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 :)

If you had visitors they should have covered up.

But if you and your husband are comfortable with them being half naked when you are by yourselves, that's your choice.

It’s fine as long as the are not complaining it’s cold and putting the heating on rather than clothes.

Christ I have six sons and your friend would not want an invitation-four if the boys and me have just caught up Bake Off and they're all in their pants or pyjama bottoms. Heating is on, it's just how they're comfortable. When I'm in the bath they bring me in cups of tea or a gin and tonic-the youngest is 12. It's just bodies?! Your friend is odd.

@Rubicon80 I don't know what you are insinuating but first of all I never mentioned underwear in my post at all and secondly how can you insinuate that I haven't had my fair share of problems over the years like any other parent? Just because I haven't used Mumsnet to deal with them doesn't mean I shouldn't get the same advice anyone else gets.

Your friend is strange! If I had visitors then I'd perhaps ask them to pop a T-shirt on if they were all sat in the same room, but lounging around in shorts/pjs/pants is exactly what home is for - being comfortable!

@hormonesorDHbeingadick Don't worry they would certainly be letting me know if that was the reason! lol

Lisa2019GB
In that case she is very uptight.
Do you live in a warm country? Otherwise you must be leaving quite some carbon footprint to have the house hot enough to hang out in your pants.

Yeah cover up for visitors out of respect I think surely?
It’s fine in their own house, so long as they understand to cover up for guests and not to keep the same rules when visiting somebody else.
I’m no prude and love to be naked in my own home plenty too, but there’s a certain etiquette. Coming downstairs once to find my (guests) bil and nephew sat on my sofa watching Lorraine in their Y fronts.... my God I thought they’d been raised like wild animals.
So you have a real responsibility to raise men with manners, at the very least.

Wait! We’re not talking boxers?
Like regular walk down the street shorts? Your friend is not uptight she is batshit

I think it's perfectly normal, that's what happens in our house with our 2 teenage boys.

Your friend is uptight, and frankly a bit weird. Ignore her.

@Ohyesiam The heating isn't switched on all the time. It is climate controlled so it keeps the house in a comfortable temperature range, so if it isn't especially cold outside there's usually no need for it to switch on.

It’s normal, but anyone outside family will find it a bit uncomfortable so I’d get them to cover up before visitors.

Absolutely normal

Dressing gowns or get dressed if there are visitors in the house, but otherwise, why not?

Do you mean shorts or undies?

she should keep her opinions to herself its their home. this sort of thing annoys me because if someone said that to me it would make me overthink everything my family do when people are around. Maybe tell her its not normal behaviour to go into someone else's house and dictate how the occupants should dress.

@Cazza17 You got it spot-on. That sort of comment especially at random makes you question your own ethics.

Tell her and her opinions to fuck off next time!

Coming downstairs once to find my (guests) bil and nephew sat on my sofa watching Lorraine in their Y fronts.... my God I thought they’d been raised like wild animals.
I’m not a fan of Lorraine but I think you are being a bit rude here.

My guess is this is the first time she has noticed that your DCs aren't little boys anymore but young men and she's a bit taken aback. I'm sure if they were under 10 she wouldn't have made any comment.

Of course it's ok, although I'd draw the line at undies in front of guests. When it's warm mine are usually the same. As it's got colder they're now wrapped in duvets when I get home from work, still in shorts obviously.

Well, if they can’t be comfortable in their own home, where can they? Your friend either has some serious hang-ups about the human body, or she hasn’t got teenage children or she is just weird.

Lol @LocalHobo also I’m partial to a bit of Lorraine with my cornflakes.
But having to see my bil and nephew sat there like a pair of Onslow’s really spoiled it for me that day .

Two teen sons here, yes they wear shorts a lot, not underwear boxer trunks but the jersey shorts that go on top, the type that you would wear in warm weather, sold by Next. Our house isn't particularly toasty, they usually sit on the sofa with a snuggly blanket each.

If we have guests they would put a top on and I would insist they wear one at the dining table, but in their own home with an unexpected visitor? No, they would just be in their shorts.