Do parents shelter their kids too much?

Question

For example. Do you think parents freak out too much over things like cuss words and nudity? Do you think kids need to be sheltered from the world, or do you think it's better to expose them to various things (sex, nudity, swearing, religion, etc) while they're young so it is less stigmatized for them?

Answer

We aren't a religious home, at all. So I don't care at all about the morality of others.

My kids learn that swear words are for grown ups, but I don't treat them like a big deal either. I don't want the kids going to school and swearing, but seriously, they are just words. By the time they are teenagers I really won't care.

My kids know that touching themselves is fine, in their own room or bathroom where it's private. They know that no one else can touch them there. We are a very affectionate and open household. We don't get ridiculous about nudity around here. I have three little boys. I don't flash myself, but if someone walks in on me changing, I don't run and hide either. My kids are still little. I'm not teaching them to be ashamed of themselves. A pediphile moved in down the street and really threw us for a loop. I had to explain why to stay away far before I was ready to. That's life.

Sex is an open topic here, even at a young age. In an appropriate manner, my kids know where babies come from. I will give more details as they get bigger. When they are teenagers there will be condoms everywhere. I not just teaching safe sex in this house. I'm teaching anatomy. I'm teaching respect. I'm teaching consent.

I'm careful about not pushing certain "normals" on my kids. I don't care if they like boys or girls or anything in between, and I make sure they know that. I love my kids regardless of who they love and they will always know that.

We don't shelter them from death. My parents have a farm. They see that animals get old and die, or animals that we eat. They have Grandma with cancer. They know she's dying. We don't believe in heaven or anything like that, so they have questions and we answer them. And we love her as much as we can while she's here.

I don't shelter them. But I keep things age appropriate. Hope that helps.

Answer

I don't know about other parents but I do plan on sheltering my kids. I don't feel the need to let my kids take part in things that I consider wrong and immoral. Cussing for example is nothing to be proud of, so I will not let my kids believe it's ok to cuss. When they're old enough to understand they will know about these things and that they are wrong. And they will be sheltered as much as possible from them.

Answer

It totally depends on the age. My thoughts are, based on research and life experience, children learn things from their peers when there parents don't teach them. I would rather be the parent talking about these things than have the children talking about them with their friends and asking if they can get pregnant from a blow job. 
   
I have no issue with nudity.

Answer

Kids need their time to just be kids. But at a certain time they need to learn and get factual information from the parent instead of getting misinformation from their friends or tv. I will definitely not make my child fear to bring anything up with me, I think an open dialogue is important. My mom didn't even tell me what sex or a period was, wrong move mom!

Answer

Some parents do. I won't shelter my kid from anything in the world. They need to know about all the bad that's out there too, along with all the good.

Answer

I was exposed to so many things while I was growing up, from seeing my parents have sex in the same room as us, from my mom having sex with my dad's friends when he wasn't at home, watching horror movies since I was four years old, my mom cheated and leave my dad for his best friend, this new guy raped me since day one ( I was 6)until I was 12, I didn't went to school until I was 12,I started to work when I was 8, so I knew that life wasn't pink and purple. Now I have two kids 19 months old and 1 month old) I don't want them to live in a bubble, but also they won't grow up like I did, I want to expose them to the reality of how life is without harming them...maybe that won't really work, but I will figure out.

Answer

As a parent, it's my job to protect my children's innocence. Both my husband and I were exposed to awful things at a very young age that have left deep scars on us both and have affected us greatly. Our faith teaches us everything we need to know about every aspect of humanity, it doesn't shy away from the supposedly taboo topics, such as nudity or sexuality, but provides clear instruction. We also are fortunate to have a priest who is very involved with all the families at our church and does not shy away from any subject and speaks openly about what the Faith teaches.

Answer

Well I think that some things are rightly stigmatised. Theee are certain behaviours, like swearing to use your example, that are not helpful in life.

Answer

I probably shelter more than I should but my older two I adopted from foster care and they had been through a lot in their young life with multiple forms of abuse and neglect. So sometimes I try to cushion them from some of the harsher realities. No one protected them when they were young so I try to now.

Answer

I do think that kids should be exposed to some things… it is normal to want to walk around your house naked, it's normal to be comfortable in your own body, it can be normal for some people to swear sometimes, it's normal and ok to talk about sex, etc.… It is not normal to have sex around or with children, it is not normal to display violence and killing, etc. Those things are not normal. Those are things that you want the child to know are not good. If you expose them to those things at early ages, they become desensitized and believe it is normal and I don't know about you, but I don't want my child believing that hate and fear and violence is normal.

Do parents shelter their kids too much?

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