# Nudity and privacy at home

**What are our rules on nudity and privacy at home?**

How relaxed the household is about being undressed in front of children, and how body privacy changes as they grow.

In short: Parents choose between 3 main approaches: Open nudity as normal; Open when young, phased privacy; Always covered. Evidence: your call. No outcome evidence picks a winner. Preference, culture, money and logistics decide. Best settled: toddler.

- Area: Health, body and toileting
- Evidence: Your call
- Best settled: Toddler
- First published: 2026-10-03
- Last updated: 2026-10-05
- Page: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/topics/health-body-and-toileting--nudity-and-privacy-at-home

## Nudity and privacy at home: what are the options?

1. **Open nudity as normal**: Being undressed around each other is ordinary in your home.
2. **Open when young, phased privacy**: You are relaxed when children are small and add privacy as they grow.
3. **Always covered**: Family members stay covered around each other.

## Nudity and privacy at home: what does the evidence say?

**Your call.** No outcome evidence picks a winner. Preference, culture, money and logistics decide.

The main published study followed 200 children from the UCLA Family Lifestyles Project for 18 years and found that early exposure to parental nudity showed no detrimental effects at ages 17-18 on self-acceptance, relationships, behavior or substance use. Its sample came from unconventional families, so it does not settle how typical families should choose. A frequently repeated claim that the AAP recommends modesty from about age 6 could not be traced to an AAP source, so treat age cutoffs as family norms, not medical rules; teaching body privacy and consent is a separate point

Sources:

- [Okami et al., 1998](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1018736109563)

## What else is worth knowing?

Families vary a lot in how relaxed they are about being undressed around children. Comfort levels usually shift as children grow and start wanting privacy. Following the child's cues is a common approach.

## Questions to ask each other

- How comfortable were our families with nudity at home?
- How comfortable are we?
- When do we think privacy should start to matter?

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General information, not medical advice. Two parents can each answer this and compare: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/explore?cat=health-body-and-toileting&topic=health-body-and-toileting--nudity-and-privacy-at-home