I undress in front of my children, they have seen my pieces… what's the harm?

When I walk into my house after a day of work, one of the first things I do is undress – and my kids don't blink an eye.

My two girls, Tia, 15, and Lily, 12, are used to seeing me cooking in my underwear or cleaning in the buff.

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We are a girls' household and nothing is forbidden – and I don't find that strange at all.

When I take my gear off in the privacy of my own home, it's about feeling comfortable and showing my daughters that they don't have to have body issues.

Reading about model Heidi Klum going topless within the confines of her own home, even though it's a six-bedroom mansion in Los Angeles, just reassured me that many moms do the same.

Heidi's daughter Leni shared on the Call Her Daddy podcast how her mother often tans topless by the pool, even when her friends are around.

Leni, a 19-year-old fashion model, said she thought it was “normal” behavior but admitted she had never seen her friends' mothers do the same.

But she reiterated that stripping is “so normal in our family.”

And why wouldn't that be the case?

As a 43-year-old mother of two girls, I want my daughters to know that all body shapes and sizes are normal.

I want to ensure that they can also grow up feeling comfortable in their own skin.

For example, I often walk into Lily's room looking completely grim and ask her to do my spray tan. And even if there is an eye roll, she will stand up and take control of the spray.

She isn't afraid to get me into all kinds of positions to make sure the tan is perfect. Whether it's underboob or thigh gaps, Lily will get the job done.

Tia is the same, but recently told me she thought I was a “total oversharer.”

She added, “We've seen all your bits,” before all three of us burst into fits of laughter.

Nowadays they see the funny side of my antics, but they haven't always been this comfortable.

When they were eleven and eight years old, they were shocked when I turned grim. They told me I was so embarrassing and that I had to cover it up

But they've gotten used to me wandering around the house in the buff and even telling their friends how “cool” I am.

I'm proud that my girls appreciate my openness.

I'm proud that my girls appreciate my openness

I truly believe I am a better parent when I feel comfortable enough to drop my pants because we are completely comfortable with each other. There are no secrets in my house.

I haven't always been so confident.

As a teenager, I was called “pancake breasts” and teased mercilessly at school because of my flat breasts.

I felt so ashamed of my body as I dressed under my clothes for gym and stuffed my bra with socks. I was sure I was ugly and completely undateable. After leaving school I started working in sales before moving in with my ex-partner to have our two girls.

But I was really struggling to shift the baby's weight, and my self-esteem issues were getting worse.

After I had Lily, I was 13th at 6 feet tall. I was always around a 9 and a size eight to ten, so I felt incredibly frumpy and fat.

It got so bad that I never let my partner see me naked and completely avoided my reflection in the mirror.

My self-esteem dropped again when I divorced my partner in October 2013, and I wasn't sure anyone would like me anymore.

So I decided enough was enough. I got into shape and started my own company, Star Luxury Tanning.

In 2017 I almost lost fourth place and fell back to ninth place.

Of course, my body still wasn't perfect, but gradually I started to appreciate it for the first time.

I realized that it didn't matter if I had small breasts, stretch marks and loose skin. My body had given birth to two beautiful children.

I want to make sure my girls don't go through what I went through.

I finally felt confident enough to walk around my house naked.

The girls were stunned at first; they had never really seen me naked.

But that just encouraged me to do it more, because I realized that I wanted them to have a much more comfortable relationship with their bodies than ever before.

Heidi's daughter revealed that she discovered her mother's 'sex closet' – her closet full of sexy outfits and adult toys – when she was younger.

My girls did the exact same thing while looking for some clothes to borrow and discovered my drawer full of ruffle lingerie.

It was the kind of revealing underwear I only save for special occasions, if you know what I mean.

I found them holding up my skimpy fringe before I asked, “Do you ever wear these, seriously?”

But that was the moment I knew my open parenting style was working. I ended up discussing with them the pros and cons of suspenders versus tights and which materials were itchy.

It led to a wonderfully open conversation about sex and contraception.

I don't hide anything and I'm proud to be an oversharer mom, just like Heidi

They took all the information to heart before Tia and Lily declared that I was wasting my money on nice underwear, especially since I so rarely wear them around the house.

They had me there.

My kids know pretty much everything about me, from when I have my period to who I'm dating.

I don't hide anything and I'm proud to be an oversharer mom, just like Heidi.

I know some moms will be shocked to see how open I am with my girls.

It's okay to have cellulite

But I think parents who blush at the mere mention of sex are overprotecting their teens and doing parenting wrong.

I don't want my daughters to be the kind of children who are oblivious to the real world.

My girls are confident and knowledgeable – and they are both doing well at school.

They never lie to me and always come to me for advice because they know I won't judge them.

I hear all kinds of things from them, like which of their friends are dating, having sex or using drugs.

I know more about other people's children than the parents of many of those children do.

That's because sharing too much of your own life with your children leads to a deeper level of trust and a unique bond. As a mother, one of my most important jobs is to help the children learn to love themselves.

I want to empower my girls to embrace their bodies and show them that it's okay to have bumps, cellulite, and dimples.

Not all of us look like the models and influencers we see on Instagram – and that's absolutely fine.

Now I walk around without clothes almost every day and I believe that has taught my girls to love their own bodies.

Of course, pottering around in the buff is not without risks, and I always make sure the curtains are closed to prevent this neighbors to keep an eye on things.

More moms need to embrace nudity, whether we're as toned as Heidi Klum or not

I also always have a bathrobe on hand in case someone comes to the door.

And the girls made me swear that I will never, ever do it once one of their friends is over.

Likewise, if they are older and have friends around, I will make sure I am covered.

Ultimately, I want my daughters to be informed, safe, and love their bodies.

If I can't set a good example, I would send them into the world unprepared and vulnerable.

More moms need to embrace nudity, whether we're as toned as Heidi Klum or not.

I don't want my daughters to feel ugly and ashamed for 35 years like I did.

If being naked helps them love themselves, what's the harm in that?

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