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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Raising Children to Sleep Nude?	Mickey	Thursday, April 25, 2019
Question: My soon-to-be wife and I have both been committed nude sleepers since our early teens, and we have no intention of hiding this from our children, if and when we're so blessed. Since we believe this is the most natural and "traditional" way to sleep considering it was the norm until relatively recently in human history, we plan to raise children to also sleep nude as soon as they're dry at night. Even though it may not be as common for kids as it is for adults, I doubt there would be any issue with this morally, correct? In terms of prudence, does this approach make sense, or do you think it's better to raise them wearing pajamas and just let them eventually discover nocturnal nudity on their own?
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD Dear Mickey: I apologize for the long delay. Many adults sleep nude, men more than women. My father always slept nude. Your personal preferences on this is you and your wife's choice. As for raising the children to sleep nude, I personally would not do. It may cause problems once they are in school and other kids find out about it. The kids may make fun of them. Also, it would be completely inappropriate for your children to sleep nude when there are kids over for a sleepover, or if your kids go to a friend's house for a sleepover. There are obvious complications with sleepovers. Your kids would need to wear pajamas or at least underwear in these instances. If you teach them to sleep nude, but they cannot do so at sleepovers, it can give the impression to your kids that there is something wrong with sleeping nude, or something wrong with the other kids. They will be confused, getting mixed messages. Thus, while their is no moral issue, there is a child-rearing issue. Because of the mixed messages, the potential of your kids being made fun of, the complaints from other parents if your kids sleep nude at sleepovers, I strongly advise against teaching your children to sleep nude. I recommend teaching the kids nothing about this. They should have pajamas as is normal for children. They will know that you and your wife sleep nude, thus, without saying anything the kids will know of that option. As they grow up they can decide what they want to do. It should go without saying that you and your wife should not run around the house nude in front of the kids. The same goes for the kids, once they are beyond the age where public nudity is no longer typical (perhaps beyond 2 years of age, maybe 3). Everyone running around the house in the nude, in front of each other, would essentially fall into a philosophy and practice of nudism. There is a moral issues with that. Hope this helps, and congratulation on your upcoming marriage. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Raising Children to Sleep Nude?

Mickey

Thursday, April 25, 2019

Question:

My soon-to-be wife and I have both been committed nude sleepers since our early teens, and we have no intention of hiding this from our children, if and when we're so blessed.

Since we believe this is the most natural and "traditional" way to sleep considering it was the norm until relatively recently in human history, we plan to raise children to also sleep nude as soon as they're dry at night.

Even though it may not be as common for kids as it is for adults, I doubt there would be any issue with this morally, correct? In terms of prudence, does this approach make sense, or do you think it's better to raise them wearing pajamas and just let them eventually discover nocturnal nudity on their own?

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD

Dear Mickey:

I apologize for the long delay.

Many adults sleep nude, men more than women. My father always slept nude. Your personal preferences on this is you and your wife's choice.

As for raising the children to sleep nude, I personally would not do. It may cause problems once they are in school and other kids find out about it. The kids may make fun of them. Also, it would be completely inappropriate for your children to sleep nude when there are kids over for a sleepover, or if your kids go to a friend's house for a sleepover.

There are obvious complications with sleepovers. Your kids would need to wear pajamas or at least underwear in these instances. If you teach them to sleep nude, but they cannot do so at sleepovers, it can give the impression to your kids that there is something wrong with sleeping nude, or something wrong with the other kids. They will be confused, getting mixed messages.

Thus, while their is no moral issue, there is a child-rearing issue. Because of the mixed messages, the potential of your kids being made fun of, the complaints from other parents if your kids sleep nude at sleepovers, I strongly advise against teaching your children to sleep nude.

I recommend teaching the kids nothing about this. They should have pajamas as is normal for children. They will know that you and your wife sleep nude, thus, without saying anything the kids will know of that option. As they grow up they can decide what they want to do.

It should go without saying that you and your wife should not run around the house nude in front of the kids. The same goes for the kids, once they are beyond the age where public nudity is no longer typical (perhaps beyond 2 years of age, maybe 3).

Everyone running around the house in the nude, in front of each other, would essentially fall into a philosophy and practice of nudism. There is a moral issues with that.

Hope this helps, and congratulation on your upcoming marriage.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum