Is it alright for my teenage sons to only wear shorts in front of us?

[Lisa2019GB]

Hi all. I have two sons in their late teens. In the evening after they come home and shower they will watch TV in the living room with just their shorts on - no socks or t-shirt. Sometimes they will fall asleep and I throw a blanket over them. I never thought anything of it, why should I? Anyhow, a friend of mine was visiting recently and commented about it, saying that they should be fully clothed in the house and it's not normal behavior.

My husband doesn't have an issue with it either, he simply says we are family so it doesn't matter it's not like they are naked, but I wanted to get some outside opinions about it from other parents out there as I don't really see the issue personally.

I have have a close relationship with my boys and wouldn't want to make things unnecessarily awkward.

All views appreciated!

Thank you :)

Of course it is normal. Maybe your friend grew up in a fairly formal household, so finds it awkward for that reason.

My teen boys live in their undercrackers.

What a silly woman! - and none of her business anyway.

I would say totally normal and as a child of a mother who told her to wear a bra at all times bar in my own room from the age of 12 I can tell you it will do them no favours on their body confidence if you tell them to cover up

@user159 They go to the gym all the time so in terms of body confidence I can't see that being a problem and they've never spoken of it. But I am sure if it was a problem then they would probably feel the need to cover-up.

A PP said not when visitors there...
Why not?

Do people not swim, go to the beach?
Whats the difference.

My partner walks around sometimes without a top, in front of visitors and infront of people that work for us.... No big deal

My 17 year old wanders about in his boxer shorts, even in the cold all the time . It's his home and he can wear what like - within reason obvs

T-shirts required in this house because it’s simply not hygienic otherwise.

Ha your friend should come to our house. We are very naked .

I despair. Your friend needs to chill the fuck out.

T-shirts required in this house because it’s simply not hygienic otherwise

Why not use a Haz mat suit?

@Yeahyeahyeahyeeeeah How is it not hygienic? They shower before taking their clothes off. If anything the chances are that clothing fabric holds onto bad bacteria more than clean skin.

Must admit, that when the boys were at home, I insisted on a T-shirt or something as well as the shorts when at the table at meal times. Not sure why, but the rest of the times, suit yourself in my book.

Re hygiene, it depends how hairy they are. You don't really want my DH in the kitchen without a shirt

Oh ffs! It's not about underwear it's a pair of shorts.

id ask my son to throw a t-shirt on if we had guests round for dinner like.! but no - totally normal!

@SpringFan Because we all have different times of getting home we usually don't eat at the table together unless it's a special occasion. I'll often cook when I get home and they can help themselves. I guess that's probably another thing that sets us apart from conventional haha

@Rubicon80 Until it was mentioned I never thought to question it either, I regarded it as normal.

Ffs what is wrong with these people. Of course it’s normal just to wear shorts.

Does this mean that somewhere out there are teenage boys who don't take off all other clothes the minute they get home to wander round just in shorts?
Well, who'd have thought it!

Rubicon It's not underwear it's SHORTS.
Why are you obsessed with twisting this around to be about underwear?

I have to shout at the 7 year old to get him to put on pants so shorts feel like a victory. But like a PP I like everyone to wear a tshirt at the dinner table.

It wouldn’t bother me but they must be freezing! Or you have your heating turned up too high!