My son trails behind me from the bathroom to my closet, sharing one of those classic kid stories. With one hand, I secure my towel, while the other rummages for underwear in a drawer. I pause to inform him, “I’m getting dressed now.” He responds with a casual “K,” and continues his narrative as I let my towel slip and slip on my undies. There’s no awkward staring, no embarrassment; he seems completely unfazed by my nakedness.
I’m not shy about being nude around my children. While I don’t walk around the house bare, I see no reason to banish them from the room when I need to change. They’ve been accustomed to my nudity since infancy, so it’s not a big deal for any of us.
Both my daughters are now teenagers, and my son is eight. We’ve always had open discussions about bodies, using proper terms and fostering an appreciation for everything our bodies can do. I aim for my kids to cultivate a healthy body image, and I lead by example, treating my own physical self as an amazing tool and steering clear of shame about its appearance.
In their early years, avoiding nudity around them felt unnecessary. After all, they breastfed and were practically glued to me, making my body a familiar sight. I bathed with them and, let’s be honest, they’ve seen me use the bathroom enough times to know what I look like. Suddenly hiding parts of myself just didn’t make sense as long as they felt comfortable.
They’ve understood from the start that it’s not appropriate to expose our bodies to others, and we’ve had countless talks about body safety. However, my changing clothes or transitioning in and out of the bath has always felt different. Their nudity in front of me has never been inappropriate, and the same goes for them seeing me naked.
As they grew, they began to seek privacy for dressing or bathroom time. My daughters started feeling this way around the onset of puberty, while my son is just beginning to navigate those boundaries with others. For now, he doesn’t seem bothered by me seeing him without clothes. I anticipate that he will eventually request privacy, and I’ll honor that without question. I suspect this moment may come sooner than it did with my daughters, and I’ll respect his limits.
I’m grateful for the open communication we have. We’ve always made it clear that no topic is off-limits, and we respect their choices about their bodies. This has resulted in them being candid about their comfort levels. Even as they’ve matured and desired privacy, they’ve never expressed discomfort with my nudity. They willingly offer me privacy if I ask, but it’s not a big deal if I don’t.
Part of my approach stems from observing how nudity is perceived in other cultures. I spent a year in Japan after college, where I frequently visited onsens—public baths that were gender-separated but required everyone to be nude. It was liberating to be naked among strangers without it being a taboo.
I also learned from the Scandinavian perspective on family nudity. In Swedish and Finnish households, nudity isn’t an issue. Families sauna together without coverings, and while they’re not exhibitionists, casual nudity at home is the norm. Clearly, this doesn’t mean they’re inappropriate; there’s nothing harmful in kids seeing their parents naked.
I think allowing my kids to see me nude helps to quell their natural curiosity about bodies. If they don’t see what an adult body looks like, how will they understand their own changes? Relying on anatomy books or movies doesn’t offer a realistic perspective. I’d rather them see a normal woman’s body with all its “flaws” and learn to appreciate it.
As long as both you and your kids are okay with nudity, there’s no harm in them seeing you naked. Follow their cues and establish what feels comfortable for everyone involved, and don’t let anyone turn nudity into a taboo subject.
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In summary, being comfortable with nudity around your children can foster open communication and healthy body image. It’s essential to respect boundaries as they grow, while also normalizing the human body in a loving environment.