Parental nudity?

[smerkin]

I don't know if this is the right place to ask this question. Hope I'm in the right spot!
Ok, I don't know what else to call it. I was raised in a very modest, conservative home and my parents always kept themselves covered around us. I remember once accidentally walking in on my dad when he was changing and he quickly covered himself. Now my sweet DH on the other hand was raised with his parents dressing in front of him and the like. Very different from what I'm used to. Nothing lewd or anything at all, they were just more "open" I guess you could say. Now we have a 1 year old little girl and he will dress in front of her and of course she has no idea. But we have started talking about when we would start being more, shall we say, discreet, around our child(ren). He doesn't want to give her a complex and think our body parts are wrong or anything but I think we can just cover ourselves around our children and not make a big deal about it.
What do you all think? What has worked for your families?
Another thing, if we have a mixed gendered family I see no problem with bathing the children together when they're little and talking about boy and girl parts. I guess I just think it's different when a little person sees a big person's parts.

[PNCTink]

We're in your situation too-my family being very conservative and DH's family being totally open. He began to make sure he was covered when DD became overly interested in his "peepee" at about 2yo. He just quickly puts on boxers or something and doesn't make a huge deal out of it. HTH!

[Ellien C]

I think the nudity is fine as long as both parties are comfortable. My DH was naked around our daughter until she was at least 4-5 and then HE became uncomfortable and started covering.

She's about 7 now and we are talking about reproduction. She asked me what questions I had when I was little and I told her I wondered what a penis looked like because I had really never seen one. She told me SHE had the same question and noted that Daddy covered his now. I explained to her that respecting our bodies and other people's meant that as soon as ONE person was uncomfortable, you had to stop. And then we got out a picture book that described and labled everything.

[mommariffic]

We are really open about bodies/body parts here

I shower/bathe regularly with DD who's two, and my husband has gone in the shower too, especially if we are in a rush. DD thinks it's a blast to have us all in, and it's certainly not weird -- I think it's only a "thing" if you make it a thing. My parents were pretty conservative with nudity but we both aren't

I'd be naked all the time if it wouldn't scare everyone

[GoBecGo]

We're like mommariffic's family, all very open about nudity and both DH and i will shower/bathe with DD (although he doesn't often it's due to scheduling rather than preference). My parents were pretty relaxed about that sort of thing too. One bonus for me is that i know my big saggy post-pregnancy boobs are normal, because i remember seeing my mum's a lot. By the same token i'm not too worried about how they will look after i BF 6, because she'd done that and hers looked fine

[lovermont]

I think we're both pretty open. I got more modest about my chest when the kids were/are weaning.
We showered with ds but I started getting uncomfortable when he was 3 or so because he would touch/point/ask about my pubic area. I felt like there was too much focus going on there and I was done showering with him.
Dd is almost 2 and she's showered with one of us or the other on various occasions but isn't as in to showers as ds was.

fwiw I remember what my parents look like without clothes and as an adult I'm not so comfortable having that knowledge. My parents are surprised I remember my dad because showers with him stopped around 2 apparently. Not so bothered about seeing my mom *shrug* I do remember taking a bath with her and being confused why are legs were so "spike-y". lol

[SeekingJoy]

We still all shower together. DS is 45; DD is 2. I suppose we will stop if either of them show signs of wanting privacy.

[rightkindofme]

Originally Posted by SeekingJoy

We still all shower together. DS is 45; DD is 2. I suppose we will stop if either of them show signs of wanting privacy.

Now that's an age gap!

We are pretty casual about nudity. I'm a 'more comfortable in clothes' person and my husband is a 'more comfortable naked' person. I do make him wear underwear on the furniture. :P I just don't like the feel of skin on other skin but I have zero problem with nudity for a reason like we go to nudist sorts of places for the awesome hot water soaking.

I am totally of the opinion that covering should happen when someone gets uncomfortable whether that person is an adult or a kid. It's all about respect. Wait--let me clarify... if someone *else* is uncomfortable that isn't my problem. If I am uncomfortable being naked around my kid then I should put clothes on. If my kid asks me to I will. If another adult minds that is the other adult's problem.

[Drummer's Wife]

I am naked all the time in front of the kids (well, not like I'm a nudist, so not ALL the time, but I don't worry about covering up).

At this point, they don't seem to mind or be bothered by it. It's just not a big deal, b/c it's a body, and they don't think anything shameful or sexual, etc., about it.

My DH, however, is more modest and doesn't walk around w/o clothes on. But that's his comfort level, and that's fine, too.

I figure as my kids get older, they will let me know if it bothers them, and I will notice them going into the bathroom to change, instead of streaking across the family room after a shower with no care in the world.

[Peony]

My oldest is 7, DH and DD1 still shower together. We have always said that when someone is uncomfortable then the nudity would decrease but no one is yet. Oddly enough, until DD1 was 4.5 she would insist that DH was a girl like her.

[calebsmommy25]

We are pretty open here. DS is almost 2, and we both shower with him and get dressed around him. I agree with the pp's about when we and/or DS gets uncomfortable we will start to cover up. Sometimes I cover up my chest or turn around when putting on a top because when DS is in the room. If he sees 'them' he immediately demands to have some milk...

[Theia]

I'm single and the only way I can get a shower with a 2yo running around is to put her in the shower with me. We talk about body parts and stuff. I think it is fine as long as all parties are comfortable with it. I would like a shower alone once in a while though.

[Red Pajama]

My twins are 5, daughter almost 2 1/2. All bathe with my husband, all have been around while we're dressing. When they need more modesty, we'll be more modest. As long as they are comfortable (and us too), I see no reason why it's a big deal. It works for us.

[AustinMom]

Originally Posted by mommariffic

I'd be naked all the time if it wouldn't scare everyone

HECK YES! Seriously, I think I was a nudist in a past life. I'm so much more comfy without clothes, and that's not only when pregnant.

[nerdymom]

DH and I love walking around nude (though it's too chilly do do it right now) and I hope we don't have to change for some time yet. I'm unfazed by being naked with DS. If he is doing something I don't want him to do but I'm too lazy to go fetch him I just wave a boob at him, he comes running!

[MamaPhD]

I and DH are pretty open with our 14 mo DD. We get dressed in front of her after showers and we bathe her together. We don't "hang out" nude, though. We hope to teach our DD that it's OK to be naked when you need to be (i.e. bath, changing clothes).

[Drummer's Wife]

Originally Posted by nerdymom

If he is doing something I don't want him to do but I'm too lazy to go fetch him I just wave a boob at him, he comes running!

Love this!

[prancie]

Seeing as how humans are born without clothing and generally evolved in tropical climates where covering was not so necessary, I don't believe that nudity itself can possibly be psychologically damaging. It is more the social mores that cause problems, IMO.

[Pumpkin_Pie]

Still wandering around naked in the mornings and showering with my DS who is nearly 3. I can't see changing how I am doing things any time soon. He has asked me where my penis is occasionally, and I simply say "Mama doesn't have a penis, I have a vagina". He giggles and we move on. In the shower, I plug the tub, and he plays in the water while I shower and then I unplug it and soap him up and we are done. It is way easier to get both of us clean in a shorter amount of time, and we save water too!

[claddaghmom]

Modesty to me does not = being covered. I'd argue plenty of people could be covered and still act/look/suggest immodesty.

But that age old argument aside, I think it's not only normal but vital to show children your bodies. They are normal, they are good. What in the world kind of problem could a toddler have with nudity? Heck, my child has been trying to strip since before she could walk.

I bathe with DD whenever she needs a bath. I'd shower with her whenever I need a shower, but she is scared of the "rain."

And since the day she was born I've slept only in my underwear. I haven't found pajamas that allow me to co-sleep and nurse comfortably so I simply wear unders and that's it. Neither DD nor DH complain.