Bringing up Children to Sleep in the Nude

[CurlyMopHead]

Chatting with other parents at our village "Mums and Tots" group a couple of weeks ago, the subject of children's nightwear, and in particular the merits or otherwise of children sleeping in the nude, cropped up. While the group of some dozen or so parents was, unsurprisingly, virtually unanimous in never wearing anything in bed themselves, a possibly unexpected outcome was that virtually all of our respective children did likewise, although my own children have been nude sleepers since they were dry at night. When we compared notes, it appeared that most of us were more than happy for our kids to follow our nude-sleeping example, and that in most of our homes, little encouragement was needed for our kids to eschew any form of nightwear. However, one mother, somewhat controversially, admitted to actually insisting that her children sleep bare on hygiene grounds, an admission that caused more than a little adverse comment.

What does everyone think? Is our group anomalous, or do most kids sleep in the nude these nights? Ane if they prefer nightclothes, is it right to insist that they sleep in their birthday suits?

[nakedjohn]

Let kids do what they want, if they see parents sleeping in the nude, they probably will do the same, kids like to copy parents. If they wear pj's they will do so, if they sleep in underwear they will want to sleep in theirs too.

[nacktman]

Most if not all kids prefer to sleep nude (its a human thing).
Whether or not most do is not an easy question to answer - overall I would say yes world-wide, but different locales different cultures and mores will dictate the 'number' actually sleeping nude.

If they prefer sleeping in some type of night clothes one should not insist* they do not even though it is more sanitary to be nude.
*(except in those cases where unsanitary can lead to life threatening illness - which though rare can and do occur ... then insisting on them sleeping nude is required).
By the same token if they prefer to sleep nude insisting that they wear some type of night clothes is wrong.

[JeepNude]

Seriously, kids sleeping nude is the only thing I have ever encountered all my life, so sleeping with clothe on just seems really weird.

So, with my obvious nude sleeping prejudice in mind, I can't imagine ever telling my kid to wear something to bed. If the kid wants to put something on, fine. If not, no way I would ever force the kid to.

Although, being in California, things are much different that other climates in the world. I am sure that if it was freezing outside and I did not want to spend a ton of money heating my bedroom, I would probably put something on to keep warm without thinking about it much.

[NudonyII]

Most if not all kids prefer to sleep nude (its a human thing).


My daughter is one of the exceptions. She has always preferred sleeping with something on. Even though she had seen and knew Mom and Dad always slept nude. And even if she had just spent the day or evening nude: she would reach for her nightgown or t-shirt come bedtime. The only time she has slept nude was because her "sun-bitten" skin made clothing a little too uncomfortable.

I never questionned it; because I feel it is important for children to do their thing in terms of the "when and how" they go nude at home.

[jon71]

My wife and I haven't worn anything to bed in many years. Our girl usually wears panties and occasionally pj.s. If she wanted to sleep nude she could but I'll never make her, that would just be weird.

[jandatxnude]

Our kids both slept nude as soon as we allowed them out of diapers during the night. Our son was more anxious to get to sleep nude than our daughter, but both wound up nude after the diapers. As others have stated, the kids learn from their parents. They saw us sleeping nude, and going nude around the house, and simply wanted to follow our lead.

Barefoot-n-Nude in Texas!

[Nudeinbama]

If you're raising your kids in a nudist home this has got to be one of the best factors for letting them know that nude is natural and O.K., but I'd never force them to be nude, just let them know its fine to be.
Nudeinbama

[GradPaper08]

hmmm interesting

[Mike2Nude]

Our oldest asks to sleep nude from time to time, but he won't use the covers and at this time of the year, he gets up in the morning complaining about being cold. When it warms up, or he decides to leave the covers on, fine.

[nakedcowboy]

If I ever get to be a dad it will be my son's choice. I started on my own at 13 and think most boys would choose it if they felt it was their option.

[unitednudist]

I never forced my son to wear clothes. I just never bought PJ's. If my son ever asks (Which i truely doubt) then i will get them.

[dinner123]

I as well dont have kids yet, which is good considering I have yet to marry. But when I do, as long as my wife is ok with it, I dont plan on telling them what to wear, just tell them that they can wear what they want.

[Rick_42]

It's a matter of personal preference to sleep nude, in underwear, in pajamas, or a t-shirt. The parents shouldn't make a big deal abou it.

[bill2me]

The first thing I thought of here was how old is the child? Babies and little kids very often will not stay under the covers and therefore need to be, shall we say, helped. Once a child is old enough to understand and if they want to try it, I say go for it. I sleep naked why shouldn't my children?

[Ken Palmer]

Hey nakedjohn. I think it's correct to say let kids do what they want, or more importantly let them do what they feel comfortable. I myself am not a parent, so I can engage in some aspects of this discussion obviously. I have said this many times in previous posts, but I will say it again. I was not raised as a nudist, as we were a strict Christian family. So sleeping in the nude in our house was expressly forbidden. But I did it a few times as a pre-teen and never got caught fortunately. However, it all came down on me as a young adult. My dad caught me sleeping naked one night and asked me to refrain from doing it again the next morning. Even though I was in my own bedroom, it was my parents' house nevertheless. I didn't move out until I was 26 years old! That was when I began to fully exercise my nudism totally free of criticism. Anyway, I didn't mean to stray from the main subject here. Sorry!

Ken Palmer



Let kids do what they want, if they see parents sleeping in the nude, they probably will do the same, kids like to copy parents. If they wear pj's they will do so, if they sleep in underwear they will want to sleep in theirs too.

[bernardc]

Kids take very naturally to the nudist thing,any way.I do have a problem though with the ideae that there are parents that strictly object to their kids sleeping nude!I just wonder many times,what is it with those parents,and what would be their motivation behind that objection.My son ,one night ,out of his own,decided that he was going to sleep naked,wel...i sort of set the oppertunities for him...i would let him sleep naked innitially once a week,and keep him naked as long as I could...and within a matter of three weeks,he shunned his yammies,and have been sleeping naked since the age of 5,and he is 14 now.
Health wise,especially boys,sleeping naked is very healthy,especially for the testicles.Especially in puberty,seeing as the testicles expand and shrink with temprature fluctuations.The less inhibbeted the testicles are,the better the blood supply,and the higher the fertility.nude is best,and especially in the winter,sleeping nude,circulates the body heat between the bedclothes and skin,and the lees clothing,the more warm the sleep.

[dinner123]

My son ,one night ,out of his own,decided that he was going to sleep naked,wel...i sort of set the oppertunities for him...i would let him sleep naked innitially once a week,and keep him naked as long as I could...and within a matter of three weeks,he shunned his yammies,and have been sleeping naked since the age of 5,and he is 14 now.


Why did you let him sleep naked only once a week?

[Yuppers]

We only make our children wear bed clothes if it is too cold to sleep naked.

[BareWidget]

What about sleepovers? How is it handled when a kid goes to a friend's house? I'm just curious, my nephew is coming up on the age when he will start having sleepovers and going to other freind's houses.

[Agde]

What about sleepovers? How is it handled when a kid goes to a friend's house? I'm just curious, my nephew is coming up on the age when he will start having sleepovers and going to other freind's houses.
The rule-of-thumb for us has always been that the host household sets the sleepover dress-code, so if our kids were going elsewhere, we'd check with the parents, and if we were hosting, we'd check with parents. It's often a great opportunity to open a discussion on different "family traditions" and about naturism. Of course another naturist rule-of-thumb is that we respect the feelings of any guest, so it is a great learning experience for naturist kids -- guests may also be naturist, or they may not be naturist but are comfortable with us being naturist, or they may only be comfortable if people are dressed a certain way. If we don't know, we ask because if we invite them, we want them to be comfortable. In practice, once the other parents knew our household and how we managed the kids, they were fine with the kids sleeping any way they were comfortable. Kids naturally understand context. At our house, the kids quickly adapted -- some would try "our way" and others stayed with "their way", and everyone learned that any "way" was equally ok. At other houses, they similarly adpated -- the naturist kids had appropriate attire to take to "pajama houses." No big deal.

[CurlyMopHead]

We only make our children wear bed clothes if it is too cold to sleep naked.

Children are fairly adaptable, self-regulating creatures, especially in the absence of parental interference. If our kids complain they are cold in bed, we will suggest that they put some clothing on - sometimes they take our advice, most times they don't, but at the end of the day, it's their call. Overall, they value their nudity too much to let a little bedroom chill get in the way.

[dinner123]

At our house, the kids quickly adapted -- some would try "our way" and others stayed with "their way", and everyone learned that any "way" was equally ok. At other houses, they similarly adpated -- the naturist kids had appropriate attire to take to "pajama houses." No big deal.

do you ever have parents who refuse to let the kids sleep naked, or have kids who are uncomfortable with your kids sleeping naked?

[NudonyII]

When it came to nudity, I always let my daughter make up her own mind about when and where. Very early on, after being given the choice, she expressed the desire to wear something in bed - in spite of her mother and myself always sleeping nude; so a few nightgowns were purchased. The only time she's ever slept nude where at sleepovers at nudist friends' home, or if we stayed overnight at the resort - maybe it had to do with being nude in the sun all day. I had no idea why at home she would be nude up until bedtime, bathe and then get dressed for bed - but it was her choice.

I'll echo what some of the other members said: just let the kids do what they want.

[Yuppers]

Our children are comfortable with their bodies. There have been times where I have slept on my bed during the day, only to wake up to one or two naked children cuddling up to me.

As with sleepovers, should they have a friend stayover, the general rule is to wear clothes however, if they and their friend/s decide they wish to be naked, then do so in their bedroom and let us know so we don't just barge in. This is because we don't know any naturist families here and I doubt their parents would like to hear that some man walked hung around naked with them.

[Sauna]

To us it have been natural. We have never made any number of it. The only problem to children seem to be that they have hide it from other children who are not nudists. At our summer place all children have been naked without hesitation because it is the natural way to be. In teenage they start to think it.