They’re parenting with the bare necessities.
Without shame, nor a stitch of clothing, some mothers are perfectly comfortable being completely nude in front of their kiddos, despite a little one’s age or gender.
These unabashed forbearers are being hailed as pioneers of the “naked mom theory” movement, a digital trend in which woman are celebrating their natural frames while simultaneously demonstrating body positivity and self-acceptance to their young.
But not everyone online is applauding the raw child-rearing style.
“I learned about the ‘naked mom theory’ last night. As someone who didn’t grow up around women that s—t has me blown,” a stunned X user tweeted. “Y’all mamas was naked around yall?.”
The question garnered a wave of mixed responses from supporters and detractors of the lifestyle.
“The ‘naked mom theory’ is actually rooted in attachment psychology. Children who grow up with body neutral households develop significantly less shame, healthier relationships with their own bodies, and lower rates of eating disorders,” an advocate commented. “The cultures that hide the human body the most are the same ones with the highest rates of body dysmorphia. Shame isn’t modesty, it’s a taught disease.”
“It’s actually important that kids see naked bodies in a non sexual way,” another tweeted. “This is why so many people have issues nowadays. You should be seeing your father and mother nude.”
The insights, however, were countered by critics of adults who parent in the buff.
“Why the f- -k would a man walk naked in front of their eight-year-old daughter and vice versa, you sick f- -k,” a hater howled.
“My mama never walked around naked. That sounds traumatic as f- -k,” a separate virtual naysayer spat.
“Uh, after a certain age, it’s no longer appropriate for kids to see their parent naked,” wrote an equally perturbed fault-finder.
“The Bible says ‘Look not upon your parent’s nakedness,’ a whistleblower quoted in a tweet. “I guess people have not been following that biblical injunction, and now we have cultural degeneration proliferating.”
Still, experts say being naked, or even walking around in undies, in full view of your tots isn’t totally taboo.
“There’s nothing inherently wrong with being nude with members of your family,” Paul Abramsom, professor of psychology at UCLA focusing on human sexuality, told Parents. He participated in research that found that parental nudity had no harmful effects on children ages 3 to 6.
But Amy Lang, a sexual health educator in Seattle, says its mothers and fathers shouldn’t feel pressured to either engage in or abstain from the trend.
“If you’re comfortable being naked in front of your kids, be naked. If you’re not, keep your clothes on,” she said in a statement to the outlet. “As long as the message is that it’s about privacy and not shame, embarrassment, or anything negative.”
But she emphasizes the importance of respecting a child’s boundaries around nudity — especially as the transition into adolescence.
“It’s imperative that you respect your child’s wishes in terms of covering up or what they need in terms of their privacy,” Lang insisted. “You want them to know that a safe adult respects a child’s boundaries.”
Aviva Braun, a social worker specializing in body image and eating problems, agreed
“We have to start teaching kids at a young age that we are imperfect by nature, and our bodies go through changes and transitions.”
Maleah Poole, a content creator who purportedly grew up with a “naked mom,” says the impact of her upbringing was positively life-changing. She credits her mom’s openness with helping her feel “comfortable in my own skin” as an adult whose weight tends to fluctuate.
“I’ve seen my mom’s naked body at every point in life, from her smallest weight to her largest weight,” Poole confessed in a vid, “and I’ve seen how comfortable she is.”
The brunette went on to praise her mom for pushing past any physical insecurities she may have had, and publicly strutting her stuff — sometimes even in bikinis — sans shame. Those childhood memories encourage Poole to follow suit when her body image is askew.
“Having a naked mom has been very beneficial.”
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