how old is too old?

[thisisyesterday]

sorry, this is kind of a spin-off from the other thread about willy-waving... apologies for that, but it reminded me of something I'd been pondering recently.

I have an 8 year old boy, who is not at all concerned about wandering around naked. I haven't told him he shouldn't, because I've always felt that he shouldn't be embarrassed about his body and I don't want him to feel he is doing something wrong.
He also will sit and play with his willy though, if he is naked. DP and I have both said to him that that's fine too, but it's something he should do in private because some parts of your body are just for you... yadda yadda yadda

aaaaaaanyway,. to get to the point of my post, I always figured that eventually he would naturally feel a desire to cover up and not walk around naked. That doesn't seem to have happened yet and I was wondering if I should now start to enforce that or if it's still "ok" at his age? what age did your children start wanting to wear clothes in front of you??

He also has high-functioning autism, if that's relevant? So I often am unsure whether he behaves in certain ways because of that or if it's just normal 8yr old boy behaviour!!!

my 8 yo boy still wanders naked round the house and wave his bits at his older sisters because they will go yuk or act embarrassed and he loves goading them (11 & 13). I would say 8 is perfectly normal to be relaxed about nudity, 10 would probably be the limit.

the girls started to get self conscious at about 10 and wanted more privacy in the bathroom etc - until then they would even share a bath with their brother, and we have only recently stopped all using one cubicle in the swimming pool so little bro doesn't comment on his sisters' boobies or pubic hair!

ahh thanks for the reply phantom :)
was worried no-one would answer me lol

I find it hard as he's my eldest so have no experience of NT child development to compare him with

honestly, its fine.

I'd say 10 is when I'd be telling him to at least put pants on! Boys love being naked!!!

thanks both :-D
phew! one less thing to worry about

my boy (nearly 6) loves being naked around the house and chasing his older sister (10) lol, it doesnt concern me. My daughter recently started developing breasts and now doesnt like her brother or dad to see her naked, but still asks me to sit on the toilet and chat to her while she has a bath. I suppose im very relaxed about the whole naked thing (kids are used to me breastfeeding dc3) so there is no issue, although ds used to like to completely strip in public places and run off, chasing a butt naked giggling boy around asda used to get a bit embarrassing

I agree it's not unusual. My son is almost 9 and most of his friends are still comfortable being naked in front of parents, etc.
I have a variation of the question: i just found out today that my brother was horrified a year ago when my son saw his younger male cousin naked when they were changing to go swimming and gave the cousin's willy a pat. (my son was 8; cousin was 3). My son doesn't have siblings (but he does have many close friends and also goes to a school where boys change clothes for swimming lessons in a communal changing room -- so he's used to seeing other boys naked).
I don't know why my brother didn't share his concern sooner. I noticed he was very cold toward me and my son but assumed it was due to work-related stress. It's too late now for me to discuss this particular incident with my son -- but i would be interested to know what others think. Is it abnormal for a young boy to look at and/or pat another boy's "willy"?

DS12 still waggles his about if unrestrained.. He will cover up if asked, but the inclination is definitely still there!

Abriata - sounds like a total over-reaction by your brother. Just natural curiosity/messing about, surely - I don't know what he is concerned about to be honest.

Abriata - lot of fuss over nothing IMO

no different at that age, to flicking a girls pony tail, or pinching their bum while saying "beep beep" - just for the sake of it - no spite, no intention of causing pain or embarrassment, certainly not "abuse" or anything to do with inappropriate sexual knowledge - he probably only wanted his little cousin to laugh. Your DB has totally over reacted if he thinks this is anything to worry about.