When Do They Need a Fig Leaf?
By JULIE SCELFO
Published: July 15, 2009
"ALEX NICOLA, who will be 5 in August, enjoys being naked as frequently as possible at home.
"“In the morning he gets up and takes his pajamas off, and rather than get dressed right away, he walks around naked,” said Dawn Nicola, Alex’s mother, a stay-at-home parent in Castle Rock, Colo.
"After school, he likes to take off his pants, recline on his stuffed animal chair and watch an episode of SpongeBob SquarePants while snacking on cheese-flavored crackers.
"“I call him my little naked boy,” Mrs. Nicola, 44, said affectionately."
...
"For many parents, allowing a child to run around naked at home is perfectly natural, an expression of physical freedom that represents the essence of childhood, especially in the summer. But for others, unclad bodies are an affront to civility, a source of discomfort and a potentially dangerous attraction for pedophiles. These clashing sensibilities can create conflict, even when the nudity in question takes place at home."
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"The cordial quality of pear or plum
Rises as gladly in the single tree
As in the whole orchards resonant with bees."
- Emerson