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Showing 19 comments
amy on
My kids are two and four, and I still from time to time bathe with them. I assume the older one will let me know when he doesn’t want to take a shower or bath with mom anymore.
Sarah K. on
Not something I would do, but I don’t see why anyone else would care what Gwyneth does with her kids.
Stella Bella on
Seriously? Lay off Gwyneth. Some families are more relaxed about these things, and that is their right.
Jacqui on
My son started noticing body parts around age two. I have never made any sort of an issue out of nudity, but I figured when he got a little older I’d cover up a bit more. Now that he’s four, I think it would seem really awkward and weird for me to all of the sudden be covered up all the time and make sure he leaves the room so as not to see me getting dressed or just out of the shower.
I guess we are pretty open about that sort of thing in our house — my husband doesnt go out of his way to cover up either. I don’t see any way to become drastically more modest around my son without it sending the signal that our bodies are “bad” or “dirty” and “secret,” and I surely don’t want to do that.
JM on
Don’t know if this is more of an issue in America. i would have no problem with my kids (aged 2-7) seeing me or my husband naked. they’re just body parts… i saw my parents naked many times, never did me any harm. i don’t think i ever really thought about it.
i think it’s worse if these body parts are somehow treated as something forbidden or off limits. i don’t want my kids to feel like there is something to hide. and if they had questions about anything i would want them to feel comfortable enough to ask me and not think that it might be a ‘forbidden’ topic.
Jillian on
Jm, you said what I feel. I think making it feel as if it’s a bad thing is what makes children afraid and is wrong. My children have no fear about it and ask a ton of questions. We are lucky. They are between 10 and under 1 and I am expecting. I do not bathe with my boys. My husband does. I bathe with the girls.
jessicad on
I see no problem with the bathing either, my daughter is 4 and I still bathe with her every day. To each their own!
ecl on
The only problem I have with bathing with my kid is that the water is always too cold for me. I agree with the others on here.
B.J. (the girl) on
I would have been horrified to see my dad naked as a child. I understood what it all meant, but it would have been unspeakably awkward at any age that I could remember!
(I have memories of being 2 and escaping my crib, so the memories go waaaay back)
Tee on
While I have gotten dressed in front of children before, I don’t think it’s fair to say that people that don’t allow children to see them naked are teaching their child to be ashamed of their body. Modesty is important and there is no better way to teach it than to keep covered up and explain your reasonings for doing so.
Tams on
I see nothing wrong with being nude in front of your children as long as everyone is comfortable with it but as soon as the kids give you the inkling that they’re uncomfortable with it, be modest and cover up.
Hayley on
I remember having a bath with my mum until I was at least 10 (the age I was when we renovated and added a spa bath) Don’t see anything wrong with it. If everyone is comfortable then there is no issue IMO and it’s not really anyone outside the families decision.
lilly on
i guess im the only one to say that i think its gross and disturbing for a child to see an adult naked, i mean theres a reason theres such thing as a child and an adult, i dont care if its your parent or not, no child should bath with there parent, and yes i know kids shouldnt feel ashamed of nudity but there kids, so innocent and pure, they dont need to be seeing anything like that, theres lots of time when they get older to learn about the human body, and i dont see what a child can gain by bathing with a parent, its disturbing to me and kinda gross
Brittany on
My son is nearly 4 and showers with me at least twice a week. I see nothing wrong with it, he knows about different body parts. I don’t understand what the hang up is with this, theres nothing the least bit wrong with it. My son has been aware of our differing body parts since he was about 2.
So Lilly, do you have kids? Do you lock your children out of your room when you change your clothes? What do you mean nothing to gain by bathing with a parent? My son hops in with me, he strips down and climbs in.
JM on
lol lilly 
yes there is a reason there’s such a thing a as a child and an adult, but that reason is not because a child shouldn’t see and adult naked. what an odd comment.
yes children are pure and innocent but will they be any less so if they see an adult naked? pretty sure my kids aren’t. to be honest i don’t think they think about it much. which i think is the way it should be. if they see me or my husband naked they don’t stop and stare it’s just a part of life….
Amanda K on
Nudity is nothing to be ashamed of. As long as your child isn’t stripping down at recess or something, I don’t see it as a big deal.
Josie on
I think some of the posters should be aware of how people with sexual abuse in their history might not be as “cool” with nudity. Shaming us doesn’t make you superior.
I was routinely molested and it was as casual as the nudity at our home. Most people think incest is the creepy parent sneaking into the room at night, but in some very liberal homes, the incest can be out in the open without anyone really noticing.
Just because most of you haven’t experienced that abuse and your children are in a safe environment doesn’t mean you should make other people feel bad about wanting to be modest. It’s like you’re making fun of them for not be relaxed and cool, when for some people modesty is very important to their sense of security. You should at least try to remember the world isn’t full of sexually confident people.
I don’t judge people for being open with nudity, but there’s always so much shaming on anyone who wants to cover up. I hear this same nastiness toward people when they’re not comfortable with public breast feeding. Hell, my friend pulled her boob out at dinner last week and called me a fascist for averting my eyes. A little sensitivity wouldn’t kill you super cool relaxed women.
Jillian on
Josie, maybe you should take your own advice and realize that everyone speaks from their own experience. Nudity does not equal molestation.
JM on
Josie, what a strawman argument. nudity has nothing to do with abuse. sadly if someone is going to abuse a child then people being nude in the house is not the instigator. it will happen no matter what.
in fact i think that by making nudity a more normal thing for children it makes them more comfortable to talk about it, thus enabling them to feel like they can talk to adults about all sorts of difficult things.
i am truly sorry that you were abused. i can’t imagine how terrible that must be. but the topic of abuse itself is neither here nor there when it comes to issues of nudity.
of course if you don’t want to walk around nude in your home that is entirely your choice. no one should make you feel bad about that. but parents who do walk around nude in front of their children should also not be made to feel like potential child molesters. it comes down to personal choice. neither is inherently wrong.
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