Q: My 7-year-old recently had his 9-year-old friend over to spend the night. At their request, I let them take a bubble bath together. I supervised, of course. They were having so much fun, I took a photo. Later, I showed it to a “friend.” She became angry and told me that letting two boys that age take a bath together and then taking a photo of them bordered on pedophilia. Do you agree?

A: The fact that pedophiles might enjoy looking at a photo of two young boys taking a bath together does not mean that a responsible adult who allows that and takes a photo of the ensuing fun has done something morally wrong. In this instance, several considerations are relevant: 1) You were not motivated by prurient inclinations. 2) The boys’ request to bathe together was not motivated by inappropriate intent. 3) The children did not object to your supervision.

With all of that in mind, your friend’s reaction to the photo was a tad over the top. But having said that, I would have advised you not to let the boys take a bath together, even if the other boy had called his parents. One cannot be too cautious about such things these days. In short, you are guilty of a lapse of common sense, but nothing more.