Dressing in Front of 2 Year Old

My kids are 4 and 8. Boy and girl.
I and my Husband change in front of them... not making it a big deal... it just is. We don't flaunt anything, we just change clothes. They do too.
No biggie.
My kids don't think it is a big deal either.
When my oldest, my daughter, wants privacy, she just says so. Fine. We taught her that. And kids will do that, on their own at a certain age.

My kids will say "you have hair down there...." I say "Yes, that is what grown ups look like.. you will too when you grow up..." No biggie.

Both my kids know their body parts, that boys and girls look different. When I or my Husband are showering, they often barge right in and start talking about whatever. Its no 'shock' and no big deal to them. We don't act like its a big deal either. To my kids... its just not a big deal.

all the best,
Susan

I change in front of my kids ( 6 and 3 and both boys). We do not make a big deal out of it. I agree no big deal. When they want privacy they will ask.

I love Susan's response... as long as you maintain that it's not a big deal and you're not embarrassed, they won't be either. My girls are 6 and 7, and I change in front of the all the time. My BF doesn't let them see him in less than boxers, but me, I will walk from the bathroom to my room naked if I forgot my towel or something. I grew up very embarrassed at nudity, and I don't want to raise my children the same way. There's nothing to be embarrassed about, we've all got bits and pieces, if someone sees you naked while you're changing, whatever. There's a difference between modesty and feeling guilty and embarrassed about being naked. When I was an EMT we had to cut the shirt off an older woman, and she fought us so badly she hurt herself worse than she was already hurt, because she didn't want her chest exposed! I don't want to raise my children like that. Be modest, know when nudity is appropriate and inappropriate, but at home, it's a nonissue.

My son is 3.5 and I occassionally change in front of him. Honestly, I think it's a personal decision. When they ask questions, you answer them, but at 2 and younger, they don't even notice. I'll probably stop all the way when he's around 4 years old. I'm guessing that your kids may separate themselves as part of their natural development and privacy, but you have to go with your comfort level.

Susan's answer is great - I do the same thing when my son notices a difference. It's kinda cool, actually, to use these little teaching moments to help them be comfortable with themselves.

It's really just up to you. My 4.5 year old boy still showers with me sometime in the morning and almost always watches me put on my makeup and get dressed. I'm ready for the audience to stop, and we've been making inroads in that direction, but he still walks in and hangs out sometime. I've known families who wander around naked in front of one another forever. It's really a personal preference.

It was at five that I remember my 7.5 year old brother wanting to bathe with me and was rather insistant. I felt uncomfortable with that and told mom I didn't want to bathe with him anymore. So, I think that's the age when they start to notice.

At that age, I will turn around if they follow me into a room when I'm dressing so they don't see bare naked breasts and groin area. I try to make it seem natural. I remember seeing my father once accidentally when I suddenly opened his bedroom door. Don't know the age but I was aghast at how big it was and I never wanted to make that mistake again.

I kind of have a story for you. Way back when, when my bf (now husband) moved in with each other, his little boy was 4 yrs old. I never really dressed or undressed in front of him, but if he happened to be in the room I never asked him to leave. But then about a year later when he was 5, I was getting dressed after taking a shower and walked into our room. He stopped and gave me the up and down look. It felt really uncomfortable. I then asked him to leave. Pretty much after that I never was totally undressed in front of him. I would always have my underclothes on. I just remember at that moment when he was looking at me and thought to myself.... thats a look I only want your daddy to be doing. lol. You will know when the right time for you will be. I know have 4yr old twin boys. They barge in on me in the bathroom and shower. They just think its something we do, and no big deal.

Someone told em once, It's when they notice. Kind of like Adam and eve. When I was naked and noone noticed, I was fine with it. But once they became aware I felt ashamed.

I don't know that there is a "right age" but I do know that until my kids can handle themselves without me around for more than a few minutes...they can be in the room when I'm changing. Basically, I mean, I'm not going to put my toddler in the crib so I can go to another room to change. If my preschooler is telling me what went on at school and I need to change, I just do it. My 3 year old asks all sorts of questions about my body is different than hers and how hers is different than her brother's and we just have a matter of fact chat about it. Now...down the road, when they are older and can be left behind a closed door for a little while and I trust they won't get into anything, that's when I'll ask for a little privacy...not because I'm worried about them seeing me naked, but because darnit...I haven't had the chance to shower or pee or change ALONE in years! It would be a luxury! LOL

i see nothing wrong with dressing and changing in front of them at that age. my kids are 2 and 4 and they frequently are with me as i'm dressing/undressing. i find that when parents are comfortable with nudity, the transition to "privacy" is more natural.

i have an older son (19), and as a young boy, he frequently saw me nude. as he got older 5 or 6, he just stopped. but even now, he's very comfortable with nudity, and has a healthy outlook on sexuality, et al.

now, regardless of age, i think the boundaries lines are drawn during intimacy.

be well

I think at about 5 years old. I don't dress in front of my 6 year old son but I will get dressed and use the bathroom in front of my 3 year old daughter. Also I will help my 6 year old get the shower started but he showers himself and gets dressed himself. I sometimes have to help him get out and get a towel. But we've talked about how boys and girls bodies differ and how it's not okay to dress/undress outside the bathroom or what part of our bodies you shouldn't let anyone touch. I think you're okay with your 1 & 2 year old.

You probably don't need to worry about it until about age 4, that's what most of the "experts" say. If you or they feel uncomfortable before then, then stop. I wouldn't worry too much right now.

T., I'm laughing as I type this answer, because it reminded me of something I haven't thought about in years. I stopped dressing in front of my older son when he was about 4 because of what my husband told me one day. He said that the night before, my son was going up the stairs, and when Dad asked where he was going, our son asnwered him, "I'm going to watch Mommy take a shower." I locked the door from them on!

My husband was so cute. He would ever so often come in and tell me that it was his turn to watch me shower! Boys never change!

Have a lovely day!
Dawn

As long as you are comfortable with it, I see no problem with it. I have two girls so I know it's a bit different but I think that 2 and 1 is definitely too young to worry about it. I'd assume that around age 5 or 6 you should start to request some privacy.

My boys are 5 and 6, and although I do not make it a big deal, I do explain to them that mommies need privacy. They should not have body shame, but they should be able to respect boundaries.

When you start telling them you'd like some privacy to change (use the bathroom, shower, etc), they are going to start telling you the same thing.
By the time they are in kindergarten (about 5) they should be able to dress themselves (it took awhile for my son to master zippers) and handle going to the bathroom. Bathing/showering on their own takes a bit more time (if you don't want a flooded bathroom - water is just too much fun to play with).

I agree that it all depends on their maturity level. I would think with the opposite sex it would be between 8-10 years old. I dress in front of my 3 year old and my husband still showers and then gets dressed and is not concerned if she walks in/out of the room. He has started going to the bathroom and making sure she does not go in there with him because she was watching him pee and I think it freaked him out! I have a feeling he'll stop dressing around her a lot earlier than I will with my son - just a feeling I have!

If you are uncomfortable with it, they will pick up on that and then the possible shame factor comes into play.

I've always been very open around my daughter, no shame or modesty here. She is 16 and still will walk in on me on occasion.

Now hubby is completely different, he does make sure he has gym shorts on but she still caught him to as she was growing up but that hasn't happened in a few years.

When should you not change in front of them? When they walk out of the room when you start to change. It depends on their developmental maturity. If you walk around the house partially dressed, then it will be later.

Good luck to you and yours.

Well it all depends on you beliefs but in the link I am providing, 33% said they never stop changing in front of their children of opposite sex and 17% said 5 yrs and older:

http://www.theskinnyscoop.com/question/q/123?utm_campaign...

Your two kids are still a bit young. When they start recognizing body parts and know for sure that girls and boys are different - that's when you consider stopping. That started for my child around 3 or 4.