My wife and I sleep in the nude, and when our first child was younger we didn't take any overt precaution to hide it from him. We never made an issue out of either him or us being nude, although once we were up and ready to go in the morning, everyone was clothed. With our daughter, she likes to jump in bed with us in the morning (she's 7) and I have no issue with my wife being nude, but I don't feel comfortable with her seeing me. Because of this, I make sure I wear boxers before I go to bed.
I consider us a liberal family. We don't think the human body is something to be ashamed of or that it's "dirty", however, I just think that after children are school aged, their parents shouldn't be overtly walking around the bedroom or house nude if they're present.
What do you think is proper etiquette?
2006-08-18 06:36:57 · 57 answers · asked by Anonymous in Family & Relationships ➔ Family
Well my thought on this is, go with what your instincts tell you. If you are uncomfortable then by all means, throw on a pair of shorts. If your wife is ok with it, then by all means let her be ok with it. It will not mess up your kids, it will not prompt them into early sexual experimentation, and it will not warp their minds. No disrespect to the other answerer's here, but nudity is not a bad thing. I have lived throughout Europe and the beaches there are loaded with entire families nude. It is not something they even think about. Has this made all Europeans warped, sick, twisted? Nope. They are the way they are. While traveling in Japan it was not uncommon to go to a bath and find people of all ages, like sexes of course, in together. has this warped them? Not really. I believe here in the US we have, while allowing sex, nudity, violence, rape, murder, and the likes on TV, in movies, and in music, while at the same time telling our kids that the human body is a thing that is dirty and should be covered up. This just doesn't sit well with me. I would rather my child see a human body in it's beauty than to see and hear all of that other crap. If anything it will give the kid a better understanding of their own body and allow them to be a bit more open in their lives. The short of it, go with what your gut tells you, if you think it is time, then it is time. I hope this helps.
Just my 2 cents worth
2006-08-18 07:49:33 · answer #1 · answered by capbarrow2 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
"One_sera_phim" is obviously a sheltered, insecure person and you should really ignore what they have to say.
My fiance and I still sleep in the nude, and his son is 2. He already knows what the parts of the body are. We taught him the proper terminology.
I agree with you about the child being school-aged and no nudity. We will probably continue to sleep nude, but we won't parade around the house (he does, I don't). Especially since the kids could go to someone else's house and say something about how his family walks around naked, or say it at school.
I think the proper age to start hiding your body (ie, kids can't come take showers or baths with you anymore, you get dressed with your bedroom door closed) is around 4-5, because this is the time when kids like to pick out their own outfits and get dressed themselves, and you can teach them the values of privacy not only by saying it, but by leading it by example.
2006-08-18 06:49:25 · answer #2 · answered by Bachman-ette 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
For references, our son is 5, our daughter 3.
With us, we stopped letting our son see us nude when he starting asking "What's that?" He was somewhere around 2. While we explained the differences between a boy and a girl, he didn't need to see us nude. Our daughter, being born about the time our son starting noticing, has only seen my husband nude a few times. I don't mind her being in our room when I dress, but I do mind my son. He gets to be around my husband when he gets dressed, but not our daughter.
We feel that children of the same sex are only seeing what they can expect to look like as they grow, but they don't need a visual of the opposite sex. I think that it can give the children some issues that they aren't equipped to handle seeing an opposite parent naked to much. Maybe as the daughter grows, she starts to notice that what makes daddy different from mommy is something she wants to explore, and vice verse with son and mother. The body is not a bad, dirty, or ugly thing, but I don't see it as healthy when it's the opposite sex as the child.
2006-08-18 06:49:47 · answer #3 · answered by welches_grape_jelly 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think it's more of what you feel comfortable with. It seems more of a cultural thing to me.
A couple of years ago I was traveling through Italy and stayed a week with a family in rural part of the country. One night I got out of bed to use the restroom and found someone in there in front of me. After the toilet flushed, the door opened to reveal my host - totally naked! While I felt embarrassed and somewhat uncomfortable, she, on the other hand, didn't appear to be fazed, only politely nodding, not making any attempt to cover her breasts or groin with her hands at all.
A couple days later in another part of the country, I spoke with some other travelers who shared similar stories from other parts of Europe.
Perhaps here in North America as well as other parts of the world, there are more cultural stigmas attached to being nude. I suppose it just comes down to what you feel comfortable with and what is right for you.
Now go put some clothes on already!
2006-08-18 07:00:36 · answer #4 · answered by Big Blue 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
We were the same way, my kids never seem to notice my husband or I if we are nude. Now that my son is 10, I try to be more cautious, but not make a big deal if he sees me. he has had the "big" talk, so he tries to be more aware. I just wish I could get them to stop being nude all over the pace, my 6 year old pulls down his pants before he gets to the bathroom, and he doesn't care if we are in public or not.
2006-08-18 06:44:56 · answer #5 · answered by sassy_91 4 · 4⤊ 1⤋
it never should've started. i def wouldn't like my first memories to be of both my parents in the buff; espec, my father! talk about needing therapy. ur kids might be alright with it now, but they won't feel that way forever. just wait til they're teens, they'll give u a good what for then. that is, if they're still there cause if they innocently tell someone about this, u can be sure ppl will be on the phone to cps and the cops so fast it'll make ur head spin. both of u need to keep covered because neither cps nor the cops buy into this hippy-liberalism crap and neither will the judge assigned to ur case. i'm as liberal as the next guy but under NO circumstances would i ever want to see either parent nude.
2006-08-18 07:02:14 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
It sickens me that people raise families in the way that they spend time together as a family whilst being naked. There is actually Family Nudist Parks for this purpose. The human body is nothing gross but it is a personal thing and it is imperative that young children do not be sexually invaded by means of nudist means. I say this because i believe that any parent who wishes or is comfortable around young children while they are nude (and not in the process of changing or some other natural reason) is a a sick minded person inside. I also dont believe young children should see anybody elses body parts but their own until they are of appropriate age (sexual age). Especially not their parents genetalia either. Some people are just plain sickening. And who takes their family to a nudist park anyways? You must be sick to go to park and say "hey everyone, look at me, my wife, my little boy and my little girl! were all naked!". . .
I bet people watch these parks from a distance with a box of kleenex and a pair of binoculars. . .
-Kevin
2006-08-18 06:47:55 · answer #7 · answered by kevin arnold 1 · 0⤊ 5⤋
I am finding i like more privacy now that my children are 4 and 8. My son(the 4 year old) stares at my boobs so now I keep my nakedness to the bed room and bathroom. However, I tend to sleep naked so the rule is that they cannot come in until I tell them, and if they do i just scoot them out and throw on a robe.
BTW, if you are not comfortable naked in front of your daughter, there is your answer. As a mother, i would not like my daughter to see her Dad naked.
2006-08-18 06:46:48 · answer #8 · answered by ladyjno7 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
i think it's fine between u and u're wife but the line should be drawn when it comes to children. at 7, she's a little too old to be exposed to any type of nudity. i'm glad u're conscientious enough to wear boxers around ur daughter. the way things are, if she decides to tell someone about her father, ppl are liable to get the wrong idea and u'll be in all sorts of trouble with cps and the cops. i don't think even ur wife is safe even though they're both females. just to be on the safe-side, i'd start bundling up.
2006-08-18 06:47:30 · answer #9 · answered by lady sixx 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I don't know about etiquette... but your daughter may one day mention your nudity in passing at school amongst friends or in the presence of a teacher... and then you'll have a hard time providing plausible excuses to the local police when they stop by for a visit...
2006-08-18 06:51:13 · answer #10 · answered by deakjone 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋