My Toddler Wants to be Naked All the Time, Help!

My daughter went through her naked-stage between two and a half and 3 years old. Even now -- at almost 4 -- she jumps at any opportunity to take off her clothes. For months, it became an automatic ritual that happened almost every time we entered my house. After stepping through the door, I would take off my shoes and my toddler would take off... everything.

When I mentioned this behavior to friends and family members with children, I found out that it is not at all unusual. Many toddlers hate wearing clothes and will strip almost any time they're given the option to do so. As humorous as this behavior is, it can be very frustrating to parents. Here are some points to consider if your toddler likes to go naked.

Understand that it is a normal behavior. Toddlers haven't yet been taught to accept clothes as normal and necessary. Just as preschoolers, who don't understand safety, might resist wearing seatbelts, toddlers frequently resist wearing clothes because they don't understand the social norms associated with clothing. Unless it's cold, your toddler is likely to perceive clothes as unnecessary, restrictive and uncomfortable hindrances. The way they react to this -- naturally -- is to take them off whenever they can.

Remember that you have to teach social norms. A 2-year-old is not able to understand any of the reasons that public nudity is unacceptable in our culture. However, you -- as a parent -- are responsible for teaching her social norms. She needs to know that it isn't OK to remove articles of clothing when in a public space. Although harsh discipline for this behavior is unnecessary and possibly detrimental, it's important to remind your toddler that she isn't allowed to remove her clothes anywhere besides home.

Have rules and norms within your own home. All families have their own mini-cultures, which can govern whether things like nudity are acceptable. If you don't feel comfortable letting a naked toddler run around your house, it's fine to lay ground rules and establish that nudity is for bath time and dressing-time only. Be sure to establish what is, and isn't, acceptable within your home, and to be consistent about it. Your toddler deserves to know the rules and understand them.

Let your child choose his own clothes. Some children are, for whatever reason, especially sensitive to the feelings associated with specific styles of garments and specific types of fabric. If you suspect that discomfort leads your toddler's streaking tendencies, allow him to select his clothes in the mornings. He may be more likely to wear them if they suit his tastes and feel comfortable to him.

Remember: this, too, shall pass. I can almost guarantee that your toddler will not be a streaker forever. This is a temporary phase that many children go through, and there is often little that you can do to stop this stage in your child's development. By the time your child is school-age, she should be entirely comfortable wearing clothes most of the time. If the streaking behavior doesn't self-resolve by the time your child is 5, mention it to her pediatrician at your child's check-up. Otherwise, simply understand that the behavior will pass in time.