There's a fine line between making your kids feel being naked is shameful and teaching them to be exhibitionists.
One mom likes to let it all hang out in front of her kids ... in front of everyone. She says she's naked all the time -- while cooking dinner, reading magazines, playing with her son. Just naked, all the time. Every day.
Watch her confession:
Weird right? But her son is 5, below the age it might seem sexual or embarrassing to him, and the mom maintains it's not sexual. But what's really weird is that her 4-year-old niece comes over all the time and she feels no need to cover up in front of her.
Hey, if it's just you and your spouse, clothing is quite optional. But once you have a kid -- especially a child of the opposite sex -- throw on some yoga pants like the rest of us. And if you have someone else's child coming over a lot, you'd better make extra sure their parents are okay with your being naked or there are going to be major fireworks.
Do you let your kids see you naked?
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Comments 15
I still walk around naked in front of my 4 1/2 year old. I don't make a point to, but it still happens from time to time. One reason it doesn't bother me is that he's comfortable watching me breastfeed his younger brother. And another reason is I see him naked all the time, and if I start teaching him that's ok but him seeing me naked isn't ok, then I will screw up his sense of what's right and what's wrong. Eventually we will stop walking around naked in front of each other, but I will just let our mother-son relationship evolve as it will, rather than deciding one day that it's done. Without getting too hippie-dippy, I will say that I see no point in making him think bodies are something to hide or be ashamed of. Of course, as he gets more curious, we've been developing a "no touching without asking" policy for all naked bodies in our house. He will develop his own modesty as he gets older, just as we all did. Also, I would never go naked in front of someone else's children, at least outside of the context of the swim school locker room. I think that goes without saying.
I really don't see the big deal.
In principle, I don't see a problem. Our family has some air-bathing time every day to let body breathe. Just part of the daily routine. Kids understand context -- coat for cold, t-shirt when sunny, nude in bath, school clothes, sports clothes, church clothes, whatever. Even if it were legal, would you want to put your bare bottom on a formerly-used subway seat? Would you be naked in a crowd of strangers? Clothing is just one aspect of kids learning how to deal with protection and trust. The difference is the default. There's no default outfit at home to cover up for no reason or for shame. Same behavior rules regardless of garb. Feel like studing or watching tv nude at home. No problem. Mom cooking nude? Depends if I'm frosting a cake or frying bacon. Vacuuming nude? Anybody doing chores gets to dress any way they want! :) Clothing in context. Kids get this.