Pools/tv with children

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returningcath

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Hi

I am trying to live a more traditional catholic lifestlye and I have some questions about children and modesty:

As a traditional catholic, would you take young children to a public pool? I mean like 1 year old children. I know when they are older it would definitely not be ok and at least an occassion of sin

Do you watch tv with young children? I am not talking about clearly objectionable tv shows but news, sports, etc where the women on the show are likely to be dressed in not always the most modest manner

If you have links to any more authoritative sources on these topics then that would be great. Thanks.
 
Yes I take my children to pools. My neighborhood pool is not some den of iniquity. We also go to pools at friends’ houses when invited.

Tv can be far more dangerous, but it can also be spiritually fruitful. In this age when we can watch almost anything on demand, a lot of really good content is available. We only have one tv in the home, so whatever is being watched is well monitored in the livingroom.
 
I would think that if whatever is on TV is so immodest you worry about your very young children seeing it, then it is posing a much greater moral danger to the adults in the room who are watching. Children don’t really notice what the news anchor or cheerleaders have on. The grownup men do.
 
What is a “traditional catholic lifestyle”?

Can a child really “sin” prior to the age of reason?
 
JulianN said:
I’m not sure where you’ve gotten the idea that the Church would say it is ‘definitely not OK’ for older children (or adults) to go to a public swimming pool.
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I’m presuming the concern is about other swimmers wearing what traditionalists consider immodest bathing suits.
 
I’m sure you’re right. But I don’t think there are going to be any authoritative Church teachings about the morality of swimming pools. I also noticed the concern was strictly with what women were wearing – no comments about shirtless men or Speedos.
 
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I’m a little old fashioned. I think that sports can keep your kids away from bad influences and it also keeps them busy. So getting your kids involved with swimming and sports is a good thing. Feel free to take them to the pool or have them watch sports, it’s a good idea.
 
returningcath said:
As a traditional catholic, would you take young children to a public pool? I mean like 1 year old children. I know when they are older it would definitely not be ok and at least an occassion of sin
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Um, what!???!

Of course it is fine to go to the pool at any age. What on earth are you talking about, not taking children to the pool because it’s an occasion of sin??
returningcath said:
Do you watch tv with young children? I am not talking about clearly objectionable tv shows but news, sports, etc where the women on the show are likely to be dressed in not always the most modest manner
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Again… what the heck??
returningcath said:
I am trying to live a more traditional catholic lifestlye
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I think you need some counseling from your pastor as this doesn’t sound like trying to live a Catholic lifestyle but some really fringe idea of that a “Catholic lifestyle” would be.

I think you need some help discerning where you’ve gone off track.
 
returningcath said:
I know when they are older it would definitely not be ok and at least an occassion of sin
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I think we can only take this “near occasion of sin” thing so far. Our daily lives present near occasions of sin. In fact, I experience one every time my little darlings start bickering and I’m about to lose my temper.

Please consult with a priest to determine exactly where to draw the line here.

Scrupulosity is largely an attempt to shelter ourselves and our children from every last, living “near occasion of sin.”
 
There is nothing wrong with taking any aged child to a public pool or to allow them to watch tv.

Responsible parents should teach their kids how to live in this world. It sounds like you are planning to shelter them from anything that doesn’t coincide with your exact belief system. It is a very dangerous thing to do. The kids grow up. If they have been compliant, they get turned out into a world in which they have no ability to safely navigate themselves. More likely, though, is that they rebel and go out in search of far greater evils than you were trying to protect them from to begin with.

Please don’t do this.
 
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JMMJ said:
There is nothing wrong with taking any aged child to a public pool or to allow them to watch tv.

Responsible parents should teach their kids how to live in this world. It sounds like you are planning to shelter them from anything that doesn’t coincide with your exact belief system. It is a very dangerous thing to do. The kids grow up. If they have been compliant, they get turned out into a world in which they have no ability to safely navigate themselves. More likely, though, is that they rebel and and go out in search of far greater evils than you were trying to protect them from to begin with.

Please don’t do this.
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Agree 100% with this.

I’m a convert from Evangelical Protestantism, and I’ve seen it happen over and over–a family attempts to live “off the grid,” raising their children with strict morals and protecting them from any hint of evil. No TV. No phone. No radio. Homeschooled with little interaction with other children in their area who are homeschooled. Old-fashioned clothing for boys and girls. Even in church, they sit together as a family and do not associate with anyone elsem nor do they allow their children to be part of Sunday school classes, AWANAs, children’s choirs, or youth groups. The children are not allowed to talk to or play with any other children or teens.

When the oldest child turns 18, he or she is GONE! Out the door, often with no note. If there is a note, it’s a diatribe against the prison that his or her parents have forced them to endure throughout their childhood.

Often, there is a boyfriend or girlfriend who has somehow been seeing the runaway for several months (usually involves sneaking out at night and coming home before morning). But not always.

Please listen to JMMJ and to me. Do not imprison your children in an artificial world that doesn’t exist anymore. Talk to your priest and to your Religious Education and/or Family Life Director in your parish, and learn how to parent sensibly and safely.
 
I agree with the posters that say you need to teach your children about the world and how to live in it. Shielding them from life puts them at a serious disadvantage when they reach adulthood.
 
Convert3 said:
you need to teach your children about the world and how to live in it.
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This!

For example, taking them to the pool when they are older means discussing what sorts of bathing suits to choose. It also may present counter examples in the form of actual people. It’s easier to teach the lesson that these people are to be thought of as beloved children of God possessing dignity if they are actual people rather than just hypothetical people. Realer lessons always come from reality.
 
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Finally, a holy and pious Catholic I can agree with. Not only do I not allow my children to swim at pools, I don’t allow them to bathe for fear they may fall into sin. Being unwashed has the added benefit of repelling people. Let’s face it: humans are the no. 1 cause of sin and the less we interact with people the safer our spiritual lives.

And furthermore, two of my three children are certified (and employed) lifeguards, and while the third child isn’t old enough to take the Red Cross lifeguard course, he’s a boatload of potential for the high school swim team.

They grew up swimming in public pools and spending their summers with the summer swim league, and I am always envious of how well they swim, since I, myself, swim like a brick.
 
… a traditional “Roman” Catholic?

Well… how far ‘back’ are you going to go? I suppose if you want traditional Catholic from say, 1920 then ‘no tv’ and ‘no public swimming pool’ because women no longer wear the long sleeves and long pant ‘swim costumes’. LOL 🙂 But as a typical traditional Catholic, yep, you will go to the public pool without concern and even have a tv in the house.

(Having said that - we usually were too busy with life to have the tv on. When it was, we always monitored what was on the tv - it usually was on Nickelodeon, or I’d have a kids movie in.)
 
We went to the swimming pool a lot when I was a kid. If you go to family swim, your children shouldn’t see much, if anything, that’s indecent. You can ensure your children are wearing modest swimwear.

As far as TV, there is a lot of programming that’s healthy for children. You can subscribe to streaming services, including Pureflix. EWTN has or at least used to have, a block of children’s programming called the Faith Factory. They also have episodes of Faith Factory programs available on DVD. YouTube has a lot of classic children’s programming that’s very wholesome, such as Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and The Friendly Giant. Again, you would need to supervise. As long as you keep the TV in a central location and limit what your children can watch, it can be a great learning opportunity.
 
I’m still not sure what “traditional Catholic” is supposed to mean. I understand if we were talking about the Amish or Jewish or even Mormon.
 
@returningcath Please weigh in on this thread. I don’t think I’m the only one interested in hearing your thoughts on these responses.

Another factor to consider is that in the U.S., drowning is the second leading cause of death for children. While they can’t prevent all drownings, swimming lessons do save lives. How do you intend for your children to learn to swim?

Some larger cities have single-sex classes for Muslim children, but such an option isn’t available in most places. And we don’t share their teachings on modesty.
 
Peeps said:
Please listen to JMMJ and to me. Do not imprison your children in an artificial world that doesn’t exist anymore. Talk to your priest and to your Religious Education and/or Family Life Director in your parish, and learn how to parent sensibly and safely.
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Because there is nothing “artificial” about the “real world.” :roll_eyes: Who is JMMJ and you, that the OP should absolutely listen to? I’m sure we can all appreciate each others opinions, your judgments serve little purpose.
 
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