“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