My son has just turned five and although it isn’t an issue yet, I know sooner or later I’m going to have to decide whether or not we are a ‘naked’ house.
I don’t mean naked in the sense that as soon as the door closes, we all immediately nude up. I just mean whether or not my husband and I continue to be naked around our kids hopping in and out of showers and getting dressed or whether we grab a towel and close the door as the kids get older.
Currently it’s not an issue. My kids don’t seem to care at all and in fact, I’d do anything for a solo shower without one of them barging in asking me to do something (Uh, I’m a bit busy!) The fact that I’m naked is not a consideration, all they care about is how much longer I’m going to be because they can’t find the TV remote, one of them wants a snack or the batteries in some irritating toy needs replacing.
Part of me thinks that if I don’t make an issue out of it, it won’t be an issue. I mean, how can I expect my kids to have a positive body image if I don’t encourage that from an early age. The human body is nothing to be ashamed of so why would I teach them otherwise?
READ MORE: Kate De Brito’s four reasons why it’s okay for your children to see your vagina.
But then another part of me wonders whether my kids would be awkward about it. I mean no one wants to see their parents nude, do they? Is it kind of a mutual respect thing that comes in to play when your children reach a certain age? When they start getting uncomfortable, we start covering up?
Other mums I’ve spoken to seem to have differing opinions, some think that you should never cover up around your own house while others have done so since their children were little. Mums of boys seem to get to an age where they just feeling ‘weird’ about being naked around their sons.
I guess I kind of understand some parents hesitation to embrace nude family life in all it’s glory. It’s hard to be open and confident about your naked self in front of very honest, very uncensored eyes. Children have a way of repeating a lot of think outside the house and your untamed bush might not be a home tale you’d like told. Not only that but we all have our insecurities and a child has a way of pointing them out so brutally. But should this get in the way of you nudeing up?
Post continues below.
For many people it seems that the way you were raised plays a big part in how you see nakedness. Some people have seen their parents sans clothes for as long as they can remember and for them, it’s not a big deal. One friend told me ‘even now, I’d strip off in front of mum and siblings without another thought. It’s not an issue for me. Plus, when I had my baby mum saw an awful lot of me naked” but others tell tales of seeing their fathers saggy arse rummaging through the laundry pile and being scarred for life.
So what do you think? Is there an age when you should stop being naked around your kids?
Top Comments
What age really for a mother and son?
I think especially with same sex children (e.g mothers-daughters and fathers-sons) it is important for them to have a realistic view of bodies older than theirs.
However I have a long-time friend who aims for the sexy porn body and strives socially for male attention. It's been a theme through her life. She is prudent to maintain having no lower body hair (below her neckline) has breast implants and has a lower back tattoo. Being sexually attractive and courting make attention is a rather open priority for her. She gets anxious if it wanes.
I do wonder if when she wanders about naked freely, she sets an example to her 12/13yo daughter (not to mentioned 16yo son) which is not the most realistic or positive?
Healthy and sexy can be one in the same, but I think natural vs enhanced for sexual attention are rather different. It can reinforce an unhealthy expectation of women which has developed over the last 15 years or so.