Showering question

[airforce]

Is it appropiate for a father to continue to shower with his 3 1/2 year old daughter? I (his girlfriend), think that once the child gets to the age where she realizes the difference between male and female parts, then it's time to bathe the child on her own. What do you think?

[georgit79]

don't be ridiculous, he's her dad! of course it's ok! I think this is society gone mad if this is deemed inappropriate. Soon enough dads won't be able to change their daughters' nappies and vice versa.

[twiglet4frog]

i have a 4 year old daughter and i am her father and i have always since about 2 years old been careful about being naked in front of her. I know it is probably being a bit overboard and i do think that 99.9% of cases are innocent but with a wife that was sexually abused as a child i am much more careful about decency around my kid. Besides..... who would want to catch me naked anyway?

[Mistopheles]

My dad walked around naked a lot until I was about 6 or so, and it just seemed normal to me. Meant I was more relaxed with the human body. He never showered with me though. I should think it's okay for a bit longer, as long as he's not still doing it when she's 16!

[silly moo]

It's OK as long as the child is not embarrasssed or upset.
There will come a time when she will no longer want her Dad to see her naked or see him naked. (often around age 10 + )
Until then let her keep her innocence please.

[BossyBoots]

Isn't it really sad that we have to worry about how we deal with our children.  I think he should maybe stop when he begins to think that it could be taken the wrong way.  There are so many people willing to turn something into nothing and some serious damage could be done. 

[Gef]

Excellent answer sillymoo. Let the daughter decide.

[Scarlett]

Sillymoo-

I would be wary of a 10 year old girl taking a shower with her Dad. I think as toddlers it is different, but from the age of "awareness" of about 6(school age), Dad should shower on his own. I know it is ridiculous, but as a teacher, I have witnessed the dreadful bullying that can occur when family activities such as these become public knowledge. One boy I teach was still being breast-fed at 7, and he assumed this was normal. When he discussed it with his friends at school, he was bullied really badly.

If a 10 year old girl in my class was having showers with her Dad, I would worry what would happen to her if she innocently mentioned this to her friends.

 

Just my opinion.

[R1]

I have two children a boy who is now 21 (living together with his girlfriend) and a 10 year old daughter. I have stopped "washing" together since she was about 6 years old. It didn't feel right. However we still wander around naked through our own house.....that's quite normal. There will come a time that when the children get older that will stop too. No way do we walk around without our clothes on when our son (and girlfriend) come to stay for the weekend. In short, It isn't worth to worry about it too much. This world is going OTT. 

[livingstone1]

I think all of the above answers offer good commonsense advice, as parents we should be reclaiming our right to nurture are cherish our children as  we see fit. The other side of the coin may see the frightening situation where the child may tell a little friend or a nursery teacher that she sees daddy's private parts in the shower, or that he washes her naked, this can so easily end up in the ears of some zealot in social services and interperated by them in any way that suits their agenda. The power they have is terrifying, especially when used against the innocent. As you and your boyfriend are obviously having some doubt here, maybe bettter that dad keeps his shorts on, I always did with my kids.

[smee.tracey]

The world has gone mad.

Occasionally my son and I bathe together (he's 5) but he's getting too big to be able to splash about with me in there too!

We both walk around naked and as far as he's concerned it's normal. He'll decide when he's had enough.

I was brought up in a house that showed no flesh and consequently still feel very uneasy about my body with anyone except my son (I'm not weird). I want him to know that the body is a beautiful thing, we are not all alike, there are differences and things are either appropriate or inappropriate. He knows the difference between boys and girls and finds it hilarious, just like his peers. He also knows he can ask me anything and if I can't/won't show him, I'll tell him. That kind of open, honest relationship is dying out. I wish it wasn't.