Body Image: Did You Grow Up in a "Naked House"?

[rc]

really the kids are going to get over stimulated? i mean really?

[brandon]

I particularly agree with this response posted on the site:

When the kids get beyond toddler, its still ok to continue being relaxed about natural nudity around home. Like all things, at each stage in a kid's life, there are age-appropriate things to say and lessons to learn. At each stage, parents are role models and a source of guidance. If you find your kids staring too much or showing signs of self-consciousness or discomfort, it is not time to wrap up and clam up, it's time to engage them, listen, provide age-appropriate information, and help them understand clothing choice in various contexts -- church, school, sports, home -- without building subconscious feelings of fear or shame, like previous generations did with the idea of "private parts".

The point is for kids to know how to feel comfortable and confident as they confront different people and situations at various ages. Frankly, when kids become sexually aware, home nudity makes the process of explanation of body changes and learning to distinguish sex from other activities a whole lot easier. The starting point is learning how to treat people -- boys or girls, clothed or not -- with respect. And the base for learning how that works in practice is the family. Hiding or stigmatizing bodies at home just complicates things in all kinds of potentially unhealthy ways. Being an open, natural, and guiding role model sends all the right signals and demonstrates when and how choices are made. The older kids are, the more important it is not to suddenly confuse with new norms.

I didn't grow up in a naturist home, but it was normal to see my dad shaving without a towel on, or to see my mother talking on the phone naked after she jumped out of the shower to answer it. It strikes me as very odd that some parents would hide their bodies from their children.

[Daniel]

My family does not a nudist. Only I like to see me naked. You will not. My girlfriend makes no nudist but tolerance is there for me.

[closetnudist]

I grow up in a clothed family to the point that taking off my shirt feels awkward. I never saw my parents naked but saw my siblings during our childhood days. Recently, we took a picture in a family outing and I smiled. My father pointed out that "hey, you smiled." in the picture while everyone in the picture didn't smile. I think smiling in pictures is not really a norm in the family.

On the other hand, I take off my shirt or even get naked when not in sight with my family.

[Stephen]

Clothing-optional

[nudetrail]

no textile

[closetnudist]

I grow up in a clothed family to the point that taking off my shirt feels awkward. I never saw my parents naked but saw my siblings during our childhood days. Recently, we took a picture in a family outing and I smiled. My father pointed out that "hey, you smiled." in the picture while everyone in the picture didn't smile. I think smiling in pictures is not really a norm in the family.

On the other hand, I take off my shirt or even get naked when not in sight with my family.

Same here, my family hasn't seen me in anything but pants and a shirt for at least 8 years.

gimme a high 5! *clap! clap!

[Jimmy]

I'm currently growing up in a non nudist house. It's difficult to find times tone nude but I definitely take advantage of it when I do haha