Pint-Sized Streakers

Remember the days when you could just strip down and walk around naked like it was no big deal? No, I'm not talking about your college experience or the trip you took to that music festival, I mean the uninhibited freedom of being a toddler! Ok, maybe the memories are fuzzy now, but it's no secret that there are some kids that just love to spend their days in the buff.  A lot of moms use this to their advantage during the potty training stage, but when do baby bums strutting around the house (and beyond) become a no-no? A recent article from the New York Times takes a peek at how some parents deal with their children's penchant for nudity -- and the reactions that it can elicit from family and friends.

The topic of nudity and kids has also been a subject of debate on our message boards, from concerns over "how old is too old?" and whether nudity in children is more acceptable for boys than girls. Some moms share their observations:

I think you will be able to tell when your child is becoming conscious of their body and is embarrassed by what you are doing. As for Jacob, he would be content to run around naked outside and in public all day - I have trouble keeping clothes on him.  -- cl-babyjakes

I think that once kids start walking, being naked in public isn't OK anymore. Aside from the quick diaper change, that is. I usually try to keep [my daughter] out of eyesight when I have to change her in public, too. And even when we are at home and she wants to go to the back yard naked or in her panties I make her put clothes on. -- bellabunnysmama

[My son] spends a lot of time naked due to [potty training], but when someone comes over that isn't a very close friend, we put something on him. In ones home is completely different than in public imho. -- christinaone

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Since it is beach and pool season, some moms are also concerned about privacy, as tots often make any beach a nude beach. This iVillager makes an interesting point about a more public world:

I see little ones buck naked on the beach all the time, I think if my kids were babies again, I would not do it in a public beach.  Home in the backyard yes! We didn't grow up with YouTube or electronic porn, so now you have to be proactive in protecting yourself.  -- michiganmotormom

Another mom shares her "been there, done that" experience:

All I can say is that it is a good thing that I don't have a problem with small children being naked.  [My daughter], at age 3, stripped naked at a friend's birthday party because they had a kiddie pool there and she didn't have a swimsuit. 

That said, I have had to make a rule about them being naked in the backyard.  I think [my daughter] was about 7 years old when I started telling her not to be naked in the backyard, but really got firm about it by the time she was 8. She's completely comfortable in her own skin and just has no idea that anyone could look at her in an inappropriate way but certainly, at age 9, it's more than time for her to start understanding modesty. -- elisedf

The seemingly simple act of being naked brings up a lot of questions in the parenting realm -- namely, how do we encourage our kids to be comfortable with their bodies while protecting their privacy and making sure they don't perform their latest striptease in the middle of the mall food court? Are we as a society too freaked out by nudity in general? We'd love to hear your thoughts on these little streakers -- especially if you have one at home! Do you think it's something to worry about or really no big deal?