Like this is TOO cute!
http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A0PDoYAcs...

But THIS??? Not so much.
http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A0PDoYDqs...

I have always had two piece swimsuits for my daughter. Having to take a wet one piece off is hard enough but to have to do it for diaper changes is a royal pain in the butt. When she was potty training, it would have been crazy to have a one piece on her. She's 5 now and I just bought her a new two piece today. That said, it is a tankini so her midriff and most of her belly is covered. And except for the American flag w/ lots of ruffles (when she was like 2) and her one Ariel one (last year), that has been the case. The only thing is that she is long waisted so even the tankinis seem shorter on her.

I always hated fighting a one piece too (when I was a kid and now) so I don't mind having a two piece. My daughter is always with me and her father or at her daycare's water day, so she is never just out without us either.

I do think some of the clothing manufacturers should reconsider some of the designs they have for young girls (especially some of the teen sizes) because I doubt they would want their daughters wearing them in public.

I bought one for my little one, because it looked so cute in the catalog. Sent it back. It just looked really silly / wrong on her.

I don't get the pedophile thing...helicopter parenting and the feeling of never being safe constantly overshadow our every move...I am all about the two piece suit for everyone! Actually it's too bad I don't live in Europe b/c I would be all about the "clothing optional" beaches personally. For me it comes down to comfort, and in the sand and water on a hot summer's day, less is more!

I don't. Add the sun exposure skin cancer angle and my poor kid ends up with a rash guard top on too :-).

No. I think they are fine for women to wear, but not kids...especially not active little kids! I can't tell you how many young girls (9-12) I have seen in two pieces that are not covering the nipple area and are not fitting properly while the girls are trying to jump around in the water and have fun! I think they are really not smart to put on babies since their skin is so sensitive to sun and a two piece covers next to nothing.
I say, once they are women they can show themselves however they see fit, but until then there are tons of cute one pieces they can wear.
L.
Added - I was taught how to go to the bathroom with a bathing suit on (I grew up in Southern California) by just pulling the crotch area off to the side. No muss no fuss, no trying to get the wet bathing suit on and off.

I have two boys, and I think it is crazy how parents dress their little girls like miniature teenagers! Why do you need to have a little girl wear a bikini and show off her body, when she is so young? I cannot understand why little girls are made to look sexy with clothing styles that are not appropriate, and then parents are up in arms when sicko men try to grab the girls or stare at them. If you think she should wear a one-piece suit, then by all means, buy her one! It is much better to be on the conservative side in this day and age, especially since it will pave the road to her thoughts as a teenager. If you let her wear next to nothing now, she will for sure want that and more when she is older! Do what you think is right and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Best of luck to you. :)

I've let my daughter wear two piece suits. I don't see the problem... I'm not talking about string bikinis or anything, and she's worn one piece suits too... When she was little a two piece was just easier to change a diaper or (later) use the bathroom. The other issue we've had is that she's very long waisted and the one piece suits ride up and aren't comfortbale. I have hear of toddler and little girl suits that now have padded "bras". I think that's ridiculous.

I have been using one piece for my 2 year old daughter, but it does not phase me to see another little girl in a two piece. Oh wait, she also has a two piece from Target (we live in CA and had several 'hand me down' swimsuits). The top is the size of a rash guard, so covers a lot more skin than a typical one piece. If a friend gave me a cute 2 piece I would say 'thank you." I include a gift receipt just incase the person already has it or would rather have something different.

My daughter had adorable two piece bathing suits that I let her wear at home and in the hot tub, etc.
When vacationing or in public pools, she wore one pieces.

As thin as I am, I feel naked in a two piece and just can't bring myself to wear one. Not even at home.

Just my opinion.

Hi Molly! My 5 year old daughter wears a two piece tankini. She has such a long torso that a one piece always slips down and shows her nipples. I would MUCH rather have a bit of her tummy show than her nipples! :)

No, what's the point? To show MORE skin, on a child? WHY?!! It just seems so inherently wrong, to me.

Yes, but there's two pieces and two pieces. The ones I buy for my daughter are tankinis and we have some swim shirt/skirt combos from a friend. It is SO MUCH EASIER to change a diaper in a two piece. Wet suits are hard to wrangle back on a squirmy baby. I'm not opposed to a belly. I'm opposed to a swimsuit for a 2 yr old that looks like it belongs on an adult. No string bikinis for her.

I have a friend who could not find one pieces that were long enough for her torso. Until tankinis came out, she wore bikinis because nothing else fit.

No issues with 2 pieces/bikinis on my girls (age 2 and 4). They each have a few they wear, I never thought much of it. They are cute. I see lots of little ones wearing them. Maybe it is a SoCal thing.

My girls wear boy's swim shorts with a rash guard top. We don't do bikinis or even one pieces. I don't want their bottoms hanging out of their tiny suits. I see way too much of that and it just isn't right! I just heard someone talking about this. Would you let your daughters go outside in their bra and underwear? It's the same amount of fabric as a bikini. Why do we accept this as normal? We found a cute suit at target for my youngest. It was swim shorts with a rash guard, for girls. They are harder to find, but if we can find them, we buy them. Otherwise, it's the boys' shorts/top. They usually have ones with flowers on them (hawaiian style). Lands' End has some girl ones, too though.

People seem to be all caught up on the pedophile thing: I think if there is a pedophile looking at small children in swimsuits it doesn't matter to him/her if it is a one piece or a two piece.

My almost 2 year old has a one piece because that is what she picked. My almost 5 year old has a tankini because that is what she picked (it just *had* to be yellow). To me it is just a swimsuit and I am going to assume that most people are not looking at my child as a sexual object. Now, when they are older and start getting boobs and hips...that is when I will start to worry about bikinis (and not because I'm worried about pedophiles but about 15 year old boys).

I have boys, but I wouldn't allow it if I has daughters. I just think bikinis for little girls are inappropriate.

I let my girls wear Tankinis. They are covered, and it's easier for them to use the bathroom. Also, if a bottom wears out (water slides), you can just replace that instead of the whole suit.

I have three girls and I will not allow two pieces for a while. I'm not sure what age I will but I think they look ridiculous on little girls! I'm thinking maybe sixteen but I don't know. That is my opinion anyway.

#! --Going to the bathroom/ changing the diaper is SO much easier.

#2--Some are cute, some look skunky--I pick the cute ones

#3--I remember loving mine when I was five years old

#4--As long as it is uncomplicated to wear and get on and off, it's a go. No tying of strings for the tops.

#5--My daughter had cute tankinis (top extended to the belly button) from Land's End. Uncomplicated to wear. Try one of those.

Summer weather in Michigan this week! I know why you are thinking swimsuits! Amazing!

No, we don't. The two piece was created by the son of a lingerie maker. He thought it a great idea to imitate the bra and panty in a swimsuit, but the only women who would model it were prostitutes. Women show way too much skin these days. Where is the mystery anyway? Don't we know how hard it is for men to resist us? Let's give them a break and certainly we don't want our little girls starting out this way.

There is a difference between a 2 piece and bikini. No a tankini and a bikini are not the same thing. When my kids were little they did wear bikinis. Now we are wearing 2 pieces or one peices Like tankinis. and what about the rash guards with the briefs? The key here is modesty. Growing up tankinis were not available to me. Neither was special sizing (like long torso). In 5th grade I pretty much had all of my height and had to shop in the misses department. I am 5'9". It was exceedingly difficult to find a suit that covered me. I didn't want a bikini. I like to surf and bodyboard and such at the beach and a bikini would not stay on. But in a one piece because of my height the leg was super high cut and the top was super low cut. I had men hitting on me at age 11! I felt extremely exposed. My cousin found this 2 piece halter suit. It did show a lot of tummy but the bottoms were shorts so our bums and fronts were completely covered and the top completely covered our breasts. So we had to have a trade off. I would have much rather exposed by belly than my bum or my breasts! Then tankinis became available. Much more suitable. More supportive and covers appropriately. My children can wear one or two pieces as long as they are modest. And they are tall girls too. So i would rather trade a smidge of belly over buying a larger suit that droops to expose their chest. But a bikini that barely covers is out of the question for my kids. We have both one piece suits and 2 piece suits but they are modest. When it comes down to it I'd rather have the 2 because it is SOOOOO much easier to go to the bathroom in. And most of my 2 peice you can't even tell they are 2 piece.

Yes,,, we are a family with long torsos and 1 peices simply don't fit any of us.,,, I prefer tankinis but I am not opposed to bikinis. Ask me again in 6 years.

I'm MORE disturbed by certain colors or UNLINED suits. White, peach and pale pink all become see thru!

I'm at the pool six days a week and see all kinds of little girls wearing suits that are too big and see thru. Don't the parents EVER look up from their phones and SEE that their daughters are basically NAKED?

One little girl had a suit that was either a hand me down or the water made it HUGE in the crotch area and was hanging down at least two inches from her body. I felt so bad for her.

My daughter will be five in August and I bought her a two piece last year and just recently from Gymboree. She has a very long torso like me so finding a one piece that fits well will be hard. Plus with going to the bathroom in a hurry, just having to pull down the bottoms instead of an entire wet suit is easier in my opinion. I think they are cute on little girls. But I also should state that my daughter swims at my parents pool and not a public pool 99.9999% of the time. Even if she were going to a public pool all of the time, I would still buy her the same one. I wore a two piece up until high school. Then wore mostly tankinis.

My daughter has a few 2 piece suits but all are tank top or rash guard style tops so her belly is covered. I think kids should be able to swim and play with no fear of a bathing suit leaving them overexposed. No, I wouldn't let my daughter wear a skimpy bikini top style--but it is less of a fight now with a preschooler than I expect in a decade.

I don't plan to let my daughter wear two pieces for awhile, mainly because I make my kids wear rash guards to protect them from the sun. I don't really think little girls look cute in the skimpier two pieces anyway - they just look silly to me. As a tween, I'd be open to a tankini type of style and, once she's a teenager, I will probably allow her to wear bikinis, though hopefully not the super skimpy kind. My friends and I all wore bikinis in high school.

I don't think a 2 piece or 1 piece will make much difference to a pedophile! My daughter has a one piece speedo and a 2 piece with more of a half tankini top. She picked Them out and I have no worries about her in it. She's only 3 though, when we were kids in Australia, we ran around naked until we were about 5 or 6!

I had a 2 piece when I was little and so did my sister. We grew up fine and nothing bad happend to us. I realize that times have changed and there are so many more perverts out there ( well maybe not but we are more aware of them) so I say it is a total judgement call. If you you put her in one and let her splash around in tyour backyard waiting pool, sure why not. At the Public pool, put her in a one piece.

I used cloth swim diapers (which are super cute) and more often than not my under 2 year old girls just wore their swim diaper (nothing to cover up top any ways). Our rule is once you turn two, you have to wear a bathing suit and I only buy one peices. Never had an issue with potty training and a one peice and we swam daily, year round until lately. My kids love their suits and are ok with it (my oldest is only 3). I will never buy a 2 peice for my kids - it is kinda like a cell phone in my book - sure, teens and younger think it is cool, but it is a want, not a need so they can have one when they have their own money to spend on it.

I have not, but my daughter is only 18 months old. In general, I think the one-pieces are cuter. However, I think I would not object to a two-piece in the future AS LONG AS HER TUMMY WAS COVERED. I do NOT approve of bikinis for little girls (there isn't even anything there to hold the top on!) and I don't approve of swimsuits that show off the tummy either (there is the concern of extra skin to protect from the sun). I try to cover my kids up as much as possible, and both my son and my daughter wear SPF shirts to the pool. However, I have seen many tasteful two-pieces that I would probably allow in the future. It entirely depends on how it is done.

I don't aloow it (kids 2 and 5)

I have 3 neices I have raised since little. They never work bikini's when they were small. Two of them had big round ample butts that wouldn't hold the bottom of a bikini in place and when they got old enough to have boobs, the smallest breasted girl was a 30 C. Yes the each are rather petite in size but they have curves grown women pay plasitic surgeons for.

Last year was the first year the youngest of the three wore a bikini but she had quite a search trying to find a top to fit her 32 DDD breasts. She did very well though. It wasn't embarrassing to the family.

Long story short a tasteful bikini is fine for a little little girl but when they become too aware of their bodies as sexual objects it's just not cute any longer. We have a few 10 year old girls at the church taking their developing bodies for a test drive and some of the choices they make is just unflattering for their body types. We all live and learn. There are more pressing battles to fight though.

I wore 2 pieces as a child and it wasn't a big deal. I wore a lot of the kinds with the boy shorts though.

I don't have a little girl, but I do have a boy. He can go shirtless in an indoor pool, but an outdoor one I have him wear a UV shirt. It's not about modesty for me, it's sun exposure. I'm covered in freckles b/c of all the sun I took in as a child, but he is not freckled b/c I cover him and also am the queen of sunblock. Freckles indicate a higher risk of melanoma (or so I hear) so for me it's about protecting him. My friend's husband just died at 28 b/c of melanoma.

Kinda depends on the two piece, doesn't it? If my girls wanted to wear a sporty tankini or even a modest two piece with ample upper and lower coverage, sure, no problem. But the second they bring me a g-string bikini to try on, I'll put my foot down. Of course, when they were VERY little, they always wore a two piece because of the sheer convenience of going to the bathroom (I see nothing wrong with a cute little exposed baby belly). They're 9 and 11 now and for the last couple of years they, themselves, have insisted on a one piece. So it hasn't been a problem...so far.

I have a boy, so I don't have to worry about this question. However, I love the tankinis for girls. My son's cousin is 3 and it's really cute. It's also easier for potty breaks. With a two piece though, you have to worry about sunburned skin. So, I probably wouldn't want to keep applying sunblock on her tummy, it's a terrible place to get burned!

i have always had my daughter in the tankini two piece, i dont like one pieces i dont like the bikinies for little girls though

My little girl is 14 now and has never had a two piece swimsuit. I may, at some point, let her gat a tankini as long as it covers her stomach, but she couldn't wear it to any of our church youth activities or swim meets, so thats kinda worthless. Heck, I didn't have a two piece until I was pregant with my third child and that one definitely covered every thing. But it was easier to go to the bathroom! :-)

At home, in the yard playing with the hose, in a wading pool, no where else. We have the one pieces set aside for the Y and any other swimming venue.

I do not mind a 2 piece that has a long top, like a tankini. They last longer since she can get taller in them. Once the belly starts showing they are passed down though.

Just the Nike tanki.. Her belly doesn't show.. She wears it to the beach.. Easier for restroom. My 9 year old one pieces only.

Both of my kids (boy and girl) wear the surf shirts. Keeps the sun off! I however am not opposed to tasteful, age appropriate 2 piece for little girls.

I think if ur skinny n the body looks good yes it's fine but if she's a little heavy n the belly going to hang out no.

Updated

I think if ur skinny n the body looks good yes it's fine but if she's a little heavy n the belly going to hang out no.

My daughter is 4 and just this year I got her a 2-piece for the first time - but it is a tankini, so more of her torso is covered than isn't. She looks really adorable in it, not skanky at all.

I argee with you, I it's really hard to bring myself to letting my little girls wear a bikini in public. My 8 yr old does have one cause she really liked it, but she is not alloud to wear it at the public pool she has a swim suite for there. She only wears it at home in our pool. Now my 17 yr old does wear her bikini at the public pool. The baby (currently 4 mo.) will not be wearing a bikini - now if I can find a 2 pc that covers the mid-drift (like momma's 2 pc) I would have no problem with the 2 younger girls wearing that.

I will re-address the question and rule once the girls hit their teen years, but no bikinis till at least then.

Honestly I didn't think I would ever let my girl wear one, but then we were potty training in the summer (and my parents have a pool so we were in pools often) and I discovered how hard it is to get a 1 piece off before they have an accident. That's not to mention trying to get a wet suit back ON the kiddo. So I do a tankini for her now. For the next year she had a life jacket on over it anyway so it's not like anything showed. Now that she has switched to swimmies it's still less than an inch of skin that shows at any given point in time so I am okay with it. I don't buy the ones with triangles over the chest at the top though, they look too old for her (she will be four next month). I don't know what I will do when she is older. My nieces both wear bikinis (age 8 and 10) as do all their friends, so I would imagine I am going to get the request from my daughter when she is older.

No way!! Too many pedophiles out there!!! Besides, I want to culture a sense and value for modesty. I was not allowed to wear one, even as a teen. Now that I'm an adult, I have no desire to "share the goods" with every man on the beach! I'd buy a two for use at home with my husband, but not in a public place, and honestly not in front of my kids. I think we are so sexually oriented as a culture that we don't even notice it anymore. Even the tankinis float up when you're getting in and out of the pool, so I wouldn't allow my daughter to wear one until she was old enough to understand that she needed to control it.

when my daughter was younger (3 months to 3 or 4 years old) I thought it was SO cute when I put her in a baby bikini! But she is 7 now and now I like it when she is more covered up. If she wanted to wear a two piece, I would totally let her. I mean I would rather wear one myself (and did up until my 2nd was born and now my stomach just isn't the same). I wear a tankini now. I can't stand the feel of a one piece. I asked her what kind of bathing suit she wanted this year and she said a tankini. We are going to the beach over spring break, so I need to get her one soon! But, I would have no problem if she wanted a bikni

I think it is OK , it also makes potty training easier when they have on a two piece, but there are plenty of bathing suits that are inappropriate. My 8 year old I am more likely to put her in a one piece than my 4 year old, because that is when the bikinis get a little skanky for girls.

Molly i just took my 8 yr old to target and let her pick out a swimsuit. She tried on only 2 pieces. She said she did not want a one piece. She tried on tankini with brif and also boycut bottoms. She also tried on the little triangle tops. AAAAHHH! YEah no...
I let her have a tankini the purple and black one, but she wanted the two piece bra style top and brief bottom. I don't think i would have had a problem with a 2 piece if the top was more of a sports bra style.
My 3 yr old has a bikini like that. SHe hasnt worn it becuase she didnt like her belly showing, but like someone else said, i thought it be easier to use the restroom.

When my girls were little, I always bought the Lands End tankinis. Now that they are tweens, they really love the bikini style suits. I don't like them, personally. But we do compromise. I veto a lot of the ones they first show interest in. I won't buy any that are trashy or skimpy looking. I also only buy them one bikini suit each. I buy them 1-2 additional suits each summer, but the additional suits have to be tankini or one piece. Generally after the novelty wears off, they gravitate towards the more practical suits that are just easier for them to play in and the bikinis see less wear. I also have swimsuits are for swimming only rule. I don't like to see girls ride their bikes around the neighborhood or play out in their front yards wearing a bikini top, my girls know that is not allowed.