Can an 8Yr Old Get Circumcised?

Updated on July 05, 2017
M.R. asks from Concord, CA
15 answers

My son is 8yrs old and my wife just asked if I circumcised him I said no I was watching a show and it seems like a lot of kids are wondering why other boys part does not have much skin and they are made fun of what should I do

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

Featured Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.C.

answers from Anchorage on

The short answer, yes you can get him circumcised, but there really is no need. It is becoming less common in the US to circumcise so he wont be in the minority being uncut. I would leave it be and if he wants to, as an adult, he can make that choice for himself.

4 moms found this helpful

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

H.W.

answers from Portland on

Why would you alter your son's appearance just based on what your wife thinks? That is weird.

All around the world, people have different-looking body parts. How to deal with it? Accept differences. This is simply an education issue.

What should you do about it? Stop watching stupid shows and teach your son to be proud of who he is, period. (and tell your wife not to worry about it.)

6 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.K.

answers from Wausau on

Can they? Sure. Past infancy it is usually due to a medical issue though.

Where I live, there is a mix among school aged kids so it's not unusual to look one way or the other. No one cares or notices. Non-religious circumcision rates have been dropping for some time.

I think you need to stop finding imaginary things to worry about based on what you see in a tv show.

5 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.H.

answers from Santa Barbara on

What show were you watching? Was it old? Back in 2005, 56% of boys were circumcised in USA. In 2009 20-30% in the western states (other states in the midwest and east had a higher rate). Based on this data, your son is in the majority. I have a feeling another person can google search and find totally different statistics though.

Today (the past 20 years or so) kids are not changing in front of each other in school locker rooms as they did in the past. They are much more private.

You are a gay woman and had a child, yet didn't research this yourself 8 years ago? That is confusing to me. Most people having a boy will think about this topic. They may be against circumcision, pro circumcision or on the fence and listen to their doctor's/friend's or internet opinions. This is really confusing how this is now on your mind.

4 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.!.

answers from Santa Fe on

Circumcision is a crime to any boy!

How would you feel that your parents took the right (for religious or traditional reason) to cut your feminine parts at birth and you had no say!

Circumcision is nothing else. Do you know how many men are suffering of this tragic. It is not reversible.

How brainwashed are the people that let that happen to any child to amputate genitals for tradition, hygienic or religious reason! Boy or girl, it does not make a difference!

You should not confront your young boy with this. Especially if you feel peer pressure. Protect him.

If he has a medical reason well than you have to consider but anything else is against your boys right's.

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B.A.

answers from Columbus on

Circumcision can be done at any age. I know a few people who's kids were circumcised as older children (for various reasons). They all opted to have it done as an outpatient surgery (their children weren't awake and conscious at the time), they had a nerve block that lasted for several hours, and they made sure that they a pain management plan in place.

I'm assuming that, since she doesn't know if he was circumcised, this is the step-mother that is asking the question. This is one of those things that a step-parent truly doesn't need to be involved in. If you and his mother decided to not circumcise him 8 years ago, why change your mind now? Especially if there's not a valid reason to do so, like hygiene. I'd be concerned that if you proceed with this your son is going to associate his step-mother as being the cause of a lot of pain, and that's going to lead to problems.

3 moms found this helpful

D.B.

answers from Boston on

My father was circumcised in his 60s. My son was circumcised at birth. It can be done at any age.

The answer to "What should I do?" depends on your philosophy on elective surgical procedures, your religious views, your son's medical history/issues, and your ability so far to teach him proper hygiene.

Do kids make fun of other kids for 1000 different reasons? Yes. There's a whole lot you cannot prevent, so you work on raising a resilient child who will not be devastated by some thoughtless or uneducated kid making a remark. Kids are teased for height, weight, skin color and a lot more - none of which you can change.

Do kids make fun of uncircumcised boys? Sometimes. But more and more parents are opting out of circumcision so more boys like your son are in locker rooms and bathrooms. It's like the male equivalent of girls with different sized breasts, right? Bodies are different. Work on teaching acceptance of all body types, not just on conforming to some attitudes you saw on a TV show.

You should have a discussion with your pediatrician and perhaps with a urologist, as well as any pertinent religious leader to sort out your reasons. And after you do all of that, at 8, I think an age-appropriate discussion with your son is in order. The essential thing is that he not feel there is anything wrong with him either way.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.N.

answers from Baton Rouge on

It's painful and unnecessary. Don't do it.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

N.K.

answers from Miami on

So because of a TV show, you're going to get him circumcised now, at this point of his life? If I did everything that I saw on TV shows, I'd have a Kardashian rear end, breasts as big as two watermelons, lip injections, and more. Besides, I have read that it is highly traumatic of an experience for a grown child, in comparison to a baby, to have such a procedure, and it is painful. For what it's worth, an ex-boyfriend of mine was the victim of a botched circumcision and had sexual dysfunction issues. He had scarring in addition to sexual dysfunction, because they cut into some nerves, so he had a loss of sensation. He was very conscious of this fact and it made his relationships difficult, as he was very frustrated that being in his 30s, he was already needing Viagra. You may want to consider that possibility, and let your son make that decision, if and when he is at the age to decide.

2 moms found this helpful

W.W.

answers from Washington DC on

That's a personal choice. Every one is different.

You should tell your son that he's fine the way he is. You can tell him that EVERYONE is different and we made a decision for you when you were born NOT to circumcise you.

If he wants it done? Take him to a urologist who can explain the procedure to him and possibly have it done.

1 mom found this helpful

C.T.

answers from Santa Fe on

I think you should leave him alone and teach him about how to properly clean himself and also teach him that the way he is is perfectly natural. Tell your wife so too. My husband is uncut and so is his brother and they said they never were teased once. Our son is uncut. When he was a baby and I chatted with other mom friends it seemed to me that about 70% of the other boy babies were uncircumcised...most of them! I think cirucumcision is definitely falling out of fashion bc we have learned that there is no real reason to do it. If your son wants it done as an adult he can look into it.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.B.

answers from Houston on

If your son is not having health issues related to being uncircumcised, then leave it alone. If HE is asking about it then explain it to him. Not everyone was circumcised.

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

Can do it at any age.
Talk to a doctor (urologist) about it.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.G.

answers from Fort Myers on

My grandpas friend was circumcised at the age of 70 because he was having health problems with it. Its going to hurt badly afterwards. My husband and I watched our son get circumcised. Fairly fast procedure.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.S.

answers from Washington DC on

Didn't your wife change his diapers? At this stage I would give it time and let him decide.

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions