Paedophilia or just being a dad? You decide!
Should he slip on a pair of bathing trunks or is there nothing wrong with a dad bathing with his toddler?
Torben Chris is a Danish comedian who is also a dad. A photo he recently posted on Facebook of himself bathing in the nude with his two-year-old daughter is going viral.
He’s even been called a paedophile by some of his Facebook followers, but this dad has hit back at his critics and stood up for his right to be a dad and parent in his own particular style.
Chris believes it should not be unacceptable socially for dads to have a bath with their kids.
According to The Independent, “Chris instead thinks that having a bath with your child is “hygge”, which is a Danish concept that means its cosy and fun.”
He also said:
“There is nothing wrong with a father who washes his daughter’s bottom and vagina when she’s a child. On the contrary, it is disgusting if nobody does it, and unfair if only the mother does it. If we couldn’t stand to see each other naked we’d be born with clothes on.
“Nudity with your child’s not gross, but natural. A father in the shower with his daughter’s not paedophilia, it’s fun.”
Chris’ Facebook post got almost 60,000 likes and been shared thousands of times. And just like the nay-sayers, he also has plenty of supporters.
One commentator says: “Amen! I would almost go so far as to say, as a parent, you must bathe with your child. Children need to see a naked body, see it naturally, how different bodies can look and how right it is”
Reports say that the comedian had decided to post this picture after a number of dads got in touch with him, saying they had been accused of being paedophiles — he “was making a show that explored nudity in his native Denmark and he had appealed for stories for inspiration.”
Where should a parent draw the line?
Many of us think nothing of changing our clothes in front of our kids or bathing with them, until, of course, they reach a certain age.
Of course, when you stop letting your children see you naked is a decision that is highly personal and depends on individual parenting styles and philosophies. Here in Asia, we may be a bit more cautious about letting our children see us naked due to cultural norms.
But as one commentator on Chris’ picture said, “[If children don’t see a naked body]… we will end up with a totally disturbed generation who think everyone looks like a model without clothes on.”
What do you think, mums and dads? Is it overstepping some unspoken parenting boundary to bathe naked with your toddler? Or is it perfectly acceptable? And at what age does it stop being acceptable?
Let us know what you think – take the poll below and leave a comment, too!
