An expert has revealed what impact seeing their parents naked could have on a child.
Everyone has a different approach to parenting and teaching about human anatomy, but some parents are more open than others.
Being nude can be a very taboo subject, but most people will presumably attempt to avoid their kids seeing them in their birthday suits.
However, it turns out that some don’t mind strolling around the home naked, and believe that it could make their children more open-minded in the future.
Parent coach Dawn Huebner shared her thoughts with Healthline, emphasizing that casual nudity can foster a healthy body image in young children.
“The goal with children is to foster delight and confidence in their bodies while gradually, over time, teaching norms related to privacy and consent,” Huebner said.
Huebner believes that young children seeing their parents naked can play a positive role in their understanding of bodily functions and self-acceptance.
“Casual nudity in front of small children helps them learn to be accepting of bodies — to see that bodies are functional, strong, and normal, regardless of shape or size,” she explained.
Huebner further noted that as long as nudity is separated from sexuality, there is no harm in parents being naked around young children.
However, as children grow older, their comfort levels with parental nudity may shift.
Experts suggest that by the ages of four to eight, children begin to develop a sense of modesty, which may cause discomfort with seeing their parents naked.
“And a corresponding discomfort with seeing their parents’ naked bodies,” Huebner added, noting that parents should be sensitive to these changes.
She advises that parents respect their children’s evolving needs, stating: “You want them to see that they have a right to choose what feels OK and what doesn’t when it comes to their own bodies.”
Huebner added: “When parents begin to get uncomfortable and when they begin to actively question whether nudity is still OK, that’s a sign that it is no longer feeling OK and parental nudity should be phased out.”
New York-based child psychologist Susan Bartell offered a different perspective, particularly when it comes to opposite-sex nudity in the home.
Bartell discussed one case where a mother allowed her husband to be undressed in front of their daughter. She expressed concerns about such practices, saying: “If you’re very clear what the boundaries are, then that child has no question whatsoever.”
Bartell emphasized that while it may be acceptable for children to be naked around same-sex parents, a different dynamic often emerges with opposite-sex pairings.
“It’s never OK [for a little girl] to see an adult man naked — that is clear for that child,” Bartell stated.
Though the subject is still debated, this research suggests that the impacts of parental nudity may vary depending on the context, family dynamics, and individual comfort levels.
