Q: Ever since our son was a baby, my husband and I have taken turns to bathe with him. Our son is now three years old and we are still doing it.

Sometimes, when I'm bathing, he likes to barge into the bathroom because our bathroom door is faulty.

Is it okay for my son to see mummy in the nude? What is the impact on him, and when should I stop him from barging into the bathroom when I'm showering?

- Madam Lesley Lim, 34, freelance designer

A: Your question suggests that you might be a bit uncomfortable with it.

As psychologist Tee Shan Shan from The Child Development Centre of Thomson Paediatric Centre points out, bathing together with your children can often be a time for bonding as children enjoy playing with water.

But the way you react will also impact how your son feels.

Some parents see nudity as a way to teach their children to accept and take pride in their own bodies. Others feel it's really only okay for their toddler to see the body of the parent of the same sex.

Still others think any nudity is problematic, worrying that it will prematurely instill awareness of sexuality.

The pros: Questions about differences in body parts can be dealt with - and your child will have a matter-of-fact notion about physiological differences between the sexes.

The cons: When the child develops a sense of himself as a separate person, and public nudity does not fit into his world view, he may start to show signs such as resisting you when you change his clothes.

Ms Tee advises that you take a lead from your own sense of how your child is reacting. Observe for "signs" of when it's a good time to respect each other's privacy.

If he starts reacting to your nakedness with signs of embarrassment such as silly smiles, giggling or shielding his eyes with his hand, it's probably time to cover up.

This article was first published in The New Paper.