to think that it's up to me to decide what my kids should wear in their own home?

[OrmIrian]

DS#2 (4) was in and out of the paddling pool yesterday so he was more or less naked for much of the time. Nudity not a big deal in our house anyway. At one point he was running around in nothing but a tigers head, paws and tail... OK.. a bit odd in a 30yr old but not in a 4yr old surely. A neighbour visited and from the start was clearly bothered by DS's sem-nudity. She kept making comments along the lines of "Why don't you put some clothes on" and to me " Don't you think he should be dressed". I said no as he was quite happy and he'd only get his clothes wet if he did. She left quite soon - parting comment was "I think that it's quite inappropriate to let a child run round half naked like that" - no apologetic smile or attempt to make it a joke. I was so shocked! Is it inappropriate? She's not old. She had a young child of about the same age. Is she odd, or is it me?

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tbh, i would feel uncomfortable if i visited someones house and their children were naked. i wouldn't comment, but i would definatly make an excuse to leave. nudity in your own home is of course your right, but some people do feel uncomfortable seeing naked children that are not their own. i don't know whether this is right or wrong or prudish or whatever, it is, erm, well, just the way it is.

i personally would dress my children if we had a visitor, it is the socially accepted way to be clothed.i would not be nude in front of a visitor so why would my children be? i'd have just stuck some pants on him and if she still had a problem then i'd dismiss her as a weirdo!

Not inapproriate at all - My DD is forever undressing herself in the mornings then running around for ages without any clothes on.

BIL always asks her go and put knickers on when he is here though as it makes him feel uncomfortable. She is 2 and toilet training

Although, I do think if I had a visitor who wasn't close family I would make DD put some clothes on. I also don't let her go nude on the beach on holiday

She's very odd

Singingmum - you LO sounds has a great SOH

Find the comments from people saying that they would feel uncomfortable and wouldn't know where to look if their friends children were naked weird, they're children FFS.

On a slightly differnt note I once knew a nanny who thought that a heavily pregnant woman was disgusting for going swimming in our local pool as you could see her bump! (She was wearing a normal maternity costume)
Just goes to show there are some weird fcked up people out there with weird fcked up ideas

Perhaps she is part of the fetish community and has a thing for animal heads?

She's clearly bonkers, don't let it worry you.

Now if you made the whole family dress in the same outfit and nothing else that would be weird.

Funny, but weird.

No kids as yet but here's my two penneth anyway...

In your own house/private garden sure. And at age 4, there's no harm, as long as they grow up knowing that clothes are a necessity and the reasons why. I think there's a cutoff point too where it becomes a bit inappropriate.

As a baby, my niece always loved toddling around with no nappy on, and was always happiest in middle childhood wearing as little as possible and it was no problem. But as she got older we had to tell her all the time about being a more ladylike as she genuinely had no idea. Even now at 16 almost every time we go to visit she'll be kneeling in front of the TV with a great big builders bum going on, completely oblivious. My poor boyfriend doesn't know where to look!

I have a 5yr old & I think I would have tried to make her dress.

I have been in a friends house when her son has been running about naked & I felt very uncomfortable.. not sure why tbh, but I don't like it.

If it was just them, then fine, but I do think when visitors are there & clearly uncomfortable then effort should be made to make the child pull on even a pair of pants or something.

She shouldn't have said anything to you about it though.

Well BFM, frankly I would be concerned as to why you found my childrens genitals so interesting and would ask you to leave. I never invite the postman or courrier in to sit and chat so they would never get to see my children naked or otherwise!

Its not that I want to see naked children, but I don't see why a naked child should make someone feel uncomfortable.

However a good question is at what age should we ensuire that our children wear clothes around the house? Or is that a different thread altogether...

I think a good rule of thumb is 'if they are starting to get hairy, cover up your mary'

tinkerbell!

Ormirian, well done, you've got a runner here

Dd(7) often runs around naked. Don't let the prissy minded neighbours get to you.

(Please be kind enough to pass on my regards to Shy and Nosey )

It's a shame that people would feel uncomfortable about seeing a child naked...it's surely a sign just how sexualised even children have become in soceities eye....surely a naked chidl is a purely innocent thing, and therefore there shouldn't be harbour uncomfy thoughts...hmmm...

No nakedness in my house, thank you very much!

because ds1 often doesn't wipe his bottom properly.

lol colditz....

Floatingneedsaneastername, are you the ex Floatinginthemed?

How about FloatingintheChocolateFondue?

No probs, you sound very seductive and languorous now ........... now how do I easter up my name

Sorry for the hijack Ormirian. Hope you'll forgive me but I'm a bit green when it comes to mn etiquette