As they grow, children start exploring their bodies, including the parts it's not considered polite to touch in public. How should a parent respond to this natural curiosity? It begins with letting your child know there's nothing to be ashamed of.
In late December, I experienced an extraordinary parenting milestone I’ll treasure for the rest of my life—the birth of my first grandchild! Watching him enter this amazing world was surreal.
Because I enjoy spending time with him, I was excited when my daughter asked me to join her at his pediatrician appointment. I was catapulted back to a time when I used to cart my own babies (usually several at a time—by myself!) for check-ups. Most of those visits were a total blur. My one and only goal was getting my kids in and out with my sanity intact. This time, though, my daughter was the one handling the car carrier, organizing bottles and diapers, and soothing her son while he fussed. I just sat and savored the time with my new grandson.
We were waiting, as the baby slept peacefully, when a woman with a crying newborn and pre-school aged child came in and sat down across from us. The frazzled mom told her little boy to say seated while she cared for his baby sister. Though he had a small electronic toy in one hand, he was much more interested in the hand he had down his pants. I waited to see how his mother would handle this breach of public etiquette, but she was too busy with her crying baby to notice. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the nurse called my daughter in. We gathered the baby and his things and headed towards the exam room, leaving the little boy in the same position he arrived in.
My daughter, looking uncomfortable, asked me, “Mom, what was up with that little boy touching himself in public? Why didn’t his mother tell him to stop?” It's a good question! Let's take some of the mystery out of young children and body exploration.
It’s completely normal for kids as young as toddlers to become aware of their private parts.
Normal Sexual Behaviors and Exploration
Children’s curiosity can lead to exploring their own and each other’s body parts by looking and touching. As I explained to my daughter, it’s completely normal for kids as young as toddlers to become aware of their private parts. When they do, they're often so consumed with this self-discovery that they aren’t tuned in to who might be watching them.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) shared a list of the follow normal sexual behaviors in children.
Ages 2 to 6
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