Parents often face difficult decisions when finding the fine line between protecting children and letting them make their own choices, especially when it comes to their clothing.
On the one hand, it is important to encourage freedom of expression. But families might not always see eye to eye on what they deem appropriate.
Well, one dad reportedly facing a similar dilemma took to the internet asking for advice. But it is safe to say his views did not go down well, when people heard his concerns and realised they were not about his child.
In a post shared to Reddit, the dad shared a complaint about his 15-year-old daughter's friend.
Get the news you want straight to your inbox. Sign up for a Mirror newsletter here
And people were left outraged by his response, after he shared why he was left "incredibly uncomfortable" by the teenager's "extreme" outfit.
The father said the problem arose on a family trip to Thorpe Park to celebrate his daughter's 15th birthday. Realising they had extra space in their car, they invited the teen's friend, Charlotte (not her real name).
But when she arrived at the family's home, they were "shocked" by her outfit, according to the post' s writer, AnotherAngryDad.
He explained: "Saturday was bloody hot, and I get that crop tops and skirts are the in thing for girls around my daughter's age (15) right now, but what Charlotte was wearing was a bit extreme.
"No exaggeration, her skirt couldn't have been much longer than 12" from waist to hem."
He added that he did not tell the teenager to cover up, though he took issue with her clothes.
"She's a very kind and sweet girl. I certainly didn't want to make her feel ashamed or awkward," he wrote. "The problem is, once we got to the park she was turning a lot of heads and some of the boys were making some very rude comments to each other."
He claims he overheard one person say "look at the arse on that." And at one point a gust of wind blew up her skirt, "exposing an incredibly skimpy thong."
"She didn't seem at all bothered by it, and just laughed it off, but it made me feel incredibly uncomfortable. I dread to think how much she may have inadvertently showed people getting on and off rollercoasters all day," the post continued.
The concerned dad then asked if he should have "a polite word" with Charlotte's parents. He said he worried they would think he was "sexualising their daughter" or implying he had a right to tell her how to dress, but he feared his daughter would be encouraged to "dress more provocatively".
And other Reddit users were quick to share their opinions, with many blasting the father for blaming the teenager.
One person said: "The issue is with anyone who has a dirty mind and saw her as "provocative" not with her."
Another added: "This is the whole disgusting idea of women being blamed for men failing to control their urges."
While some commenters thought his response "comes from genuine concern", most agreed the dad was acting in his own interest.
One comment that received over a thousand likes read: "It would be one thing if you saw that Charlotte was uncomfortable or in any way bothered by the way she dresses herself or the comments she received. Then at least you could approach it from a place of concern or worry about Charlotte and her wellbeing.
But she didn't. And the only parents you ought to have approached are those boys' who made inappropriate comments about a young girl's body."
Do you agree? Let us know in the comments below.
