Why I go naked in front of my child

I remember being a child and seeing a lot of nakedness in my house. I remember my mum’s breasts sagging down and thinking how droopy they were, seeing her private parts and marveling at how hairy they were. There was hair everywhere! I remember seeing my dads actual private parts more times than I can remember, and thinking to my child self how much it looked like a smaller sized elephant’s trunk. And although I may have thought it was a bit gross at the time, I can not thank my parents enough for doing that. For being naked around me. I grew up knowing what ordinary bodies should look like, and as a result feeling very comfortable with my own body and the changes it has gone through from puberty, through motherhood and to this day now.

And so I go naked in front of my child. I let her see my shriveled breasts that nursed her for 15 months. I want her to see my squidgy tummy which carried and nurtured her for 9 months of her life in-utero. I want her to grow up knowing that having hair down there is a normal part of being a woman. And I need her to know what a normal body looks like – not these air-brushed to hell figments of someone’s imagination which are causing an epidemic of self esteem issues in women fueled by magazines and bill boards, no not those fakers.

I want her to know that a woman’s body is an incredible thing, a thing that should be fully functional – not just something to be looked at but something that has a purpose. Something that should be strong and nurtured and can do amazing things. Not just something to squeeze into tiny outfits and get in the way of all the important things we need to achieve in this world.

A woman’s body is her body and is nobody else’s business. It shouldn’t be judged or accepted on someone else’s terms, or get in the way of what her mind wants to do. I want my daughter to love and accept her body, so I choose to love and accept my own body. Because in a world where the perception of a woman’s body has become so far removed from what it should be, something’s got to change, and that change starts with us. And that’s why I go naked in front of my child. Because I want her to be body positive too.

Do you go naked in front of your children? What do you think about my reasons above? Do share in a comment below.

17 comments

  1. Yep, always have. My son is 6 now and he is always asking questions about breasts! I’ll probably not do it so much as he gets older though – I don’t remember ever seeing my Dad in the buff!

  2. Completely agree with you here and do it too. My four-year-old son asks me what a bra is and why he can’t wear one!!! He also knows I get ‘blood’ every month – have just told him it’s something big girls get. For the moment. But till a certain age, I think it is healthy to do so.
    #coolmumclub

  3. I do agree, and I always used to. Then stopped. I couldn’t tell you why, but now the boy is nearly 7 it makes me feel a little odd.

    Don’t get me wrong, I still don’t hide away. He came into chat to me in the bath the other night and i wouldn’t dream of stopping him. But I don’t walk around naked anymore.
    #coolmumclub

  4. I do at the moment, but I have a feeling that will change as he gets older. I’m not massively comfortable in my own skin, so it’s probably something I should do more in front of him but I’m not sure I can. Good for you though for managing it! #coolmumclub

  5. Josh is only two so yes for now it’s something I wouldn’t bat an eyelid over especially as we often bathe together. I am sure as he gets older it might change but for now, we’re happy as we are xx #coolmumclub

  6. This is a great post. We’re definitely all about letting it all hang out in our household. It’s good for them to know that people come in all shapes and sizes, and that real beauty is in these marvelous flesh-machines that are so complex and do so many wonderful things!

    Happy Christmas!

    xxx

    #coolmumclub

  7. Yes I do the same! I have a son and daughter and I think it’s important that both of them realise the reality of what bodies really look like and don’t feel pressured to look a certain way, or expect others to look like the ideas of perfection we see in the media. #coolmumclub

  8. What an inspiring post, Im pretty ok with my body and my parents were always naked in front of me too so I wonder if that’s why? I’d never even though about it like that but j supposed if we hide ourselves it makes our children think the body is something to be ashamed of. Thankyou for opening my eyes to this!! Really as I read this #coolmumclub

  9. I did but once mine were embarrassed by their old mum prancing around, I stopped. Same with my partner. I always wear a bikini on holiday and so they know what a real female body looks like but I don’t want to embarrass them too much! I think I stopped when they were about 9 and 7? We talk about sex, periods, wet dreams, shaving, the lot though! I feel it’s very important to be open and the children always talk to us about everything from drugs to sex so it has worked for us. #coolmumclub

  10. Yes I am totally with you on this one! As a child, I remember wondering why my mum’s tummy was so wrinkly. I thought it was because she was old (she would only have been in her early thirties!) but now I see that it was her stretch marks from carrying me and my brothers. I have never worried about my own stretch marks and think this was down to her subtle message to me as a child, and being confident in her skin. I hope I can pass this on to my girls too #coolmumclub

  11. There’s always plenty of wobbly bits on show in our house too, and just this evening at story time, Tigs was poking my belly as I read, and I told her proudly that’s because she grew in there. We found the stretch marks and talked about how amazing it is. I haven’t really thought about it too much before, but as you say, in a world of ‘perfection’ in the media, teaching reality has to start at grass roots…
    Gorgeous post hun. Trying not to imagine your parents naked 😉
    Love ya #coolmumclub host with the absolute most xx

  12. I have done but they would complain now they are older. I like your post and admire your choices and think this should be a must-read to help women feel so much better about themselves. I think you do tend to learn from your parents and I remember my Mum’s real body, her corsets and my Dad’s Y-fronts. #CoolMumClub

  13. I get changed in front of them without any issue. I don’t walk around naked but not because I don’t want them to see me I just don’t! They should see us naked though, as you’ve said – so they know what is normal x
    #coolmumclub

  14. Totally agree! My parents never covered up and neither do my husband and I. i think doing so just promotes the idea that bodies are shameful and that’s not a healthy thing for children to think growing up. Good for you speaking about an important topic. We must fight the airbrush culture any way we can!! #coolmumclub

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