My daughter has been "grinding" while in her high chair and car seat for so long now (over a year) and I don't know how to make it stop. I have tried to distract her, ignore it, tell her that I'm worried she'll hurt herself, tell her that I know it feels good but to only do things like that in private, make her get down before she finishes meals, etc. She does not touch herself at all. This grinding is getting out of control - she's potty trained now and not in diapers anymore and she grinds so hard her face gets red and she will not stop. Does anyone have any advice for me?
Thanks, everyone. She has her 3 year check up in a few weeks and I will talk to her doctor about this. She does have a booster seat. I will just get rid of her high chair and have her use her booster seat from now on. Maybe I will try to get one without straps.
We humans are born sexual beings. This activity is normal, just some children do it more than others. I did this from my earliest memories. I remember my mother reminding me that I couldn't do that at Kindergarten. Keep explaining that it is a private thing, take away some of the things she's using, and don't get angry or try to shame her, please. She will realize soon what you mean by private.
I would take her to the pedi, have her checked to make sure she does not have some sort of infection which makes her itch.
Try putting her in a toddler seat so she does not have access to "grinding". If nothing is medically wrong, she is doing it because it feels good.
Kids, even very young ones masturbate, not because they're horny, but just because it feels good.
Just keep reminding her that it's a private activity.
At three, my kid was no longer in a car seat the had crotch straps or a high chair.
I'm not sure what you mean when you say grinding. You mention not touching herself so I'm guessing you mean masturbating by moving her bottom around but I don't think a child would do that and I doubt it would work.
The usual meaning for grinding is used for teeth.
I took the troll comment off. I agree that constant "grinding" is more apt to be caused by an itch Than sexual. A child would only grind this heavily and this consistently only in a chair like situation but doesn't touch themselves otherwise is likely not doing it for comfort. Heavy pressure constantly is not soothing. It's more likely to be irritating. I'd take her to her pediatrician.
Are you sure her private parts are not itching her? That seems a little excessive if she is getting that worked up. I would talk to her pediatrician.
Make sure it's not an issue of irritation. Have the pedi check to be sure it's not an itching situation.
Remove the straps or have her sit at the table.
In the car seat, perhaps you can find a padded strap cover that provides less pressure.
Ignore it, if it's not medical. It just feels good and isn't sexual.
1. Take her out of the high chair and put her in a regular chair/booster at the table. At 3, she shouldn't be in a high chair anymore.
2. Ignore it. Completely. Pay it no mind at all. once she's out of the high chair permanently, she'll have nothing to grind against but her car seat straps and it won't be a matter of table manners, so it will be easy to ignore.
Could be an itch as others say, and also could be due to her getting "wedgies" from the straps of the car seat (and the high chair? Does that have straps that go over her upper thighs/crotch area?) being too tight or ill-fitting. She may have outgrown both these items and might need new ones. You seem to be assuming she's doing it for pleasure, and that's possible, but don't ignore the idea of an infection or rash causing an itch, or very ill-fitting straps or seats that just give her wedgies.
At three, I'm not sure she can really grasp the idea of "We only do that in private." If she's really doing this for pleasure, well, she associates it with the car seat and the high chair, and those aren't in her room in "private." At three she should be about ready to do without the high chair at least.
