What is it with young kids and being naked? I mean, seriously.
My daughter, bless her soul, has a modicum of decency in her. She’ll run from the bathroom to the bedroom (or vice versa depending on if bath is about to be performed or has just been completed). You don’t see her naked anywhere else.
Mr. Man, however, is an unabashed exhibitionist.
I undress him, put him on his feet and tell him to go to the bathroom. He then runs in that odd bowlegged way of all toddlers, arms flailing and giggling out of control as he leads a chase through the house.
This would not be such a problem except his new skills of speed and hairpin direction changes will often lead to me not stopping him before he rubs his naked boy parts and butt all over one of the living room pieces of furniture. If it’s a particularly harrowing day, he’ll hit both the chair and the couch, climbing all over each.
The return trip to the bedroom is as much of a spectacle. And in that scenario, he’s a slippery little dude, quite literally. And I swear he knows it.
Hubby’s contribution to the evening exhibition? He shouts “streaker!!” as the child races by.
Now, typically I’d not be condoning any of this behavior, either that of Mr. Man or his male parental unit. However, there’s that glass houses thing.
You see, when my brother and I were kids, we played “Body Woman and Body Man.”
This particular piece of childhood entertainment consisted of my brother (2 ½ years my younger) and I stripping naked and running around the house shouting “BODY WOMAN AND BODY MAN!” with the passion and pronouncement of a League of Justice narrator.
We thought of ourselves as super heroes. Not sure what we were supposed to be super doing, but we were super none the less.
My mother however, according to my dad, ran around the house closing curtains and blinds as fast as she could lest the neighbors postulate we were all into some kind of kinky child porn ring.
So as Mr. Man streaks through the house in reckless abandon, I just have to laugh. I know he comes across it honestly. And chasing him brings back memories of those long ago buff super heroes of my younger years.
The only thing that baffles me though is why I’m now so very self conscious when I’m naked. Granted, I’m not suggesting I rip the clothes from my body and join Mr. Man in his gleeful rampage as I announce my, err, super powers. It’s just sometimes fun to live vicariously through him.
Ahhh, childhood innocence and a complete lack of humiliation. How I miss thee.
{ 5 comments }
Thanks for putting a big smile on my face. Reminds me of running around our house, naked, when we were probably 5 or 6 and had recently returned from swimming. We would strip off our swimsuits and run around our house a few times. My son, as a toddler, much preferred to be naked than anything else; and earned the nickname Naked Boy. Today, if you drop by our place, more often than not you’ll find my Nake Boy sporting only a shirt and underwear (as his is at this very moment).
Yes, why it is that we are taught to be so ashamed of our bodies in this culture, is such a shame. You don’t see it in some other countries. One time when my little guy was changing into his swimsuit at a park- sharing his nakedness with the world, someone casually asked if he had no shame (sort of jokingly). I said, no, I haven’t taught him to be ashamed. (I figured he’d develop modesty in time- and he has).
Twitter: Heligirl
March 20, 2011 at 2:02 pm
I hadn’t thought of that in respect to how our culture makes us feel so ashamed of our nudity, but you have a great point. Glad to hear I’m not the only one who ran around the house naked. Good times, good times. 🙂
DS couldn’t care less if he is dressed or not–it makes no difference to him! In fact, he finds it absolutely hilarious to run away from me if I happen to perform a diaper change in the living room. This happened just this past Thursday, in fact, and I discovered that DS has quite the…shall we say…range…LOL
I figure if I walk around naked in my house (with the blinds decently closed LOL) why can’t he? He’s not hurting anyone, certainly not himself 😛
Twitter: NatashaJ
March 25, 2011 at 7:09 am
@Susan is right: I think it’s a cultural thing that affects us grownups
too, as hinted at by the ‘self-conscious’ line.
Our retail-driven
celebration/exploitation of the young, nubile, hard body (Abercrombie and
Fitch ad anyone?) makes that seem like the norm. So the thought of parading
a less than hard/air-brushed form – even in our own curtained living or
bedroom – seems inappropriate. And it’s not! But I do refrain from rubbing the girl parts on anything. 😉
Being on the other side of giving birth to two kids, I’m well aware that things are lower and jiggly-er than in the past. But I’ve got great kids to show for it and I’m doing my part to keep things from sliding any further.
And I try to convey to the kiddos that their bodies are beautiful and nothing to be ashamed of. Unlike some outfits I’ve seen people wear in an effort to hide what’s underneath. Note: baggy sweats and stained t-shirts ain’t hiding anything but your dignity. 😉 Thanks for a thought-provoking post.
Twitter: Heligirl
March 25, 2011 at 8:24 am
You’re so right. I’m pretty certain the saggy, muffin top freakiness of my postpartum body (which by the way looks like it’s aged 15 years in the span of four) paired with images of gorgeous models and heavily altered celebrity moms lends a level of insecurity to my thoughts when I look in the mirror naked. Some days I wonder why my hubby is attracted to me. But then I turn out the light and he’s happy to get my attention, so I guess that works! 🙂