The accusations leveled against Britney Spears in her custody battle with ex-husband Kevin Federline are well known: alcohol and drug use, run-ins with the law and erratic behavior documented by everyone from seasoned paparazzi to amateur cell-phone photographers.

But there was another accusation worth noting. A former bodyguard testified that Spears spent time naked in front of her sons, ages 2 and 1. That this was considered evidence of substandard mothering might surprise parents accustomed to parking their child in a bouncy seat on the bathroom floor while showering and dressing each morning.

Is being seen naked by your child an example of unfit parenting?

Joanne Baum, a family therapist and author of "Got the Baby, Where's the Manual?" who works as a family investigator for divorce cases in Colorado, weighs in here on the subject of parental nudity:

Q. As a psychologist, do you consider it harmful for parents to be seen naked by their children?

A. It depends on a set of circumstances. How often does it occur, and is it that you're getting dressed and your child happens to be nearby? As you're getting in and out of the shower, if the kid walks in the door, that's probably not an issue. ...

But you wouldn't be sitting watching television naked with your kids cuddling up to you. ... Parents can be seductive with children and be inappropriate with children, so it's more complex than just "is the parent being undressed?"

Q. What might be the impact on a child after seeing a parent naked?

A. When a trusted figure invades a child's boundaries ... the child tries to normalize that. Because unconsciously, what the parent does with the child has to be OK because "they're my mommy or daddy." It's as if it's OK for someone to treat them like this. That makes them more likely to become victims of other people, because they haven't learned at an early age to tell other people when to back off. ...

In terms of nudity at home, what we're talking about is complex. And children, probably below the age of about 8, don't usually have a great capacity for analyzing the gray areas of life.

Q. Is there an age beyond which parents should stay dressed in front of their children?

A. It depends on the family and what you see in your child's reaction. If they're getting to be prepubescent and they seem uncomfortable, respect that. ... If your child starts staring at your breasts or staring at other parts of your body, it's time to have a discussion. If your child is asking lots of questions and feeling bad comparing their body to yours — maybe a little girl says to her mother, "My chest doesn't look like yours" — that can lead to a healthy conversation. ...

There comes a natural time when a child says, "Enough." And it's very important to respect that. It's very important to talk to the child and say, "Thank you for telling me that you had some discomfort. I understand and I'll take care of your discomfort."

Q. Is this something that varies regionally or culturally within the U.S.?

A. I've seen patients as adults who said to me things like, "I never saw a naked body until I was with my husband on my wedding day." So I'm sure with cultural differences and family values, nudity in the home probably varies from home to home. But it must be comfortable for the parents and comfortable for the children. ...

I think parents have got to be talking to each other about what's comfortable for their family. Discuss your feelings and what was done with your family when you were kids. That, and watch your children's faces.