Mom of 3 POV: We’re a Naked Household—What’s the Big Deal?

Not long ago, model and mom-of-four Chrissy Teigen posted a picture of herself with three of her kids in the bathtub and the internet—predictably—lost its mind. While some critics took issue with her sharing the image online (that’s a discussion for another day), many were scandalized simply because she was naked around her kids. And to that, I say…yeesh, really?

Look, I get it. Not everyone grew up in a house where nudity was no big deal. But for me? It was just part of life. Coming from Northern Europe, summers were spent streaking through the backyard, and sauna culture meant that being naked was as normal as eating breakfast. Seeing my parents in the buff wasn’t shocking—it was just a regular Tuesday.

Now, as a parent of three, I seem to have carried this casual approach into my own home. My kids treat clothes as more of a suggestion than a requirement, I’m half-dressed more often than not (I have a 5-month-old and I’m nursing—why bother covering up?), and my husband will hop in the shower with my kindergartner to save time. It’s not something we stress over.

Some of this comes down to practicality—who has time to get dressed behind closed doors when the school bus will be here any minute? But beyond the convenience factor, I see it as a way to normalize what real bodies look like. In a world where filters and AI can tweak everything to “perfection,” I want my kids to grow up knowing that human bodies—stretch marks, squishy bits and all—are pretty amazing.

Equally important, I want my kids to feel comfortable talking about bodies, boundaries and consent—without any awkwardness or shame. While writing this article, a friend told me how embarrassed she felt as a little girl when her dad suddenly announced she couldn’t change in front of him anymore. That kind of abrupt shift can turn something totally normal into something really uncomfortable. By keeping things open and judgment-free, I hope to create an environment where my kids feel at ease in their bodies and comfortable having honest conversations.

Now, I know there are people (like some of Teigen’s Instagram critics) who think this kind of approach—if you can even call it that—is somehow harmful to kids. But research suggests there’s no cause for concern. One 18-year long study found no harmful effects of early childhood exposure to parental nudity, while another study found that “experiences of naturism were associated with positive, not negative outcomes.” At the end of the day, bodies are just… bodies. It’s only through the grown-up lens that they become something sexual or problematic.

Of course, there need to be boundaries. In our house, we cover up when friends come over (well, the kids throw on some underwear at least). And I don’t expect this phase to last forever. Like everything in parenting, it’s about knowing your own children. I’m sure mine will let me know when nudity—ours or theirs—starts feeling awkward. (I remember hitting my tween years and telling my dad I wasn’t cool with him walking around naked anymore. He respected it and stopped—simple as that.)

FWIW, I asked clinical psychologist and CEO/cofounder of KulaMind Dr. Kibby McMahon about all this and was reassured that “in general, it's normal to be naked around your children, but it depends on a lot of different factors like your family values, social norms in your culture, and individual relationships with your kids.” The expert also stressed that while there are no hard and fast rule on when parents should stop being naked around their kids, “it makes sense that when kids approach adolescence, around ages 9 or 10, their relationship to their bodies and genitals start to change dramatically and so that may be a good time to reevaluate your family's approach.”

Ultimately, I just want to make sure my kids feel comfortable in their own skin—literally and figuratively. If that means getting some raised eyebrows from the neighbors, so be it.

The sheer volume of paperwork—bills, artwork, permission slips, you name it—that comes into my house could fill a library. In an effort to regain control of the chaos, I’ve implemented a new system with three stacked trays. One for the kids' artwork we want them to think that we’re going to keep forever (but will probably toss soon), one for bills and important paperwork that actually requires our attention, and the top tray for everyday essentials and miscellaneous stuff like wallets, coffee loyalty cards, coupons, etc. It’s not perfect, but for now, it’s keeping at least some of the madness at bay.