Throughout most of human history, public nudity was a normal part of everyday life. Until the Industrial Revolution, clothing was expensive and hard to come by. Children, who are rough on clothing, and have a habit of growing, routinely went naked in many cultures right up to puberty. Adult workers in rough or dirty jobs routinely stripped themselves naked for work. People lived in one-room homes and bathed in lakes or rivers. Children growing up in these environments had no undue curiosity about the body. They regularly saw naked people of all ages and both genders.
Nowadays, our industrialized society even has special clothing to swim in! We are expected to be clothed at all times in public. Seeing anyone naked in public is exceedingly rare. Naturally, a flourishing pornography industry has developed in this climate. These days, for many people, pornography is the only nudity they see. But pornography is an erroneous and unbalanced depiction of nudity that intentionally focuses solely on its sexual aspects.
Many people, Christians in particular, have exhibited a 'knee-jerk' reaction by attempting to eliminate all exposure to nudity as a way of fighting pornography. Though well-intended, this is precisely the wrong thing to do!
Despite good intentions, prohibiting routine nakedness can have serious negative consequences, especially for children. Childrens' natural thirst for knowledge hasn't gone away. If they don't ever see nakedness around them, they'll find ways to satisfy their curiosity about it. All too often in our culture, the only sources for this information are pornography or "experimentation" (as in I'll show you mine if you show me yours).
It takes a bit of work for the concerned parent, but you can combat this situation and help your children to avoid some of these pitfalls of modern living. Fortunately, as a parent you have the unique opportunity to provide a healthy environment for nakedness right in the refuge of your own home.
The following advice is intended for parents who want to teach their children a wholesome understanding of human nakedness.
1. Encourage casual family nudity. Young children really don't care who sees them naked. This is the time when the parent can mold their conscience without making them self-conscious of nakedness. This, in turn, will help children associate nakedness to routine activity instead of naughty activity, helping those illicit forms of nakedness to lose their appeal later in life.
2. Encourage family nudity during potty training & continue through the school age years and beyond. You'd be surprised how quickly potty training takes root when your toddler/preschooler is allowed to go bare at home, but...be prepared for occasional "accidents" as well, and handle these situations calmly without anger or revulsion.
3. Going nude around the house for extended periods in warm weather just makes sense. Why waste the energy to cool your house when you can be nude instead? You can be comfortable with a higher thermostat setting, or you may be able to do without the airconditioning completely!
4. A nude activity that enables the whole family to participate together is very helpful. An indoor swimming pool is ideal, but not practical for most families Other ideas could be an outdoor pool or hot tub. The hot tub allows opportunity for family nakedness even in cooler weather.
5. In families where the children are already older it may be difficult to change the old attitudes. Family nudism is certainly a worthy goal, but don't expect to be received very well if you suddenly show up nude at the breakfast table! A more gradual introduction is called for.
6. If for whatever reason it's not feasible to spend significant time nude around the house, at the least don't hide from your children during ordinary nude situations such as dressing, bathing or showering, using the toilet, or any activity where nudity is a natural part. By being comfortable with your own body you will naturally convey the message to your children that nudity really is okay and not something to fear. There are naturally times in life when clothes must be worn for protection, for comfort, or to adhere to societal norms. However, by talking with your children about being comfortable with nudity at home, your children will grow up understanding that being nude and being seen nude at home or the locker room isn't something horrible and embarrassing.
7. As they begin to recognize differences between themselves and you or your spouse, explain to them the reason for these differences. Suggested explanations are: "Mommy's breasts are for giving milk to babies like when you were small" or "Mommy and daddy have hair down here, and kids don't, just like men have beards, and kids don't."
8. Even in homes where the children have been raised from birth as nudists, they will sometimes become self-conscious during puberty. Don't try to coerce or ridicule them about this. Just continue setting the same example you did when they were younger.
A side benefit of your children's more balanced attitude toward the naked body is that when the time comes to explain human reproduction, there will be less tension from the children. They will not be distracted or embarrassed at the mere mention of 'shameful' body parts. This in turn, will help keep the communication lines open during adolescence.
There are many great books on pregnancy and adolescence that separate the sexual aspect from the physiological changes of puberty. These books provide a very neutral clinical look at breast and pubic hair growth during the teen years, and include very candid photos of actual births. Influences like these help separate nudity from sex in the child's mind, and provide a framework where family nudity can flourish to the benefit of all.
Respect others' standards. It's a good idea to point out that many people are not accustomed to nudity, and it's kind to respect their wishes. This may mean keeping the curtains drawn, closing the bathroom door when guests are present, telling the kids to wear pajamas at their friend's sleepover, or a swimsuit in the neighbor's pool.
The goal is to make nakedness in its proper context a neutral part of everyday life. This goes a long way toward innoculating them from the enticements so easily found outside the walls of your home and in the marketplace (pornography, unrealistic body image, etc).
Warnings
Be careful about whom you share your family practices with. Not all people will see things the way you do. Nudity and sex are still considered to be related in our society - merely telling people the truth is not likely to sway many from their strongly-held opinions.
Although it should be obvious to any well-meaning parent, care is advised during moments of intimacy and marital relations. Marital intimacy is best left behind closed doors.
Be careful to emphasize the primary functions of genitals to younger children (birth canal, urination) . Don't overwhelm them with information they don't need yet.
Be very careful when exposing children to nude photography from fine art, or internet sources. Not all nudity is good nudity (as the pornographers have shown us). The best examples for them to see are you, your spouse, and older siblings or relatives.
Exercise proper hygiene. When exercising family nudity, always insist that everyone sit on a towel. The towels should of course be laundered regularly, and everyone should use their own towel.
