Someone please discuss this with me...

stripesandspots

http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/43893650.aspx?MsdVisit=1

I never considered that really young children "discovered" themselves..I guess I thought that happened at a much later age.

So the question is...at what age did your child discover him/herself and how did you deal with it? I have noticed my SD touches herself a lot (over her clothes) but I am not sure if she is touching herself or if it is an issue with her underwear. I am curious as to the best way to approach this.

critti710

Neither of my kids has done this (at least not in front of me).  A friend of mine has a son younger than DS and he plays with himself all of the time.  She tries to redirect him during diaper changes, but otherwise I think she just lets him be.  I think the people in the OP who said you should absolutely NOT teach your kids that it is "yucky" are right on.  I think when kids get old enough to understand about the difference between public and private, if you do notice them touching themselves in front of you, it is good to have a conversation with them about masturbation - that it is absolutely fine and normal, but something that is private should be done in a private place, not in front of other people. 

Steven&Jamie

I've heard that some kids "discover" their genitals at a very early age.  IMO, parents shouldn't teach their children that it's "yucky" or wrong.  Instead, they should be emphasizing that it's something that should be done in private.  

ostatekris05

I've seen DSS do this once.  We were in the truck and he was rubbing his Gatorade bottle in that area.  I just told him that I knew it felt good, but he should do it in private. 

BoyMom21

B does this a lot. Mostly in the tub and after he goes to the bathroom. Usually when he is playing he's too focused on having fun, so it's never been an issue in public. I just know I want him to view it as another normal part of life. I think if my parents would have talked to me about masturbation I would have appreciated it...just knowing it wasn't some hush hush thing that normal people don't do/talk about would have been nice. PS my Internet is down and cox isn't coming till tomorrow, so I'm iPhone posting. Blegh.

ShansBride

I'm pretty sure V started touching himself about 53 seconds after he was concieved.  He has always wanted his hand on his penis.  Until he was about 18 months old, he just grabbed it when I was changing his diaper so I just said something like "that's your penis" and moved his hand to put the clean diaper on.  When he was about 18  months old he started sticking his hand down his diaper to grab and it hasn't looked back.  He generally has his hand between his legs now and I just tell him if he wants to play with his penis he can go to the bathroom or his bedroom to do it.

Funny story is the other night he was wearing footie pajamas that zip up and when I went in his room to check on him, he had unzipped them so he could stick his hand down his pants!

stripesandspots

My husband STILL sticks his hand down his pants. In the middle of the night I will wake up and he will be laying flat on his back, totally dead asleep with both hands cupping his unit.  He HAD to have been laying like that in the womb or something....

Steven&Jamie

ShansBride:

Funny story is the other night he was wearing footie pajamas that zip up and when I went in his room to check on him, he had unzipped them so he could stick his hand down his pants!

I'm telling you, that's just proof V is a genius!

Stripes--don't all grown men still stick their hands down their pants?  I assume so, since my DH sounds like yours--maybe our's are just special? lol

kayleeb

stripesandspots:

My husband STILL sticks his hand down his pants. In the middle of the night I will wake up and he will be laying flat on his back, totally dead asleep with both hands cupping his unit.  He HAD to have been laying like that in the womb or something....

Haha, DH and I went to a youth lock-in as sponsors a couple of years ago at our old church. There was this high school boy who fell asleep on the floor on his back with both hands down his pants lol.