I don't know why but for some reason this very vivid memory came to me: Grammy and Papa would care for us a week here and there between the ages of 1 and 12 years old. I remember grammy was naked when she would get dressed or while taking a bath and being normal granddaughters we would follow her everywhere while she got ready and we got ready with her. And I remember Papa coming home from work and he would always take a shower and walk from the bathroom to his bedroom in his tighty whiteys reeking of polo cologne. This is a very tender memory, and yes Papa was in his undergarments, but Grammy was very definitely naked, and we saw her large pendulous boobies and her roll of abdominal fat. It didn't bother us one bit, that was Grammy. She was a real living breathing older woman who we loved dearly. And we really paid no mind to Papa in his tighty whiteys, why make a big deal out of nothing? There was definitely nothing sexual going on between any of us. I don't feel warped or jaded.

I do admit I think it would have been inappropriate to see Papa naked. But I think nothing wrong for mothers, daughters, sisters, grammas and granddaughters to be naked around eachother. The same with sons and dads and etc... It just says hey we are all the same here, and your body is normal and my body is normal and look we have the same freckles!

The way I see it is: she expresses a lot of doubt that this is a good thing (i.e. she's afraid it might screw up her kids, afraid she isn't a good Mom, etc.) So. . .if there's this much doubt, why not listen to it, can the nudity and slip on a robe. It takes about one second, and it should serve to resolve her inner conflict. Personally, I can't even imagine that it would do any harm.

Unless. . . unless the nudity is something she really wants and needs to do (probably unconsciously). In which case, boy does she need to stop, and now.

I see a lot of militant pro-nudity/anti-repression placard-waving here. The trouble is, we ARE a repressed society. It isn't healthy, but there it is. One of the reason Britney's panty-less forays were so squirm-inducing is that we're not used to seeing naked vulvas getting in and out of cars. Quite simply, it's inappropriate. If there's any doubt at all, even a little bit of doubt, that this is appropriate behaviour, why not just stop? If you find it hard to stop, then you're in big trouble.

And then as now I am amused by the number of Salon readers (or at least people writing letters as directed by the people that run their lives, it's hard to distinguish sometimes) who equate nudity with sexuality. It's a choice. It's not everybody's choice, even in the U.S., no matter how YOU were raised to think. Any connections you make are yours, not the letter writer's, not society's. I'm part of society too, and you don't get to speak for me, thank you very much.

As far as the associated belief that getting comfortable with nudity will lead to dressing and acting in a slutty fashion--no. Demystifying the body means that suddenly there isn't an perceived difference between clothes that reveal and clothes that don't. Without that perceived difference, the transgressive appeal of the revealing clothes vanish.

All that said, yes, the point comes when a kid will get uncomfortable with casual household nudity, and that's when the boundaries (which were always there, whether you think so or not) shift. That's fine, it's not an issue, you move along and adapt.

perfectly put!

I'm one of the most straightlaced, uptight people I know and I am periodically unclothed in front of my son quite frequently and have been since he was a baby. I don't sit around naked or cook dinner naked or anything, but yes, getting out of the shower, he might be standing there brushing his teeth before I wrap a towel on, or I might discard the towel as I walk six feet to the bedroom. Or he is sitting on the bed telling me about his latest fight with his best friend while I'm dressing for work. I defy anyone to tell me there is ANYTHING wrong with this. My parents were somewhat similar, and I remember when I didn't want to see them naked I just left the room when they were dressing. No need for a big speech or anything. It's a family, for heaven's sake.

And, by all means, let's make sure our kids see as much gore and violence and murder on TV as possible, but, oh my god NOT A BREAST!!!!!!!!!!!!! They'll be screwed up for life!!!!

Call me old fashioned, I just don't think it's really appropriate. I'm a woman and seeing my mother naked the few times I did when I was little is forever burned in my mind and not in a good way. I have never seen my father naked but would DREAD it. Just put some clothes on for gods sake, what's the big deal? It is confusing for your son I'm sure and just simply not worth the convenience of being able to walk around naked in your home.

Some of your "feminists" may shout CHILD MOLESTER!

Which may or may not be right.

But women have more of a right to be naked around their children because their bodies spat them out through the vagina, the child's belly button is a peice of mommy and mommy probably gave them the boob for some noursihment in those really early years.

The child is quite familiar with mom's body.

And maybe the kid his dad's eyes. Sort of.

Dear LW,

While you don't want your kids to be taken away from you, don't listen to those assholes spouting off about the culture we live in. This country has a variety of colorful counter cultures for a reason.