“I believe that nudity should be treated as something natural, but unremarkable.” This is how a refreshing article from Psychology.com starts. The author, Lisa Lis, MD, goes over a few tips about nudity, with and around kids:
- Be explicit about the fact that there are different cultural rules around nudity.
- Be explicit about situational rules as they come into play.
- Set patterns and expectations early.
- It’s OK to politely compare bodies and ask questions.
- Use nudity as a teaching moment.
- Keep eroticism out of the picture.
- Follow the child’s lead.
- Cultivate lifelong attitudes.
All those tips are very healthy attitudes to cultivate with your kids to teach them to have a healthy behavior with their body and a healthy attitude towards plain and simple nudity.
“Comfort with one’s naked body translates into healthy behaviors later in life. Confidence, self-esteem, and body image are intertwined.” This is common sense for many nudists, but it’s worth repeating and emphasizing to others when a discussion around nudism starts.
I have though one reservation with the article, probably because it’s written by a psychiatrist who has sexuality in the back of her mind. She writes: “Nakedness will be natural and expected in some places, such as in the bathroom or bedroom when changing, but out-of-place in the kitchen.” As a nudist, I believe nudity is not out-of-place if it’s seen, and explained, as totally non sexual.
Nudity is a wonderful, comfortable and natural way of being. It’s not out-of-place in any place, but because some people decided so. I, like many nudists, cook naked, watch television naked, do chores naked, and there’s no single room where nudity is out-of-place. However, sexual nudity and eroticism, as clearly stated in tips number 6 is a private matter and should happen only between adults behind closed doors.
I believe nudism is a great lifestyle for families, particularly at that time where social media cultivate stupid expectations about body image. Being a nudist puts human beings in a humanistic position, with simplicity at the center.
Strip nude, stay nude, live nude, and share the love of nudism!
Photo Travis Desell, Archana Dhasarathy, Susan Ellis-Felege, Tom O’Neil, Sergei Nechaev and the University of North Dakota., CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Hi Marc,
Thank you for maintaining this website and promoting healthy attitudes.
I cannot agree with your disagreement 😉 with what the author said: “expected … in bedroom … but out-of-place in the kitchen.”
This sentence is only an example of some family tradition. Believe me – it’s quite popular between textiles who are not against seeing nudity in defined contexts: bedroom, bathroom, beach, pool etc. This group is prevailing in the society.
If the lady wants to communicate to average people she needs to talk their language and be not very distant from their beliefs.
Second: such a tradition may have nothing to do with prejudices. You cook naked without problems but my friend got burned in the kitchen. No one’s fault, just an accident and she was clothed.
bye!
Thank you for your comments. I agree with your disagreement. I totally respect different points of view when it comes to nudism. Each nudist lives it the way she/he wants or can, respecting unwritten rules and tradition. I think however that no room should be “clothed” per se and nudity should be “tolerated” everywhere. But it’s my way of thinking and the “rules” in my home. Once again, respect is key to understanding.
Having been a nudist for many years, I have come to hate wearing clothes, so I am always naked at home, and as I live in the UK am always on the beach weather permitting. I’m only 2 miles from a nudist beach.