Seeing Dad naked?

Occassionally when I come out of the shower my 7 year old son may be in the bath room sometimes asking me a question, or just in general discussion.  He has recently mentioned to my wife that he thinks a "hairy penus" is ucky!  My wife is quite concerned that my son should not see his Dad naked, and I should take every precaution to make sure he does not see this.  I am not averse to this course of action, but would like to know what a professional opinion is, as my other instinct tells me that this is natural is nothing something that should be "hidden" {nor should it be overtly displayed} because I am his Dad not a stranger, etc., etc..  

I would welcome your advise.

Michael

[Ley5792]

I am not a professional. But I agree with you, don't blatantly display your man parts in front of him. But if he catches a glimpse while you're stepping out of the shower or using the bathroom, then I think it's fine.

It goes the other way for kids of the opposite gender. Little girls should respect dad's privacy starting in toddler-hood, and little boys should respect mom's privacy also starting in toddler-hood.

[redneckmom]

I agree. As a child I never saw my dad naked.  Thank God =)  However I saw my mom all the time and never thought twice about it.  Now I have a son and while I don't let him see me nude (opposite sex) if he was a daughter Im sure it wouldnt bother me.  I think you are fine.  However, my fiance would agree with your wife.  It just depends on personal feelings.  I say it is everyone's choice how open they are with their children and nudity.

[SeriousSam]

Ok I took showers with my 3 year old son at camp sites etc and personally I don't see anything wrong with it.  When I was in Germany whole families used to go to nude beaches together!  And quite honestly people did not seem to have the sick view towards bodies, responsible sex etc.

[luxembourg11]

hi! i want to know where in germany have a nude beaches? just curious, anyway, i agree to teko.

[Trialanderror]

I totally agree with teko. It will come in handy for your son to have his own dad as the one to confide in once he has serious questions about manhood one day. Sure I would not put myself on display as a father but if your son currently thinks "in terms of yucky", I would rather start communicating with him about the male physique than hiding the whole subject in the closet so he can learn to think about the whole subject of growing into an adult and identifying with being male.
My son only sees his dad once or twice a month but the times when they took a bath together have taught him more about keeping himself clean for example than I could ever have conveyed. My son did go through phases when he was not quite sure what to think of his dad`s appearance but by age 4 he concluded that the second best thing after becoming a cop would be to be a dad.

Note: not many beaches in Germany but lakes and swimming pools. It is pretty common to find nudity there, at least in secluded areas. Public sauna is usually mixed. Male, female, kids, grown-ups. Not a big deal, it is rather you wish that people would cover up already....

[NickieLea]

As mother to an 8 year old girl, I have always been open about my body.  Who else will she learn from?  She comes to me with questions about her body and mine.  I think children should be aware of what changes they will go through and I would like to be the first person she comes to.  If you are ashamed then your son will be, too.

[SeriousSam]

In the state park, on the Wansee I primarily knew Berlin.  There were also some nude public baths that were open to the public I believe.  I never really went to those.

[rmprdl1964]

How rediculous can you get. The 7 year old will some day have a simmilar looking penis as his dad. At what age should you tell your son that he no longer should look at his penis.
Households where nudity is not hidden seem to have children that develop well. I have been nude around my children and have allways answered questions that may have resulted. My 17 year old son is not scared to ask me questions.

I have heard of cases where an uncirmcised boy did not realize that the foreskin retracted. He had never tried to retract his foreskin while in the tub. At the age of 15 he found out that he had phimosis. Had his dad told or showed him, the problem would have been noticed earlier.

Nudity in the family setting is normal. I much rather have my kids ask me questions than having their minds poluted by what some one else might tell them.

I do attend church and our children are home schooled, this way my wife and I can teach them family vallues.

God bless

Ron

[RockRose]

What happened to Teko's post?

[Sally44]

I just came across your post... In my opinion the human body is nothing to be ashamed of.  The reason your son doesn't like the look of you, hair and all, is because it is different and it represents growing up and usually the body changes before the mind is mature etc etc.  Boys and girls think that kissing eachother is ucky, but in 10 years time you can't keep them off eachother.  Just be yourself around your son.  By covering up you aren't protecting him you are just making him ignorant.  Afterall how would you prefer him to learn about how bodies develop etc, from yourself or from a book?
We also keep a smallholding and our kids see animals mating, giving birth, being slaughtered, cooked and eaten on a daily basis.  They have seen other things too like foxes killing the ducks, a baby lamb being rejected by its mom etc etc.  These are all lessons in life.  
My own mother told me that her mum hadn't told her about periods etc at all and how scared she had been when she had her first one.  I find that kind of attitude wrong.  Ignorance is not bliss, it is scary.
But having said all of this, you have got to sit down with your wife and discuss this.  Why does she think you need to cover up to protect your son.  

[Ravare]

My dad used to walk around the house after he took a shower naked all the time. It was really no big deal and me and my brother never complained. Since we are males, it isnt a big deal to see another male naked.

Now we always would give my mom privacy and she never intentionally let us see her naked.

Its not a big deal

[trumpet16]

I agree I think it's fine if son's see their dad naked. I mean you both have the same body parts and everything just a different stages. My dad used to do the same thign he would walk around for a bit naked after taking a shower.I also think it's good if kids are welcome to ask thier parents questions about their body and the parents as long as the parent is the same sex as the child asking the question.

[LadyYork]

I think this question is silly in a sense.  There is nothing wrong with a dad or mom being seen in the nude by their kids.  If your child happens to see  you naked there's no big deal really.   If your child has a question about certain body parts then explain adult developement and maturity to them as simple as possible.  There is nothing wrong with the human body.  God made our bodies to be beautiful in his eyes and there is nothing to be ashamed of.  We are here to teach our kids about life and love.  We want them to have the correct information not something they've learned about by Tommy down the street who found his dad's porn collection and takes it upon himself to run an illustrated sex class where he's the instructor and has all the answers.  Let's get back to basics and teach our kids the right way.  Especially, when they have questions, and let's teach then not to be ashamed of their bodies because the body is beautiful.  

[Natta1980]

Nothing wrong with it. US seems to be more uptight about it than the rest of the world