How do you feel about being nude in front of your kids?

I have always had an open-door policy when it comes to my kids seeing me naked.

It’s got a lot to do with my personality and the fact that when my kids were young (3 kids under the age of 5) privacy was never a word in our house! My kids have left home now but the other day my son who is 22 came home while I was in the shower.

I got out and in he walked, we had a chat me standing there stark naked. He is not always like that but he has grown up in a household where he has seen his parents naturally naked at certain times. To tell you the truth, it doesn’t bother me at all, mainly because in the media world he doesn’t get to see real bodies just the photo shopped ones and even though he has been brought up having an inclusive foundation, it’s a constant conversation and a generational mindset that needs to constantly be challenged.

When my kids were young there were times in the day like showering and getting dressed where our kids saw mum and dad nude. As a result, many conversations were had -like what happens when you go through puberty, erections, body hair, body safety, different shapes and sizes, consent and basically, we were all just free to talk about bodies. I know that this is not always the case, but in a world where the internet and media are shaping our kid’s identities, I want to be able to counteract that message and this is one way that I have been able to do that.

I wanted my kids to grow up feeling good about their bodies and a part of that was understanding diversity and also that bodies change.

Nudity is a topic that I often get asked questions about, like when it’s ok, when it’s not, at what age to stop being nude around them. And just like everything it really depends on the situation. To young kids, bodies are bodies, ears are ears, a penis and vulva is what it is. What I’m saying is that it’s not sexual to them. We are the ones who sexualise nudity. That might be because of the family that we grew up in, our culture, beliefs around puberty, our fear or just embarrassment.

Kids don’t feel like that until we teach them to feel ashamed or embarrassed. The way that we act and what we say can have a huge impact. We might go bright red, get angry or yell at our child when they touch their genitals or shame them. This can give them the message that bodies are a taboo or shameful topic to talk about.

I’m not saying let’s start a nudist colony, or have dinner tonight in the nude. Your child or you might be a really private person, and you don’t feel comfortable being naked at all.

Your child might have not worried about being nude but they have changed with time, and that’s totally normal too especially as puberty approaches. It’s important to be aware of how they feel, to respect them, don’t comment and cover up yourself.

So, what I am saying is that there is no right or wrong. It’s up to you and your family whether you see each other naked or not. The most important message for your kids is that their bodies are wonderful and that if they want to be nude it’s not rude.