Curious - Corpus Christi,TX

Hi L.!
I am a mom of a 5 year old boy and it is perfectly normal for them to play with their privates. It's the one toy you can never take away. Good luck potty training those sweet little boys.
K.

Well, I have two older boys and my best friend has three and we lived together when they were really small and let me tell you, IT'S NORMAL! No worries. They realize what's there and it's actually quite funny. You ask them why they're holding themselves and they don't know why, they just do. Sometimes it's to pee, it itches, it feels weird, adjusting...it's normal. When my six yr old was three, he told me one morning getting ready for school: "Mommy, it got bigger," and pointed down. I just laughed and told him not to touch it, that it would go away! That's just part of growing older and discovering themselves. Good luck with it and many bright blessings.

Hi L.,
Your boys are NORMAL!
I would say nothing to them at this time while they are at home playing but I would set limits like, not at the dinner table, not when friends are over,ect. (When we react strongly to anything that are children are doing we add energy to that activity.-A quiet approach is usually better unless there is imminent danger)

The line that I used with my boys was, "Private parts, private places." Then I explained what a private place is and what are private parts.
Please consider that, we do not want our children to think of any part of their bodies as bad or dirty. Self exploration is normal for both boys and girls, children just need to be guided as to when and where it is appropriate.

I hope I have helped.
Take care,
R.
Doula and Mother to Ben 17yrs and Daniel 13 yrs

Hello, As a mother of two boys (grown and in college now) I will let you know that this is normal. This part of their boby is the center of attention when you are potty training and they can not help but pay attention to it as well. They do grow out of it, with a little help. Just let them know that it is natural and that all boys have them. They may even ask other little boys to see theirs. Do not be alarmed. Tell them that it is a private part that you don't share with others. They may want to stop if you tell them they have to wash their hands everytime they you catch them because they wash their hands after they go the bathroom.

ROFL!!! From here, the fascination never ends! I found my 10 year-old messing with his in the car because it was "poking up" as he put it. Boys will touch it and play with it just like any other body part. It is the same with girls. It is not dirty, it is their body. You only have to teach them discretion.

Have fun and good luck!!

Keep laughing,
K.

The boys have access to new body parts, the newness will ware off. Kids explore their bodies. It is natural and innocent.

That is completely normal. I would just ignore it, they are just being curious.

Well, my husband is 32, so I won't say they ever really grow out of it! lol! But they do learn when, where, and how to do such things.

Oh, and make sure they wash their hands often!

Boys are fun, aren't they!

I am a mom or four boys. When ever they started to play with themselves I tried telling them not to. They didnt listen. Then I told them that if they were going to touch themselves then they needed to go to their room. They usually did not want to leave what ever activity we were doing, so they just didnt do it infront of me.
They are exploring and learning about themselves. It is ok and once they are more familiar with their bodies, they will touch themselves less.

They will grow out of it. I would leave them alone about it any attention is good attention at this age. If you need to tell them to go to there room if they need to do that. You don't want to make them feel bad about it, they are just exploreing at this age.

First of all, Good on ya, for raising these boys solo mio.
I have three boys and it is normal. I think all boys do it.
Just make sure and tell them to wash there hands. now if it gets out of hand then talk to you children's doctor. Explain to them that they need to keep that area clean and why and also why they need to wash there hands after going potty and if you don't make to much fuss about it then they won't either. Just be real calm and if they are messing with it just say, stop messing with your parts and go wash your hands. You might be washing hands a lot but it is training. There is nothing wrong with your boys, it is normal, especially if they have just recently been taken out of diapers, it is so much more accessible now. They are probably exploring and that is OK. They gotta figure out how it works. I wish you all the best, take deep breaths and don't be to hard on yourself, you will sound like a broken record but if you keep with it, it will be under control in no time. Blessings T

I have b/g twins that are 16 months old. My son started being curious about his private parts before he was 1yr old. I brought it up to my husband about me feeling that he is way to young to be grabbing it. My husband and everyone else who I've spoke to about it has told me that it's a natural thing to do. It's only when I'm changing his diapers when he tries to touch it, so I tease him saying that if he touches it too much it'll go away. But I think I should stop saying that before he understands me and gets scared...lol. Well idk what to tell you because I'm still learning with my twins. All I can say is that we as parents understand each other and not to worry your not the only going through this. Hope things work out for ya.

Don't worry about it, they will grow out of it. My son did that for a while, and he finally quit.

Hi, Leanna. I had this problem with my daughter and I told her that if she needs to do that she is to do it in her room, when she is alone, that it is not something you do all the time or in public. I now reinforce the rule with my two year old son and we are in the same situation. He has no male role model and I just tell him the same thing. Playing with your "junk" is something personal and private and no one else needs or wants to see it. I hope it helps.

It's normal - think about the first time you wore pantyhose or a thong - trust me, you did some odd maneuvers because it felt "different".

You might try boxer briefs, but they're still thinner and they're going to have more sensation... until they get used to it, you're going to notice interaction.

On the other hand, if they can't stop when told to do so or if the behavior doesn't start going away in 3 - 6 weeks (or if you're still worried), talk to their pediatrician.

hey there, I am a single mom of a 3 1/2 year old. and just believe me when I say my son has been through a lot with his "package" but anyhow his urallogust would always ask if he had started discovering it. at the time he was only just under 1 but once he turned 2 or so he started to discover what was down there just about every time he sat down.but now he only really checks it out when he is taking a bath or going pee.
But I think it's just to see if it's the same thing he saw the last time he checked it out.
Basically what I'm trying to say is if there around the age of 2 his doctor was telling me that about this time there testosterone is developing and that's why it's call the triable two because there body changes and hormones are developed. and that once he realize there is something down there it perfectly fine for him to check it out. so I don't think you should be worried this just might be the start of there boyhood. :0 "ugh"

Honestly, unless they are hurting themselves or their genitals, it's normal. This is their time to discover themselves and who they are as sexual beings. You notice as babies they were grabbing their toes and their fingers and this is the same self-discovery. There is nothing to be ashamed of and they shouldn't be made to feel bad about touching themselves. This phase will pass.

i have 2 boys ages 5 and 9. boys are FACINATED with their privates!! don't make a big deal out of it and treat everything "matter of factly". i remember my boys telling me when they were VERY young "look mommy! when i touch it it gets BIGGER!!" amazing. :)i simply said in a normal voice, "yes they do that.". i don't want to make them feel ashamed, but i don't want them to do it all the time!! i've also told them we don't show our penises to others and we don't touch it when other people are around. hope this helps!

Hi L.,
no need to worry, what your boys are doing is perfectly normal and natural. My pediatrician explained it to me at my son's 4 yr. check up...I potty trained both my little ones at the same time...they are only a year apart and I have a boy and a girl. The doctor told me to expect them to touch themselves out of curiosity...don't get after them, because you don't want to shame them or make them feel like they are doing something wrong, just explain to them about privacy and not to things like that in front of people, just like you would tell them that burping out loud is not good manners! It has worked for me!

Sincerely,
J.

boys play with themselves constantly. even grown men sometimes can't seem to resist the urge to re-adjust when they feel they are in a comfortable surroundings and things need corrected. The best thing is to teach them how and when it is appropriate. BE careful in doing this, if you tell them that touching it at all is bad, you may create problems for when they are grown and pursing sexual relationships. I tell mine not to touch it unless he's using it, and it works most of the time. good luck

I believe they will grow out of this. My eldest now almost five did for awhile and now our 3 year old does as well...

I think it is because of the underpants brushing against causing a strange feeling or just personal growth being a boy.

Your not alone, I asked my mom shyly about older brother...she said its natural.

OH I know what you're going through. My son is doing that little faze right now. DOn't worry they will stop eventually. It's a faze little boys go through and it will usually last until they are about five or at least that's what the doctor told us. She said not to make a big deal out of it or they'll do it more to get a reaction from you. Just calmly tell them "Do not touch yourself there, we don't do that". Good luck I hope everything works out for you.

At this age it is very common for children to touch themselves. They are just curious and exploring, it is not anything sexual. You want to resist the urge to tell them to stop because it can cause psychological issues about their private parts but you do want to discourage them doing it in public. I promise you they will grow out of it in not too long.