What about
children and Naturism?
"What kind
of parents would run around naked in front of
their children!?"
We think the best parents in the world are
those that have an open life with their
children. Parents should be able to give their
children the right to review the life issues
by themselves. As parents, all that we can
truly do is to give the hints and ideas that
we would like to have our children carry on.
In this case, it's not being afraid to be
nude. It's also teaching them to stand up for
what they believe in. Children are natural
nudists. We're born nude and it's good.
There's nothing wrong with that. It's only
after people turn it into an evil thing that
children grow up believing that it's dirty,
nasty, awful and forbidden. Then, they usually
end up in other trouble up to and including
teen pregnancy, eating disorders, and many
other issues surrounding body acceptance.
Sure, it happens in the nudist community too,
but at least we will know that we gave our
children a total and honest view of the human
body and all of it's workings.
Nudist parents are NOT out to corrupt the
minds of their children. If anything, we're
here to give them a chance to see life at its
fullest without the outside pressure to
conform to society. It's good to be a part of
society, but when society begins to control
your moves and decisions there is a problem.
In the US, we're supposed to have the right to
decide on what we believe. But we are forced
into obeying many laws that were passed by
people based on their religious reservations
and beliefs. It doesn't take a rocket
scientist to see where the problem is.
Doesn't it
frighten you to have naked people around your
naked kids?
No. Just because people are nude doesn't
make them any more of a threat than anyone
else. Nudist parents take the same, if not
more, vigilance when it comes to protecting
their kids. As parents, our kids are our
primary concern. We must take the appropriate
precautions towards our children and their
safety, clothed or not. Just because they're
naked in front of us doesn't place them at any
higher risk than if they wore clothes all the
time.
But what
about your kids seeing the opposite sex naked?
It's not a bad thing. The kids will grow up
understanding what the natural human body is
and how it fits into nature. They'll know that
boys & girls are different and why. It won't
be this hidden thing that they don't discuss.
Since they will have a better understanding of
each other's bodies, they'll be less tempted
to engage in pre-marital or promiscuous
behavior. They won't have the ideas the media
portrays that simple nudity is a pre-cursor to
sexual behavior. The human body is a beautiful
thing that should be taught, not hidden as if
it's dirty or bad.
What about
society and what it says about your lifestyle
and your children?
Society judges many people inappropriately.
Being a nudist may be a situation that could
be included. It is the parent's right to raise
their children in the way that they see fit.
As long as they don't abuse or misuse the
kids, it's a non-issue. The problem with
society and nudism isn't nudity itself, it's
the portrayal of simple nudity meaning sex. As
previously explained, it has nothing to do
with sex. It is a choice to be nude because
it's more comfortable. The children aren't
forced into nudity, they do it on their own
free will. Babies pull their diapers off and
can't stand to have them put back on.
Toddler's get nude and then ask if it's ok.
Well, for us it is ok for them to be nude.
There's no reason for them to hide what is
beautiful. They are taught that there are
times when it's appropriate to be nude as well
as times when it's not. Our society is
backwards in that people will look at nude art
and make an exception. But if you allow your
children to swim or play in the nude, they act
like it's the worst thing you could do.
But, it's
just not right for the kids to be nude!
Why isn't it? Is it because that is what
you believe? Because you think that nudity is
bad? Because of your religious beliefs? We
suggest for everyone to study their belief
system and decide for themselves. There are
nudists from all walks of life and all
religions.
Isn't it
illegal to have your kids naked?
No. It's only illegal if you abuse or
misuse your children for the purposes of
promoting sex or sexual content. It's also
illegal if you allow them to run in public
where other people can see and be offended by
them. Allowing them to run at a nudist
campground is legal as it's private land and
everyone is there for the same reason.
Allowing them to run down your street nude is
illegal because it's public and at least one
of your neighbors is going to take offense to
it. Allowing them to be nude in their own
house is perfectly legal as long as you take
precautions to make sure your neighbors don't
get shocked.
Note: We're not providing legal
advice....we're simply stating why we
participate in nudism. Laws vary from state to
state. Remember to check your local ordinances
as well. Unfortunately most laws were enacted
by people who thought they were doing a good
thing based on their religion. The problem
with this is that it imposes on other people's
beliefs.
Final note
regarding kids:
The effects of nudity and kids has been
studied. There are many different theories and
ideas about it. Most state that there are
benefits to being open about nudity with your
children. I'm sure we can all see some of the
benefits. Most of the problems people have
with it is the fear that something is wrong
because their religion said so. A lot of these
people quote scriptures taken out of context
and proclaim it as the law. You can not tell
someone that they're wrong because you feel
they are. We've seen our children in the
nudist environment and they love it. Sex isn't
a topic on their minds and it probably won't
be for many years to come. At least we know
that they'll understand we're all different
and we all have personal choices and decisions
to make during our lives. As the years go by
and we all get older, it seems like the US
gets more uptight about things every year. We
can only hope that things change for the
better. At least we know it's our right to
raise our children how we see fit....we can
only hope that our foul legal and judicial
system sees it the same way in the future.
"A child who has never been allowed
to see his parents, brothers and sisters naked
sees nudity as something shocking."
- Dr. Helga Fleishhauer Hardt (SHOW ME, New
York: St. Martin's Press, 1975)
"Being natural and matter-of-fact about
nudity prevents your children from developing
an attitude of shame or disgust about the
human body. If parents are very secretive
about their bodies and go to great lengths to
prevent their children from ever seeing a
buttock or breast, children will wonder what
is so unusual, and even alarming, about human
nudity." - Dr. Lee Salk, Psychiatrist
(McCall's Magazine, June, 1976)
" ... with very young children accustomed
from the beginning to nudity in themselves and
their parents, a great deal is taken for
granted, and it doesn't seem to be much of an
issue to them. What nudity does is make it
easy for children to become absolutely certain
about just how men and women are made. This
knowledge is of great importance in assuring
the child of his or her own correct gender.
The differences in body states and sizes - and
in body organs - can then be taken for granted
and will provide an accurate image of how they
themselves, or the opposite sex, will look
when grown up. Children whose parents feel at
ease in such natural events as stepping out of
the shower, toweling, and walking back to
their room to dress are fortunate." - Dr.
Calderone, MD (The Family Book About
Sexuality, New York: Harper & Row, 1981) |