A little while ago the Tsunamis and I went for one of our ‘little walks’ where we just head off for a wander and talk around the neighbourhood. We were passing by one of Maxi’s classmate’s house and they all begged to go in for a visit. I had reservations because as much as I love a ‘pop in’ (I’m a country girl after all), I wasn’t close to the mum and didn’t know if it was appropriate. I figured we could just knock on the door and I could say ‘we were just passing by and if it’s not convenient we’ll head straight out’.
Which is exactly what we did. But the minute she opened the door, I knew it was a mistake, she looked frazzled and caught out and not at all impressed to find us on the doorstep. I made to leave but she insisted that we come in and wouldn’t hear of us going. I felt trapped by her politeness and annoyed that I hadn’t thought the scenario through properly. This is the city, people, and city people just don’t do the pop!
So we sat down for a cup of excruciatingly polite conversation while the children went outside onto the trampoline. Between helium-light exchanges about work and school and babies we could hear the children outside having enormous amounts of fun. Ah well, I thought, it’s worth it if the kids are that happy.
Then the cry went up: “Ha, ha! Maxi’s got his pants down, Maxi’s got his pants down”.
Oh dear, I thought. There he goes again.
Lizeylou says
Hilarious!!! My son used to love taking his pants off …. him and his 2 mates were really into being nudey – until my littlest girl decided it might be fun to grab his willy one day while he was waving it at her and that pretty much ended that!!
kitty says
HA! That has made my day.
Hilarious, I say. Kids will be kids & prudes will always be prudes. She sounds a little uptight, but maybe there there is an underlying issue for her. We all have reasons for our idiosyncricies (how on earth do you spell that?), I guess.
It’s great that your kids are free & happy in their souls.
Have a gorgeous week. x
A Farmer's Wife says
There are days when I honestly think my kids spend more time nude than dressed… I often catch Farmgirl disrobing and she just looks at me and says
“Don’t worry Mum, I’m just getting nude.”
Toni says
My kids run around naked all the time at home, they still have a bath together (with the doors open) and it’s not an issue — but to be honest I would be concerned about some children I didn’t know well stripping off in front of my kids.
I remember a boy doing some rather odd things to me when I was very little — maybe 5? — and he was only a year or two older.
The thing is, until you know people, well, you really don’t know them.
I do think it was a bit of an over-reaction though. Surely better to treat these things with some class and maybe a sense of humour?
InkPaperPen says
wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! I loved reading this and am giggling all over the keyboard.
1. No, I don’t think it is morally repugnant. I think it is fantastic innocence and freedom. The monkeys and some of their friends had a pants down group nudey run in our front garden just a few weeks ago.
2. Perhaps, for some?
3. No, I will laaugh out loud from now on every time I think about it too
Gill xo
2.
Do flash your boobs next time!
Megan Blandford says
My daughter will take any opportunity to get her gear off and run around shouting ‘NUDEY!’ to anyone within a 2 kilometre radius.
I think it’s kinda cute – up to a certain age, of course! But ‘filthy children’?! I think not.
Kellie says
I think its fantastic he has enough confidence to let it all hang out.
Body image is a huge thing, even in kids his age, so for him to have that sort of freedom about his body is awesome! Embrace it, as long as it lasts!
My 3 year old is also quite the nudist, she does a streak most nights after her bum, and isn’t afraid to shake her toosh in your face. I love it 🙂
Miss Pink says
No not wrong, i laughed too. What a great game! And really WHO CARES! Making a big deal about it only makes our children aware to body issues sooner! I encourage nudity here (well not my own, but do as i say not as i do mmmkay?). I have friends who have come over and wrinkled their noses up, and even a friends partner who refused to let my son swim to him one day at an impromptu swim in their pool, meaning my kid was naked because it was “wrong”. WTF? It’s just a penis and a bum, we all have them, you have to wipe them when you clean them up, it’s only “wrong” when you have sexual thoughts about it IMHO.
Even if i were disgusted i would never have reacted like that, i would have just called out “Get your clothes on sweetie” and hoped the other parent followed suit.
Leah says
What an overreaction! Usually, my kids just strip to their knickers, but that’s VERY regular. And most uncomfortable, I would think, in a Canberra winter.
jody says
Your posts always put a smile on my face! I think what happened is absolutley harmless and that poor woman is out of her mind! I wouldn’t be going over there again. Although i must say i really don’t like cold callers 🙂
Just Martha says
Where would we be if there was no nudie run? It’s tradition surely in most families. Jeepers – run don;t walk as Ms FF would say. Get the heck out!!
Mama of 2 boys says
Hehehe! This is wonderful! I almost find it hard to believe that someone would react that way to kid’s at play. So long as they were having fun and no one was crying or being threatened, then what’s the problem!?
What an awkward situation for you. Actually, I’d still be laughing too, if something like that happened to me.
The last thing children need is to think that being naked is “filthy”, all sorts of hang up’s may be born out of that thinking.
Thanks for the belly laugh Maxabella xo
Karen Wilson says
Oh, I think that’s hillarious!! And I sometimes wonder if all the ‘up-tightness’ of some people over these sorts of issues actually makes it worse later on. A 15 year old girl who has never seen a penis is probably going to get herself into more trouble than one who has seen them in non-sexual context since she was young.
Oh, and I do miss a pop-in. I’ve always lived in the city (well the suburbs anyway) and I like how I used to wander round to my friend’s house and knock on the door to see if they were available to play. Now it’s all calling them first, and ‘if I’m not interupting’, and scheduling on calendars.
Salamander says
Oh babe, I laughed my head off at this one!!! Priceless!!!! Are you sure you didn’t conjure this character up?? Blimey. I suppose she didn’t buy any of your cake pops, either.
(BTW – there’s abso-bloomin-lutely nothing wrong with kids doing a nudey. No one forced them to do it. Kids do it because it’s funny. I’d still do it if I didn’t frighten the eyes out of people’s heads.)
Love your work xxxxxx
Bungalowgirl says
Jees. I had only just stopped laughing over the Euphonium post and now this one had me laughing so hard I was crying and needing Ventolin at the same time.
I don’t know what is funnier, your kids nuding up at a prude’s house or the fact that she invited you back! I have photos of my kids nude on a trampoline each riding an inflatable donkey. It was our trampoline though and actually the 2 yo wasn’t totally nude- she picked out a headband to wear. melx
Naturally Carol says
My children were regular nudists..in Canberra..and didn’t mind the cold either mind you..until they just grew out of it when the eldest was about eight or nine! I think that natural innocence just shouldn’t be broken if possible until it is time. Who knows what triggered that woman’s reaction though..it must have been something fearful, poor thing. I hope her daughter wasn’t infected with it after everything. Probably best to keep the clothes on when you’re out i guess.
Marion Williams-Bennett says
Nudity is one of those personal parenting things – to each his/her own – I’ve seen some who really freak about it, then I see people at the other end of the extreme who celebrate it at an age when it might be best to begin covering up.
This woman’s passive aggressive behavior is what strikes me as most odd! Her smothering politeness inviting you in and then the huge angry outburst, followed by a leaving so soon – very odd! Stay away!
Posie Patchwork says
Well my 4 are still happy to be naked, we don’t ever say “rudey nudey” as it’s so beyond natural for them to wander freely – i blame being born in Darwin where it was always hot & hell, they toilet trained very young!!
If our children walk into our bedroom & we’re getting dressed or you know, decided to hold a conversation while we’re in the shower (naked) it’s their problem. I’d rather them not freak out, nudity is normal.
Also for my boy, it’s a chance for him to acutally see a naked man – when my husband is home, gives him an idea of what his future holds. I mean, the poor boy’s father has deployed 3 times since he was born & i had to make a big show of “boys don’t sit down to wee” such is life with a father away & 3 big sisters + a mum.
All i can think is maybe, just maybe there is something totally else going on, has the child been exposed to some kind of awful flashing incident, or worse!! You just NEVER know what is going on in other people’s lives, clearly nudity is not something she’s mastered with her children. My sister is a bit funny about nudity, we were raised normally & together, where our brothers’ children are all streakers.
Just another slice of ‘everyone is different in this world’ isn’t it??
As for country folk door knocking, ditto for military, especially if you live on base. For this reason my lounge area is always very tidy & kitchen straight + i’ve mastered any excuse to put me in the vacinity of checking the bathroom is clean & toilet flushed before any well meaning popper-inner needs to use them. The laundry & my studio are the only danger mess areas in the house & generally not for public viewing!! Love Posie
Posie Patchwork says
Oh i forgot to add the time my son went missing (ok i was sewing & he was in the garden) & i found him sound asleep fully naked on the trampoline. I took a photo first, then a towel to cover him over & found reasons to hang outside until he woke up. Ha, should have seen his little front-of-body then, all grid like from the trampoline mesh pattern. Another pat on the back for brilliant & caring mothering.
He was always naked in the garden to the point i bumped into our post man at the post office one day & she said “i don’t recognise him with his clothes on”, tee hee. Nude children are the innocence of freedom & sunshine. Love Posie
Gemma @ My Big Nutshell says
it’s hilariously funny. ‘she’ probably hasn’t seen a penis in a while, hence her huge objection!
My kids are regularly naked, due to my poor example, which actually is their fault because they never leave me alone when I am in the shower. They like the pop in, and sit on the toilet and chat. annoying but cute.
DO NOT GO BACK! it will be a wasted evening and you probably won’t be able to talk about meat without feeling uncomfortable!
Littlemissairgap says
She seriously then wanted to hook up with you at a later date after that rude and moralistic outburst?
Ok … let’s assume she’s got some underlying issue with child nudity (some form of abuse to her/family/friend) … but there is a way to express that issue she has & screaming eternal damnation to those poor free spirited, fun loving kids was not the way to do it.
I bet she burned Elvis Presley records in a previous life!
Psycho chicken she is.
Valula says
Brilliant!! Gotta love kiddos :o)
That really brightened my day!
wendy hill says
Isnt there one in every family? But hey, I had four so my odds were upped.
I remember wondrous evenings of shiny dancing penises, too far? sorry but we danced alot okay! and the kids were always spilling their oily spaghetti (or whatever was for dinner) on themselves before we turned up the music to drown out the mad dash for bathtime in the evenings.
This witty post resounds heartily with me tonight as ive just sent baby pics off to our new dad and the ‘subject’? well, lets simply say it had the P word in it.
Im a bad mother, x
Lou says
I think this is hilarious – what is this womans problem? Do you think she changes in the dark s her husband can’t see her naked? It’s attitudes like hers that cause so many problems..Good on you for allowing your children to be themselves and not feel self-conscious.
We have a very un-self-conscious household here and I think it is a healthy way to be, that way your children grow up knowing that the human body is something natural and not something to be ashamed of.
Abbie says
Ahh… the innocence of youth! I would have laughed out loud. That is of course until she said filthy kids. You handled it extremely well.
There are many reason why people act the way they do.
Just do your best and try to avoid that one!!
MomAgain@40 says
Funny story! So sorry hat she had to spoil their fun!
My toddler is also forever getting rid of her clothes, even now in winter…
It is so natural, and I hope that lady did sow a seed in them of thinking that it is wrong?
Hi I'm Rhonda. says
I think filthy is a little too strong of a word…I mean my son is going to be 11 in 2 days and at his age I’d be a little upset to see pants free trampolining…but young kids. I really don’t see the big deal.
Sin says
This is just too funny!!
My son is quite the nudist too. He’s constantly pulling his pants down, in public and at home. After being at the park for 5 minutes, it’s highly likely to look over and find him running around, pant-less. And now he’s just learnt to take his top off too, there’s no stopping him! Or my daughter likes to flash her bum at people!
I think it’s gorgeous. It shows just how innocent they are, and what beautiful souls they are. So carefree and unaffected by the harsh realities of the world.
I can’t believe the woman’s reaction! Surely the best way to appraoch this would have been to have a little giggle, and then make a joke about it while telling the kids, they’ve had their fun but now they need to put their pants back on.
I think some people tend to forget, they are only kids after all, it’s all just a bit of fun for them. They have no idea that it’s not socially acceptable to pull their pants down in front of others. Again it just shows the true innocence of children, beautiful!
x
trudi@maudeandme says
Gee – people still surpise me. Sounds like her child had a very unpleasant previuos experience, but was there a need to react like this in front of all the children?!
And I wish there was more pop-in, but sadly it doesn’t seem to be the way.Is it because family lives are so busy these days?
Amy xxoo says
I think kids as young as 7, in the backyard …. who cares? Theyre born that way, and are too young to think of anything they see as a sexual object. Maybe if they’d been in the front yard when any random weirdo pervert could see them i’d have a problem with it, but even then there would be no need to call them ” filthy “. Methinks your fellow mum as a real bug up her butt on this one…
Sarah says
My kids always strip off. We actually have a rule in the house that pants need to be worn. Due to the constant below the waist flashing.
But thats just what kids do
Suzi says
Heaven forbid she would have a son, then she’d be in trouble!
Andrea says
Oh for heavens sake. Its so ridiculous its depressing. @Trudi – I’m guessing it was the mom who might have had an unpleasant childhood experience…….
Well, I embrace ‘popping in’. I love it when people do. And as for the trampolining nudists….Sounds like fun….I don’t think my neighbours would much like to see my boobs bouncing all over the place though :p
BabyMac says
She is MENTAL. The end.
Thank GOODNESS I live in the country.
Felicity says
Captain V has just caught me out having a right-royal giggle and wanted to know why.
As for commenting on the scenario and all that unfolded….I think Beth Mac has summed it up very nicely.
Am inspired to dig out and watch a copy of “Shine” now, wonder why?!?
xx F
Caz Makepeace says
Hilarious!! Good for them. What a stiff! (excuse the pun)
They are just children and their little bodies should be cherished not made to think they are dirty.
I just wished society had the same opinion about war. I hate how it is perfectly acceptable to talk about hatred and war and see the images of it on TV, but sex and penises are so filthy and disgusting. We wouldn’t all be here if it wasn’t for them
Send them back in for round two on the tramps I reckon, and this time you join them!!!
Tammi says
Oh you have such a way of story telling…this is hilarious!
I’m with Andrea in thinking that maybe the mother has had a negative experience that makes her overprotective of her daughter being exposed to nudity.
x
Melissa says
My kids spent a large portion of their preschool days completely nude. They’d strip off whenever they could. The best were nude bike riding and nude vacuuming (we got the last one on film). That’s one scary mum you’ve got there … I guess that’s one place they won’t be going for an unaccompanied playdate?
TammyJ says
ROFL at your retelling of this.
I honestly can’t say how I would react I guess it would depend on my opinion of and familiarity with the people involved. We have Penises in our home though ( they live here attached to the male members of our family )so I don’t imagine it would be as a big of a deal as it may be to someone who doesn’t have any boys.
mel @ loved says
Bron I’m laughing and cringing all at once! This is funny, just last night at basketball our six yr olds dropped their pants one at a time, most of us mums oblivious as we sat chatting, then suddenly one mum yells out to her son, jumps up & dashes to pull his pants up. When she came back we were all in hysterics, she was red as can be, since hers was the only one caught out, but we all assured her it was perfectly normal & don’t worry about it, that’s boys it’s just what they do & she can bet he wasn’t the only one, someone would have kicked of the flash wave & it was probably mine!
ange_moore says
Having a good old giggle here too! It’s funny the exchanges you can have when children are involved. Thanks for sharing your story.
And we don’t have an issue with nudity here, as long as it’s not in “public” (like the supermarket, or playground) and we also have a “no touching other people’s bottom’s” rule. And I’m sure jumping on the trampoline with no knickers would feel so liberating!
Sannah says
Brilliant story, and brilliantly told Maxabella! Love the images. I am all for children ripping their clothes off if they feel like it, but I suspect that there is an ‘age’ when it is no longer appropriate. I’m not sure when this age is, but I suspect that for most children they naturally become more self concious and will stop doing it when they are good and ready. However, I also feel this way about having showers and baths with children, and yet I know that a lot of people feel that there is a cut off when they feel it is inappropriate to bathe with children, especially of the opposite sex. One of my children is now old enough that I am a little surprised that he hasn’t become self concious of coming into the shower with me, but he hasn’t and I don’t want to be the one to say anything. What do you think about bathing with your children Maxabella?
-- SARAH -- says
hahaha I love it! Especially the accompanying song. Too funny! 🙂
Deb says
That woman needs to get a life! really… nudity is part of child-hood for sure. I actually feel sorry for her, she has Problems 🙁
Maxabella says
Loving all the comments, everyone. Some of them are hysterical! I guess we all live in one big rudey nudey yummy place, really!
I did think a lot about whether the mum in question had ‘deeper issues’ about this topic and concluded that, no, she was just a major prude. If I had suspected for a second that her problems were deeper than that, I can assure you all I would not have written this post. I certainly wouldn’t have been laughing as much as I still do every time I remember those bouncing, oblivious children and that horrified, prim mother.
The mother in question does indeed have capital P Penises in her life – her husband (I would assume) and two younger boys (which I can confirm having witnessed their antics on the tramp). Bit sorry for them…
Finally, thank you all for joining in with the light-hearted spirit of this post. For that I am grateful.
And Sannah – I make it a habit not to bathe with anyone whatsoever so it’s never come up at my place. I hate sharing my water! x
Jodi Gibson says
That is so funny! And so just kids! Some people definitely over react but I guess we don’t know what goes on behind closed doors. Perhaps there was a personal reason for her outburst. But to use the word filthy! I would have not have been as restrained as you, if my kids were called filthy!
And then to invite you for a BBQ??? What the? Just a tad odd.
Thanks for making me laugh though. 🙂
Heather says
Talk about over the top!!!! There is nothing more gorgeous than a child’s lack of inhibition. We are all different though aren’t we…I just wouldn’t be dropping over there for a cup of tea again! x
Leah says
As you said, you don’t know her well, and her reaction might have been over the top for a very legitimate reason. Not everyone has control of themselves if triggered, and she was already handling a pop in visit when looking frazzled right?
I don’t think nudity is dirty, the nudie run is a family tradition, we dress in front of each other etc. But I don’t want bare butts on my stuff, even my outdoor trampoline. And if school age kids came over and stripped off, especially ones I didn’t know all that well, I’d laugh about it, but they’d be putting them on. Kids are impulsive and don’t always taking into account social boundaries, and like to flaunt boundaries by doing whacky stuff to have fun. It’s not the end of the world or dirty or perverted or worrisome but it’s also ok to not want a bunch of pantless kids jumping on your trampoline.
So her reaction is OTT, and kids shouldn’t be told bodies are dirty, but I can get where she’s coming from and I don’t think her freak out is funny, I think it’s concerning.
Absolute Novice says
Hahaha Oh I wish you had a pre warning not to be drinking tea whilst reading this post. My keyboard is now plattered with half drunk tea… and the culprit was your last like about the nudist camp.
Oh how I wish you had said that! x
Jodie Ansted says
To be honest, if it were my kids starting the rudey thing…I’d be mortified. MORTIFIED.
But someone else’s? I would laugh. my. arse. off.
PS – Our 9yo used to do a great ‘rudey nudey dance’ every night after bath time when he was a toddler. Hilarious.
Kymmie says
Oh, this is GOLD! Love it. And I wish you’d said you were going to that nudist camp. Would have shut her right up!
And yes, I think we should keep kids innocent and let them get all nudie rudie every once in a while!
xx
Anna Bartlett says
That is hilarious. And she’s not ever going to be a normal friend. So nothing lost there. Rudey nudey is finey winey with me.
Lauren says
Did this really happen!? man I would have said the same as you…they’re just kids having some fun! weird!
Metropolitan Mum says
‘Filthy little children’??? Hahahaha. This women surely has some issues…
Miss Mandy says
My kids love to “get their boobs out” and no I did not teach them to say that! and no they don’t take after their mother! lol.
Who cares, running around care free used to be acceptable when we were kids. Some things we need to preceed with caution, other’s we need to sit back and let go, this is one of them.
Michelle @ The Crafty Little Fox says
Hilarious! Biggest belly laughs 🙂
thesoundandthefury says
That poor, misguided woman. Being nudie is childhood innocence at best.
God help her if her son decided to deck out in a skirt during playtime!
Great story, Maxabella!
Faith Hope and a whole lotta Love says
seriously that lady needs to get a life! ha!!!
Glorious Day says
You have me in stitches! I’m dying of laughter over here. LOL! Young children getting nude is normal. My oldest daughter when she was potty training once, to my horror, flashed a whole ice cream store her privates. Our middle son when he was only 2 would take his diaper off all of the time, so his siblings called him the “butt-crackin’ kid.”
Jane@flightplatformliving says
omg she would have a siezure here! i am about to post on my girls delight in flashing all whilst singing the stinky bum song and wafting imaginary farts at you! pops has even taken to trying to rub her bum on you so she can sing a new verse about us smelling of stinky bums! mmmmmm nice!!!