Me (30m) and my wife (29f) have a daughter (6f). Just last weekend, my wife took our daughter to a local waterpark with her sister and her 2 children. I had to work that weekend, so I was unable to come.

My sister-in-law loves to take pictures on family outings just for the sake of having memories, so she brought her camera. When they get home later that evening, they all seemed like they had a great time.

We were all sitting in the living room when my sister-in-law casted the pictures onto the living room TV. I couldn’t believe my eyes.

There was my daughter, wearing nothing but swim bottoms. I looked over to my wife as her sister kept clicking through the pictures, and she stared back at me with a completely puzzled look.

I didn’t want to say anything in front of my sister-in-law so I waited until she left to mention it. Once she left, I immediately asked her about it. She tells me that our daughter “spilled chocolate ice cream on the top and didn’t want to wear it with the stain on it”.

I told her that our 6 year old daughter does not need to be out in public topless, and she starts yelling at me for “sexualizing” our daughter and claims that since she’s only 6, she “doesn’t even have anything to cover up”. She also goes on to say that she wanted her to feel comfortable, and if she didn’t want to wear the top because it would make her uncomfortable, then she would let her make that decision.

I explained to my wife that she should’ve found a shirt or something to cover her up with, but she insisted that nobody seemed to care about it. She then tells me that I’m “accusing her of being a bad mother” and tells me that I’m making normal situations weird for “sexualizing my own daughter”.

Honestly, it wasn’t ALL about her being sexualized. That was concern #1 for me as I know that there are creepy people all over the world who prey on kids. But on top of that, it’s just basic human decency and modesty. Also, a boundary that I want my daughter to understand. She can’t just walk around bare-chested without a top on.

I try to explain my reasoning behind my concern, but she walks away and locks herself in the guest bedroom for the night. The next morning, I try to talk to her about it again and she says nothing. She’s been giving me the silent treatment all week long and sleeping in the guest bedroom, and now I’m wondering if I handled this situation the right way or not. AITAH?