There they were just frolicking along, having the time of their lives, you know, in the lush green fertile paradise...when suddenly, she looked down and noticed: 'Oh, I am afraid that I am naked.' Ok, ok, she doesn't say that, instead Genesis reads: "Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons."
So when does this happen with children? Honestly, I feel compelled to prolong the happy world of unashamed nudity as long as possible, but these events keep happening, where I feel like I need to point out how NAKED my girls are, and how that is 'Inappropriate!'
Just this weekend the girls were out in the backyard, parading around, dipping in and out of the world's cheapest piece of genius - the plastic wading pool! - and I thought to myself --- 'is this ok?' Of COURSE it's ok. We have a six foot fence, they're not even 5 yrs old. What's my concern? Would I be concerned if they were boys? Yeah, I'm pretty sure I would. What ARE the concerns though? I think it's primarily what 'other people would think'.
Yesterday, we were at the family papa's day bbq, again the girls in and out of the pool. Suddenly, Hannah comes in all adorably unclothed, and 'Grandpa' says 'Hey Jaybird!' and she dances around all happy with attention, but not really understanding that he's referencing her nakedness. I think to myself, 'it's fine, right? why be concerned with a four year old's body?'.
So I am opening the forum up, for anyone interested in sharing ideas...when DO you insist on clothing? Is it something that you only do for company, or for strangers? Would you clothe your two & four year olds to run out to the backyard? And because we have a family bed, I have all sorts of ponderings about nudity in bed, etc.
It is quite strange for me, though, raised as a little hippychick, lots of open nudity from my mother, etc. Boys were always different though. There is this part of me that is weirded out that I am even questioning their nudity-loving-lovelove at all! Go back to basics, Gab, it's a good thing.
4 comments:
The worrying in and of itself isn't worrisome, it's the fact that we have to worry that sucks. I think a 5-ft. fence sufficiently affords them ample privacy to cavort and splash, and while I wouldn't limit in-home nudity per se, I do insist on clothes when out and about. This is less related to offending people and more about not drawing unwanted attention to my innocent babes. Of course, mine are 8 and 9, so they wouldn't be caught dead in anything but the right clothes, so I'm mostly referencing our preference of yore.
Ultimately, it's important that they don't get body issues.
I also worry about pedophiles :(...Our backyard fence is chain link and we live on a corner lot so we're all exposed to the world. Maia is a nudist at heart, but I keep her covered when she's at risk of prying eyes.
As long as you are all good with it then its fine to continue.
Last weekend we went to see fil for father's day. He has set up the kiddy pool but didn't bother to tell us in advance so we could bring suits. It went over really well with the kids that they couldn't get in, you can imagine.
fil suggests to let them all get in naked or just with underwear. I felt that 6 is too old to be naked in front your grandfather, uncles, aunts, etc (unless necessary). Last summer we did let her get in naked but now she's becoming more aware of herself and it no longer felt right.
I've never had much ocassion to let my kids be naked outside and these days I wouldn't let them at all for dear fear of their delicate skin. I'm happy to let them run naked in the house when we're alone but really want to respect other people's desire to maybe not see my kids running around naked and having to explain to their kiddos or what not. I am naked all the time in front of my kids though it seems. There was a bit of weirdness when Elijah was about 3 and he started to ask questions but then he just lost interest.
naked or not I agree that ultimately it is about body issues for me. You want to run naked, poke at your vul.va, twirl your pe.nis that's cool, your body, but maybe just maybe it would be best if you did it in relative privacy.
And just for the record we co sleep clothed but that probably wasn't always the case when I had reason to be naked in bed
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