Nudity Around Kids

[Barbarossa]

Originally posted by 3RA1N1AC@14 December 2003 - 06:57

it's got a lot more to do with social conditioning than with any sort of natural embarrassment, i think.

This is a good point, and applies to nudity in general, not just within families.

If you go swimming, you don't think twice about getting changed in a changing room full of naked strangers. Also if you play any team sports in your life, you don't think twice about jumping into a communal bath/shower with your team mates.

It's bizarre in this day and age with a wide variety of sexual orientation and lifestyle choices, that same-sex group nudity is perfectly acceptable, whereas mixed sex nudity is still a real taboo in our society. Which I think is a real shame...

Anyway to summarise, me and my wife are happy to wander round the house totally starkers, as are most couples I know, but I suppose it boils down to the question of when we have kids will we feel comfortable being naked in front of them. And the answer is probably not, but I'd like to think that we wouldn't be all hung up and prudish about the issue, so that hopefully our kids wouldn't be either.

[tracydani]

Originally posted by barbarossa@15 December 2003 - 19:06
Anyway to summarise, me and my wife are happy to wander round the house totally starkers, as are most couples I know, but I suppose it boils down to the question of when we have kids will we feel comfortable being naked in front of them. And the answer is probably not, but I'd like to think that we wouldn't be all hung up and prudish about the issue, so that hopefully our kids wouldn't be either.

If you run around in the raw now, chances are you will have no problem when you have kid's either. At least up until a certain point.

Remember, your child will not even know you are nakid for quite some time, and as time passes you will not even think about it.

As for other family, no absolutely not(unless that is how things are done in your culture, but I am assuming this is meant for more modist cultures ).

I don't know what I think about the age cutoff as my kids are both under 5. I'll get back to you in a few years ).

TD

[oldmancan]

Originally posted by Skweeky@13 December 2003 - 15:17
The past few weeks I noticed that there is a lot of difference in the general attitude towards this topic, and I'm wondering what you guys think about it.

-Is it ok for parents to be naked around their kids?
-If yes, what's the age limit?
-Is underwear acceptable?
-Does it only count for parents or also for close relatives?
-Etc...



(I'll answer later on)

Skweeky, ya crack me up. Shakes his head as he types, and ... I'm replying.

Yes nudity around kids is acceptable to a point. As titey pointed out once a child becomes uncomfortable it is no longer appropriate. My guidlines would be pretty simple, as long as no one is offended or uncomfortable. Further that nudity would be "natural" not "in your face, just for the sake of it". As a childs matures and their awareness expands they will enevietably become uncomfortable. At that time a parent should respect (and cover up).

Based on individual growth rate - puberty age likely.

Yes, underwear is acceptable. At any age.

Counts for anyone living or staying at the family home.

People should be comfortable with/in their bodies. If their not they should work on getting comfortable rather than covering up. I'm talking about natural nudity here without any sexual connotation.

Think of bathing suits, even on beaches where nudity is not allowed, you can see more skin than in a lingerie shop.

If I sleep nude and have to go to the bathroom at night should I have to stumble around and find something to put on? Just because Johnny or Suzie might see me?

So yeah if my teenage son has friends over, I'll put clothes on to leave my room. If only my son is in the house, I"ll probably put on some underwear. When the kids were little I wouldn't bother.

how's that Skweeky? btw What are you wearing?

cheers omc

edit: color thing

[bob_the_alien]

Originally posted by barbarossa@15 December 2003 - 11:06
If you go swimming, you don't think twice about getting changed in a changing room full of naked strangers. Also if you play any team sports in your life, you don't think twice about jumping into a communal bath/shower with your team mates.

It's bizarre in this day and age with a wide variety of sexual orientation and lifestyle choices, that same-sex group nudity is perfectly acceptable, whereas mixed sex nudity is still a real taboo in our society. Which I think is a real shame...

I don't agree with your statement.

With my family (when I was growing up) I saw my family naked, and even today when I go home, I still will sometimes see my parents in their underwear, with family it's just the way it is. I also have many different close friends that I am comfortable to be around them naked or in my underwear (and vise versa).

However, also when I was younger, I played a wide variety of team sports, and not once would I shower with the rest of the team, nor will I change clothing when I'm at a public swimming pool (which is very seldom, I have a problem with swimming in public pools, you never know what other people are doing)

With me it's always boiled down to just people I've felt comfortable around, and around people I don't know, or as with many of my now EX team-mates, people I don't even like, I prefer not to show my body to them or see theirs.

While I do agree that it's social conditioning, and If I lived in some other part of the world, I probably wouldn't card who saw me naked; living in our culture, I believe it also has to do with the individual, many people may find it social acceptable for same-sex group nudity, but they're are also many people who do not.

[vidcc]

is nudity in itself the problem? if you look at some african tribes, and indeed other cultures clothing etiquette is far from our own. We all have bodies, there is nothing evil about our bodies. I for one would love to be able to have privacy when i am getting dressed etc. but my four year old thinks differently. We have taught the children not to expose themselves but are trying to draw a balance between modesty and a complex about nudity....we don't want them ending up not being able to change at school gym class.
the problem is not with children seeing their parents naked, the problem is with those evil minded perverts called paedophiles, but then the question is raised as to if a child thinks it's natural to see their parents naked would they see danger if one of those perverts undressed in front of them?
i suppose we all have to raise our children as best we can and try to teach them to be aware of what's going on around them.
i wish the world was a safer place but it's not, perhaps if we castrated paedophiles with blow tourches it might deter some of them but i doubt it would deter all of them...the death penalty hasn't stopped murder...mind you it stops that particular murderer killing again.

[Gemby!]

personally i dont wanna see my parents nakey - but if others do so - and the child dont mind- its up to them and i see nothing wrong with it

[etilaazak]

Originally posted by Skweeky@13 December 2003 - 22:40
I always found it normal to see my parents naked, or to walk around naked myself in the house. I did that until I was 12 or something.

[jjack5159]

Nudity is fine around kids, We are back to the taboo thing...As long as you do not make it taboo or tell your kids this is "nasty" or dirty. Family nudism is the best. Talk to your child, understand his or her comfort level. Never make him or her do what is uncomfortable. Be open. But.... This opinion varies, family nudism should be started in my opinion when the child is younger not 10 12 or 14 yrs old...could be a shock to the kid! Set rules and boundaries when nude and do not cross them!! Family naturism has brought my family closer than ever, You will see a new found trust in your childs eyes and a bond of togetherness between your family that will strengthen.

[manker]

Feck, an interesting topic!

My parents walked around naked a fair bit while my sister and I were growing up, especially while we were on holiday, until I (as the eldest) reached puberty and started telling them to put some fecking clothes on. Coincidently, to this topic being bumped, I found out recently that they did this deliberately as their own sets of parents viewed this as a huge taboo. In their own words, they considered their parents 'repressed'.

My Mam and Dad chatted and decided that nudity shouldn't be a taboo and acted accordingly, even now they get changed in front of me while I'm talking to them if they're getting ready to go out. It certainly hasn't harmed me in any way and, if anything, has made me more relaxed around them.

My own son is still very young but I can't imagine my ways of walking around the house with nowt on will change unless I notice him getting a bit embarrassed about it.

[Busyman]

Some nudity is ok. For instance around my 4 year-old, her mom may be totally nude around her when changing clothes or giving her a shower. I have been in my underwear (very few times) around her but cut that out totally 'cause my my johnson sometimes peaks out the bottom.
I ain't ready for that discussion yet with her. The only time my 4 year-old walks around naked is right before I put her in the bathtub.

When I was young I saw pops and mom naked and thought nothing of it though.

I always walk around the house with no shirt on though....even around relatives and friends.