For not covering up?

[Nelly1727]

Genuine question? At what age would you stop walking around naked in front of the children? We have a naked house, I'm not saying I sit and watch TV naked but my husband and I will happily Walk from the bedroom to the bathroom with no clothes on and think nothing of it. If I need to nip downstairs (and curtains are closed) I would think nothing of quickly running downstairs before putting clothes on. Kids will jump in bed with us in the morning etc. I have 3 boys 6,7 & 8. My friend was astonished we do this and think the boys are too old now and I should start covering up. What are your views? My eldest has started getting more private closing the door when in the bath etc, only changing in his room which we respect and make sure the younger ones also understand he wants privacy. Am I scarring my kids for life as my friend suggested by letting them see my husband and I in our birthday suits at this age?

This is about whether it's appropriate to still wander around naked with teenagers

Is it? The OP said her kids are 6, 7, and 8. Most of the people posting are talking about kids under 11

Fair nuff.
Still, her children are getting older and she's bound to wonder, with puberty round the corner for the eldest, whether he will still feel comfortable with his mother walking around naked in front of him.

Or they might remember it when older and see it as part of how comfortable they now feel with their own body. Or they might just not care and feel it had little impact on anything.

Another 'naked house' here and I grew up in one too (and I was raised by a single father).

My DCs are 8 and 7 and have no signs of wanting privacy or giving a stuff about ours.

If they did then I'd respect their feelings and cover up but otherwise I just don't think it's a big deal whatsoever.

I grew up in a house where my parents both slept naked. I remember being younger and going into their room in the morning and they'd be naked going to and from the bathroom, getting changed, etc. and it was normal. What was weird to me was that at some point they stopped and started insisting that we knock before going in their bedroom, and then I'd hear them jumping up to put a dressing gown on. Maybe they thought they were sparing our blushes as we got older but I just remember feeling weird about it.

My OH is from a family where they're not exactly exhibitionists, but throughout childhood and even as adults none of the family locked bathroom doors while showering, so others could go in to ask stuff or get stuff while someone else was in the shower, etc. They occasionally saw each other naked and it was absolutely nothing to them.

I thought it was weird at first but then I thought about it and decided I preferred that attitude over the way my parents raised us. So that's how we're playing it with our kids. If they show signs of feeling uncomfortable about it as they get older, we will of course cover up/lock doors, etc.

Yes mine was a 'hidden' household growing up. We weren't allowed downstairs unless fully dressed. My mother was so inhibited she allowed a breast tumour to grow to 13cm before telling anyone. I'd rather have my children grow up body confident.

My boys also know about periods, proper names for genitals and baby's came out of ladies vaginas - made some school mums nearly pass out

I grew up in Spain so it was hotter but my Dad used to walk around naked all the time and it didn't bother me or my sister in the slightest. My Mum was more modest but certainly never hid herself from us. Luckily my partner is on the same page and we both let our 8 year old daughter see us naked if we are getting if we are getting dressed or showering. I feel quite strongly that it is very positive to not instill self conscious feelings about nakedness and I am glad I was brought up like this. I wouldn't go to a naturist camp or do a streak or anything (!) but am happy to be relaxed about it at home. I will actively encourage my daughter to be the same.

My mum I would have always been comfortable seeing naked even now within reason lol but I used to think nothing about using toilet if she was naked in the bath as a 16 year old. My dad on the other hand I would have been mortified if I ever saw him naked, never have lol

It is hardly the norm, is it? Most people cover up

One of the things that really annoys me is other people determining what is considered normal. 95% of this thread has contained comments which would suggest there is some degree of nakedness going on in all these families yet someone still feels qualified to comment that it's not " normal". Well it's normal in my house.

I've never asked people in real life about their nudity habits. If I did, I'm pretty sure I'd get a range of answers, just like this thread has.

I wouldn't be naked in bed with my kids. It's easy to just throw some clothes on. And I do cover up around my DS(8). But he has accidentally seen me and my partner naked and there was no harm done.

I'm envious of the nakedness families in this thread have achieved. My oldest DS started making comments about my body when he was about 6 if I was getting changed in front of him. Not sexual but just drawing attention to me in an uncomfortable way ☺️- like "what are you doing mummy!' . It made me uncomfortable and I stopped doing it. The idea of either of my sons seeing me naked is a weird concept although they are now 16 and 18. As I say, I wished for a more 'natural' household for our children where nakedness was accepted more routinely but it wasn't to be.

Mine are 20, 2 at 15 and 1 at 9 months. The older ones have as much privacy as they want but there is nothing taboo naked bodies - it's not all about sex or exhibitionism.

The oldest is variable depends on her mood and level of hangover - last year she had an allergic reaction to some antibiotics and was very poorly and had to apply cream to her legs every 2 hours day and night so slept in her undies and we woke in turns, coated her legs in cream and without really waking her.
My middle girl sleeps naked most of the year, just about chucks one of her dad's t Shirts on to get up. Her twin likes his privacy but isn't bothered by other people being naked. He will happily hug me goodbye while I bf baby.

Dh and I sleep naked quite often, the kids are just not fussed. As a teenager the only time I could speak to my dad was when he had a bath after work so often sat on the bathroom floor and discussed the days crisis. In later life the lack of taboo and weirdness made life easier after he had a car crash and needed alot of physical help during his recovery.

Kids will find their comfortable space, and learning that being naked isn't about sex is a huge part of that.

I left home when I was 18 and my mum was still walking around naked in the mornings. She always used to insist on coming into the bathroom when I was having a bath/shower to have a look at me to check I wasn't pregnant. (I wasn't even sexually active!!)

She was still walking around naked and checking on my younger sisters up until they left home aged 19 and 21.

We all pointed out that we didn't want to see her naked and wanted privacy and her response was "my house, I'm in charge my rules and I want to be naked in the mornings

That was my normal.

Bodies are bodies and kids growing up where they see unembarrassed parents with natural shapes won't learn to be embarrassed (as much)

Mum was more discrete and Dad was naked wandering about but we would still pop into the bathroom when Mum was in the bath and she wasn't bothered or would get changed with us there

The DCs see both myself/DH naked in underwear, in the shower using the toilet if necessary but after 3 DCs I don't even bother shutting the door unless we have guests as they just open it to find me

What's more important is the DCs defining their own boundaries, what they are comfortable with showing. DD 12 doesn't care if I am there but will look for privacy from DH which he respects, DS 11 doesn't do modesty at all except when trying to soap dodge in which case I am banned from the shower room so I can't spot the lack of soap suds - DD 2.5 is at the stage where she likes running naked whenever she can - none of the DCs have raised any concern about seeing me or DH - it's normal

Good question, we have also wondered about this.
We both sleep naked under a 3 together duvet as are always warm and 3 smalls (7/5/3) often jump in in the morning for a cuddle. ATM they also sleep naked as it is warm. They walk in and chat while she and I shower and with the smallest 2 we sit and chat while they shower/bathe. Oldest has taken to wanting to shower/bathe alone and that's fine, dh or I loiter so we she knows we are there if we are needed.
I guess each family is different, my dad was always covered and I was never allowed into bed with my parents but mum was naked and that was what I grew up with- not so great when Dd1 was born and I was struggling with breastfeeding and saw I had a tattoo. Mortified in front of midwives by your mother in your late 30's, not great
Do what you are doing and use your kids to let you know.xx

I've got a 10 year old DD, it's just the two of us and we see each other naked everyday.

If she voiced embarrassment then I'd cover up but at the moment there's no hint of it.

If your kids aren't bothered it's nothing to do with anyone else.

Growing up my family were like yours. I got to 10/11 and wanted my privacy (which they respected) but couldn't give a toss about if they were wandering around naked.

As long as they aren't uncomfortable, keep going. And if you don't know, ask them!

My eldest is nearly 12 and he doesn't care about being nude in front of us but my 10 yo tries to hide a little. I walk round upstairs naked & leave the door open etc and hadn't thought anything of it- but my DH said maybe I should think about covering up now. I hadn't thought about it before that TBH. It's just our norm.

modesty checking the washing line is just considerate imho. As a teenager I didn't want the teenage boys next door seeing my pants and used to get really annoyed at parents for not respecting this and hanging them out anyway when I wasn't there to stop them! I don't think it's a big deal to dry pants inside.

I have a just 12 year old girl and a nearly 11 year old boy and quite frankly, if they were bothered by my nakedness, I would be grateful because it would mean they would stop coming into the bathroom, even when I am having a shit!

Until they at least stop doing that, then I will dash to the bathroom from my bedroom without covering up!

Lol at order children being embarrassed - I was showing my dd some photos on the phone, forgetting I'd taken one of a cyst in my labia (couldn't actually see what was there so the iPhone seemed like a good idea at the time). As I hastily tried to get her to skip that one she said "oh for goodness sake, I came OUT of your vagina, I've seen it all before". Seems the nakedness around the dc when they were children didn't do much lasting damage ....

Mamma why not ask them to respect your privacy when you're in the loo?