Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site luke.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!mtuxo!mtunh!mtung!mtunf!ariel!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!hplabs!oliveb!bene!luke!itkin From: itkin@luke.UUCP (Steven List) Newsgroups: net.kids Subject: Re: nudity and kids Message-ID: <272@luke.UUCP> Date: Mon, 8-Jul-85 23:24:23 EDT Article-I.D.: luke.272 Posted: Mon Jul 8 23:24:23 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 13-Jul-85 12:19:08 EDT References: <219@cuuxa.UUCP> Reply-To: itkin@luke.UUCP (Steven List) Distribution: net Organization: Benetics Corp, Mt.View, CA Lines: 40 Summary: In article <219@cuuxa.UUCP> frye@cuuxa.UUCP (frye) writes: >This is in responce to Charlie Perkins' posting... >My personal belief is this: Don't let a child see >anything he/she will have questions about regarding sex 'til >such a time as the child can ask those questions an under- >stand the answers. > >I don't believe in creating questions in a child intention- >ally unless they can ask them and get an answer. I have some trouble with this attitude. Since I've already posted my feelings on the subject of nudity and children, I won't rehash the whole thing except to say that there are no rules against it in our house. The article written by frye implies that being naked in front of a child would create a question. Why? Nudity is natural. A child sees him/herself and his/her siblings nude. Also friends. Usually, if the child and parent are involved in any kind of sports activities (like swimming) the child will have been exposed to other adults and children in a locker room or such. Why go to the trouble of hiding it? The painful implication that nudity goes hand-in-hand with sex is the problem, and that is in the mind of the adults, not the children. When a child asks "What is that?", I answer. If it's my penis, that's what I say. The same goes for any other organ. They have them, so why shouldn't we? I fear that the attitude that frye (and others) have expressed is the cause of too much repression and confusion. That attitude causes the child to wonder "What are they hiding? It must be pretty important for them to work so hard at it! I better find out and then keep it a secret that I know what it is.". THAT scares me. I'm sure that children develop in a healthy fashion from both kinds of homes. I prefer, however, to avoid hiding things from my children rather than create unhealthy questions. -- *** * Steven List @ Benetics Corporation, Mt. View, CA * Just part of the stock at "Uncle Bene's Farm" * {cdp,greipa,idi,oliveb,sun,tolerant}!bene!luke!steven ***