# Nudity



## Artymisia (Jul 5, 2006)

How are you (and your partner) about being naked in front of your child(ren). Is it different if the child is a boy or girl. Does it change with age?

I'm really open in front of DD but she is only 16 months and My mother STILL walks around naked in front of me so I guess it comes more naturally to me but DH will not be naked in front of her.

I want her to be comfortable with nudity and feel DH and I should be on the same page about it but I wonder if *I* would be different if she was a boy.

Just looking to hear some other peoples ideas, philosophy about it.


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## newmommy (Sep 15, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Artymisia* 
How are you (and your partner) about being naked in front of your child(ren). Is it different if the child is a boy or girl. Does it change with age?

DS is 4 and I am very comfortable being naked in front of him. I'm sure it will change as he gets older. Right now, it feels very natural to me/him.


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## hibana (Jun 9, 2006)

We will probably all bathe/be naked together until someone expresses discomfort about the situation.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Nudity is natural. I have no problem with it. Should my child express discomfort with it, I will respect their personal boundaries.

-Angela


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## sweetcheeks (May 21, 2005)

Both DH and I have no problem being naked in front of the kids and vice versa (like most kids, my kids would be butt naked all the time if we let them). However, once one of them expresses any discomfort with either of us being naked around them, we will respect their wishes and make sure we are covered up.


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## sarahbeara87 (Feb 8, 2007)

My DH is the same way. He freaks out if DD 22months walks into the bathroom when hes going pee or anytime he is naked. Im completley comfortable being naked around DD I think it would be the same she was a he. If Iwasnt comfortable Iwould never be able to change or go to the bathroom, she doesnt let me do much by myself.


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## Halfasianmomma (Nov 1, 2007)

I've always been comfortable walking around or sleeping butt nekkid, but that was when I lived alone. My mother was real open about nudity and walked around naked in front of me until I moved out at 24. My dad always kept on his briefs, but beyond that, he didn't wear much around me.

When DH and SS moved in with me, I kept my bra and thong on around the house, but aside from that, I didn't make a big deal about nudity. DH will wear briefs or shorts and nothing else. So SS was *REAL* comfortable with being naked until about 8 or 9, and then suddenly, he didn't want us to see him without underwear. Before that, we had to fight to get him not to go commando







So we just took our cues from SS and went from there.


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## Alyantavid (Sep 10, 2004)

Dh and I both are completely comfortable being naked in front of our kids. We have 2 boys, 18 months and 5, and they don't seem to mind. My 5 year old is getting to where he's not comfortable in just his undies or naked very often. So I think he'll be less comfortable seeing us naked before long. But for now, there's no problems. We all shower/bathe together at times with no issues.


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## dillonandmarasmom (May 30, 2005)

Both of our LO's sleep in the nude. DH and I still walk from shower to bedroom naked without thinking twice about it. The kids ask questions on occasion about this part or that hair, and we answer them with the facts. I suppose we'll know when someone is no longer comfortable with it. Until then, we continue to let them be themselves. Both love to take showers with us, too.


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## EnviroBecca (Jun 5, 2002)

I felt comfortable being naked in front of my baby because he had just come out of my body and was still attached to it regularly for nursing; it was like he wasn't quite a separate person. I'm slowly feeling different as he gets older. Now I'm only naked in his presence for practical reasons: changing clothes, showering, or using the bathroom. We stopped bathing together about a year ago when he wanted so many tub toys that I could barely fit and was constantly getting poked by plastic things.







: I never felt comfortable lying in bed with him completely naked, but on very hot nights I sometimes wear just panties.

EnviroDaddy is more willing to just hang around naked in front of the kid. However, he is much more insistent on privacy for using the toilet. Both of us would prefer to be alone for that, but I feel that when I'm the Parent On Duty I just have to cope with the kid's insistence on being in the room with me. EnviroDaddy actually will come and interrupt whatever I'm trying to do and ask me to be the POD for a minute so he can use the bathroom. (Sometimes I do; sometimes I remind him about being a role model!) It's probably partly because the baby never was part of his body and partly because he hasn't had as many experiences with taking the kid into a public restroom with him. When the two of them go somewhere without me (which is relatively unusual), they do go into the bathroom stall together, but when we're all out someplace EnviroDaddy thinks I should do 50% of the taking the kid to the bathroom, and when he does it he'll often bring him out to me and then go to the bathroom himself--whereas I tend to think, "I may as well pee now since I'm already in here." It bugs me that our son is seeing a female use the toilet much more often than a male. But he does see his dad naked a lot.

My parents were extremely casual about nudity. It was just fine when I was a little kid. As I became more modest myself, they mostly respected that, but they continued to walk around naked and leave doors open. It was embarrassing for me. I had to speak up about it several times and start closing the bathroom door on them before they finally (with







attitude) changed their habits. I don't want my son to feel like that about me, so I'm being as discreet as is practical and will be more discreet as he gets older and more willing to stay in another room until I'm dressed.


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## GooeyRN (Apr 24, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *hibana* 
We will probably all bathe/be naked together until someone expresses discomfort about the situation.


same here. NAK


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## BelovedK (Jun 7, 2005)

I walk around naked all of the time. My DS is now embarassed by it, so I don't do it around him anymore.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

I've never worried about being naked in front of my kids, until and unless it bothers them. I can't remember exactly what age ds1 was when I started covering up, but probably somewhere around 8 or 9. It wasn't an issue for me until it was an issue for him. Honestly, he's now almost 15, and I still don't worry very much about the possibility of him catching me with no shirt on. After being around while I breastfed his siblings (he was 10 when dd was born, and I only weaned ds2 a few months ago), he's not too upset by that, yk? He's pretty relaxed about me being naked, but I do respect the boundaries he does have.


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## Jessy1019 (Aug 6, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *hibana* 
We will probably all bathe/be naked together until someone expresses discomfort about the situation.

Yup, and I doubt it'll be me or my partner getting uncomfortable. At this point, I almost wonder if the kids will ever be put off by it either. My daughter is five and son is almost two, and we take "family baths" and are very cool with nudity in our house.


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## guestmama9904 (Jul 6, 2002)

my son is 6 and i feel comfortable being naked around him but really i am only naked when getting dressed or while bathing, we do still take baths together occaisionally and we cosleep and sometimes i coslepp with no shirt or pants but generally time spent together naked is dwindling. i have step sons and dont feel at all comfortable being naked in front of them.


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## sarct (Dec 2, 2007)

I have always been comfortable, but today I went to go weigh myself and hubby and 4yr old son were in the room. All of a sudden while he was playing with his likin logs he says ewwww, mommy go put your clothes on. I don't want to see you naked.

So I think I will be more mindful now about it. He obviously is taking note.


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## blessed (Jan 28, 2006)

We follow gender lines. Dd and I still bathe together (she's almost 4 yo). Dh has stayed covered up around her for as long as I can remember.


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## 2Sweeties1Angel (Jan 30, 2006)

Our kids are almost 7 (boy), almost 3 (girl), and 11 months (girl). We're a pro-nudity family







DH showers with all 3 several times each week and we're always at least semi-naked in the house. We're all comfortable with it. If the kids ever mention being uncomfortable or if they start acting like they are, we'll start wearing more clothing.


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## Mama_Bear (Apr 9, 2007)

My dd is 4, and both dh and I are totally comfortable being naked around her. We still all shower together often (though that's getting quite difficult to fit us all in there these days, as I'm 36w pregnant







). She knows the difference between males and females, but it has never been an issue for her or us. The next baby is a boy. I'll check back with you in a few years and let you know if it's any different.


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## grumpybear (Oct 5, 2006)

I'm a mommy to a 20-month old and we, as a family, pretty much do not have any issues with nudity.
DH and I take turns in bathing with DS. DS has always noticed that mommy is different from himself and daddy as he always points to all my mommy parts. I just name my parts to him in the same way as I name the rest of our body parts.


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## Imogen (Jul 25, 2006)

My son is 3.5 yrs old and still occasionally jumps in the bath with me. Ste is a little more nervous about being naked around our son. He feels uncomfortable if little man climbs into the bath with him and points at Daddy's manhood.

If we had a daughter though, Ste probably wouldn't even allow her to see him naked at all. Not because there is anything wrong with nudity, but because of the damage that publicity surrounding child molestation has done to normal family relationships.

In the sense that I have known of Father's who won't allow their daughters to sit on their knee because they're afraid that people will read something sinister into it.

Peace


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## moondiapers (Apr 14, 2002)

we have an 11yo dd and a 7yo ds. I'm a nudy myself, as are both kiddos....dh is a bit more modest and wears boxers around the house. We both sleep in the nude though, so if he gets up to go to the bathroom he doesn't get dressed, and if the kids happen to get up to go pee right before or right after him it's no biggie that they saw him nudie. He's not comfortable just hanging out with them in the nude though incidental sightings don't bother him.


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## KaraBoo (Nov 22, 2001)

We co-sleep still at times (like dd wants to sleep with us or comes in during the night) and DH sleeps nude. I walk around nude when it's warm weather...or in just a skirt or sarong. DD runs around in her undies or nude in summer. No biggie to us. DD is 9 (today!!!!). We have a "no big deal" policy when it comes to nudity.


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## MCatLvrMom2A&X (Nov 18, 2004)

So far no issues with me being naked in front of my dd or ds. I dont see that changing in the future. I am playing it by ear tho. Ds is not comfy being naked in front of either kid that is fine with me as well.


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## KeanusMomma (Apr 29, 2006)

Ds and I are naked around each other periodically. It's usually not like we just take of our clothes for the sake of being naked or anything, but I'm certainly not going to go out of my way to hide from him if I'm changing or taking a shower or whatever. And sometimes I'll just take off my shirt for nursing him. We also have another 3-year-old in the household, and adult roommate's daughter. It's no big deal for she and I to be naked in front of each other, and she takes showers with me occasionally. Sometimes she and ds will take baths together (remember when that was a social activity?







). 3yo's mom, my roommate, and I are never naked in front of each other. My other adult roommate is my cousin, and due to the dynamics of our relationship it's slightly more acceptable for cousin and I to see each other naked, thought certainly not common.


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## hippiemum21580 (Jul 14, 2007)

That is funny, I was about to come and post about this topic. I have always been open with nudity in our home, my husband always was too when he lived with us. My oldest is almost 7 and in the last 6 months has begun to ask for privacy and want to get dressed behind a closed door, etc... so I have given him that respect and try to be more discreet (ie: wear a towel when going from teh shower to my room to get dressed.) My other three could care less still and the two youngest bathe with me regularly. I noticed they really did not seem to NOTICE nudity until nieghborhood kids began to make comments about sex, etc... My boys are home schooled and live in a christian home so they were not as aware of the sexual side of nudity. We have always been very matter of fact, my boys know the terminology for vulva, vagina, anus, buttocks, penis and testicals. (freaks out my mom, who still says "weinnee"...swear to god)


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## Peony (Nov 27, 2003)

We are comfortable with it. DD1 will be 5 in a week and we'll still all sleep nakid together, she doesn't even really notice DH is different from her.







We'll talk about penises, and I'll say like daddy, and she'll say that daddy doesn't have one, that he is the same as her, so I don't think she is scarred.









I was raised in a house where we did not see my father nakid, never, and my mom very rarely. I do remember once I was playing hide and seek and saw my dad undressing, I couldn't of been much older then my DD1, and it was made out to be a very big deal.







It took me years to be comfortable with nudity, especially where penises are concerned, I don't want the same for my DD's.


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## Jennifer3141 (Mar 7, 2004)

We live in a naked house. We all strip the second we get home.

Surprisingly, none of our friends just "drop in" anymore.


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## blessed (Jan 28, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jennifer3141* 
We live in a naked house. We all strip the second we get home.

Surprisingly, none of our friends just "drop in" anymore.









How do you manage heating your home? We keep our house around 65 degrees in the winter, so we pretty much have to layer up in clothing to keep warm.

If I was running around nude I'd have to have the heat up to 80 degrees.


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## siobhang (Oct 23, 2005)

I have 4 yr old and 2 yr old DSs and we are regularly naked around each other, pee in front of each other, etc. As PPs have said, when it becomes an issue, we'll deal with it.

Oh, true story.

Me and the boys went to SUUSI camp last year (UU church camp) and we shared a suite with two other families - a guy I'll call J. and his 4 yr old daughter, A. and a couple and their 2 yr old daughter. We all shared a bathroom with two shower stalls with curtains, etc.

My boys were more used to bathtubs and my first attempt at bathing them in the shower was a disaster (soap in eyes, screaming soapy, wet children, mama also naked, soapy and wet, well you get the picture). I skipped baths for about two days, but they were getting rather smelly.

One evening after dinner, I hear my (then) three year old talking with J in the shower. I walk into the bathroom and my kid is peering behind the curtain, asking J if he and A are taking a shower (I cannot see anything, btw).

I say something like, "give them some privacy!" and J says, "I'm getting out, but A has invited your son to join her." And immediately my mind goes "OHMYGODICANBATHEHIM!" so, once I check that J is okay with them showering together (he was fine), I strip my son down and send him to join A (J had gotten out by then, fully wrapped in a towel, etc.).

My younger son (then 1 1/2) also indicates he wants to get in the shower, so I strip him down and send him in, rejoicing over my good fortune. I was literally singing to myself "my kids are going to be clean! My kids are going to be clean!! hoo haa hoo haa!!!" (it was a hard week... ; ))

I was sitting in the hallway (the door to the bathroom open) with the (recently dressed) J and the other couple, chatting about whatever, when my older son's voice comes echoing out of the bathroom.

"A, do you have a VULVA?"

I do not know what she replied, because we four adults were laughing so hard, we couldn't hear anything else.

- btw, after we calmed down, we discussed a study which seemed to indicate that kids who were raised together (and presumably were naked around each other) as young ones were less likely to become sexually involved as teenagers/adults, and it was surmised to be due to incest taboo.


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## macca (Jan 6, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
Nudity is natural. I have no problem with it. Should my child express discomfort with it, I will respect their personal boundaries.

-Angela









:

DH feels the same. We're pretty open.


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## wildmonkeys (Oct 4, 2004)

I still take baths with my 10 month old ds. I used to sleep in my underwear and change infront of my older kids, but very recently my older son (who is about to turn 8) has expressed some interest/discomfort regarding nude females so we have started a bit of a modesty campaign around here to respond to his changing needs.


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## mamatoablessing (Oct 17, 2005)

No issues with nakedness in our house. DH regularly showers with both girls too (3yo and 1yo). Although recently DH has said that he'll have to put a stop to the family shower if DD #1 doesn't stop grabbing at his penis.


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## tootersmom (Apr 28, 2007)

I was raised in a "naked house" too. My parents were the real-deal hippies and we lived as such when I was young. We had one bath tub, and there was always more than one family member in it at a time! I can't even remember what age we stopped bathing with my Mom or Dad, but it was never an issue. And never weird in any way. We also all slept in the same big bed, me until I was 8 (when we finally moved to a two bedroom house). Poor Dad ended up on the couch most nights.

I think I only became aware of my body when I went through puberty. That's when I started wanting privacy to change clothes, etc.

We're pretty much the same way with our son now. He (at 3) still bathes with me often. And someone is naked in this house at least 50% of the time, usually hubby







. Quite honestly, I cannot imagine it not being this way. We want very much for our son to be comfortable in his own skin and love his own body without stigmatizing nudity. We want him to know the human body is natural and beautiful in all it's forms. It just feels very normal for us.

* On a side note, my son has _no_ body issues whatsoever. On Christmas Eve, when our entire extended family gathered in our living room, my son was asked if he was excited about Santa coming. Without skipping a beat, my son pulls down the front of his pants, lifts up his penis, points, and says...(I swear)..."You see this testicle? When Santa comes... and I see all those toys...this testicle's gonna ring, ding-dang, like Rudolph's bell!!"









Ahh, those sweet Christmas memories.


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## mistymama (Oct 12, 2004)

I'm very open. I come from a Mom who still walks around naked in front of me.









My son is 5 and while I don't prance around naked, I certainly don't hide it. I sleep topless, so if he sees me get out of bed, he's going to see breasts. If he comes in the bathroom after a shower, he'll see me naked. No big deal.









Alex will occasionally shower with DF instead of taking a bath, so I guess we are pretty open there too.

As he gets older he wants more privacy of his own and we respect that. Like everything else we do what feels comfortable for our family and don't worry what other people think.


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## NiteNicole (May 19, 2003)

We were raised with privacy as a priority and I'm very comfortable with that. We're not a naked family and I still take my privacy pretty seriously (showering, bathroom, getting dressed - about the only alone time I have and I'm not willing to share). It works for us and like I said, it feels comfortable and appropriate for our family.


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## aaronsmom (Jan 22, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *hibana* 
We will probably all bathe/be naked together until someone expresses discomfort about the situation.









:


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## *LoveBugMama* (Aug 2, 2003)

Nudity is not an issue here.







My son is 6,5 YO and he sees me nude if he walks in on me in the bathroom, when we go swimming at the public pool etc. No biggie.

What IS a biggie is respect. The day he, or I, feel uncomfortable being nude around eachother, we stop.


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## vermonttaylors (May 17, 2005)

Both dh and I are completely comfortable being nude around the kids and so far the kids seem fine with it. They are 4 and 3.


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## orangefoot (Oct 8, 2004)

I haven't seen my eldest naked for a long time but at almost 15 he is still happy to talk to me in the bedroom when I am getting dressed. My 10 is the same; likes his privacy but isn't bothered by my nakedness.

Dh isn't bothered by being naked in front of the girls and has only started shutting the bathroom door when he pees since our little one put her arm between his legs and he peed on her hand.


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## ann_of_loxley (Sep 21, 2007)

DS only 2 but we have never given nudity a second thought. Not in front of eachother, not in other family homes either. Really we only give clothes a second thought! lmao... I know I have to wear them when I go out in public and its nice to wear them when its cold of course. I would like to thing though, if my views were the societies - we probably wouldnt have a word for 'nudity' lol If my son one days decides he feels otherwise though, I will of course respect this.


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