Expert addresses parental nudity

By The Associated Press

Published: October 14, 2007

But there was another accusation worth noting. A former bodyguard testified that Spears spent time naked in front of her sons, age 2 and 1. That this was considered evidence of substandard mothering might surprise parents accustomed to parking their child in a bouncy seat on the bathroom floor while showering and dressing each morning.

Is being seen naked by your child an example of unfit parenting?

Joanne Baum, a family therapist and author of "Got the Baby, Where's the Manual?” who works as a family investigator for divorce cases in Colorado, weighs in on the subject of parental nudity:

Q:Do you consider it harmful for parents to be seen naked by their kids?

A:It depends on a set of circumstances. How often does it occur, and is it that you're getting dressed and your child happens to be nearby? As you're getting in and out of the shower, if the kid walks in the door, that's probably not an issue.

But you wouldn't be sitting watching television naked with your kids cuddling up to you. Parents can be seductive with children and be inappropriate with children, so it's more complex than just "is the parent being undressed?”

Q:What might be the impact on a child after seeing a parent naked?

In terms of nudity at home, what we're talking about is complex. And children, probably below the age of about 8, don't usually have a great capacity for analyzing the gray areas of life.

Q:Is there an age beyond which parents should stay dressed in front of their children?

A:It depends on the family and what you see in your child's reaction. If they're getting to be prepubescent and they seem uncomfortable, respect that. If your child starts staring at your breasts or staring at other parts of your body, it's time to have a discussion. If your child is asking lots of questions and feeling bad comparing their body to yours — maybe a little girl says to her mother, "My chest doesn't look like yours” — that can lead to a healthy conversation.

There comes a natural time when a child says, "Enough.” And it's very important to respect that. It's very important to talk to the child and say, "Thank you for telling me that you had some discomfort. I understand and I'll take care of your discomfort.”

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