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Age appropriate curiosity vs something else

8 replies

IsThisOneTaken · 06/09/2014 09:32

Hello

We have a DS7 and DD5

Lately we have even talking about bodies and babies (and regularly reading two good books 'Where's Willy' and 'Amazing You')

One of the reasons were doing this is because SW, before they came home, gave us some examples of 'sexualised behaviour'. I put this in inverted commas as I don't think it was anything of the sort. Think 1 isolated example of holding a hairbrush in front of himself that sort of thing.

Lately though, (and on the back of reading the books, a few times going swimming where I've got changed in front of them etc), there have been a couple of other examples. As I don't have birth children, I don't know whether they are simply age appropriate curiosity or something else.

Would anyone be prepared to share examples of behaviour that would be entirely 'normal' for a 7 year old and 5 year old and examples that might not be?

OP posts:
SavoyCabbage · 06/09/2014 09:40

There probably isn't a normal so much if you know what I mean.

We have always got changed in front of our dc and when they are getting changed for swimming lessons they will just be totally naked without even realising that it might be considered taboo whereas some of my dd's friends of the same age will only get changed behind towels.

Frusso · 06/09/2014 09:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

divingoffthebalcony · 06/09/2014 10:01

There's a big spectrum of "normal" and it might be easier if you explain what's been bothering you, than collecting anecdotes that are considered normal. Assuming you're comfortable with doing that.

BettyBotter · 06/09/2014 14:20

This is not a scientific response but anecodatally (and having had quite a lot of experience working with dcs this age) I would say that it is quite normal for boys from a young age (3, 4, 5-ish?) to be aware that willies are quite funny/ risque and to make silly willy and wee jokes (like your hairbrush example).

I'd say that willies at this age are normally pretty much associated with wee, not sex, until the playground rumour mill kicks in (8, 9, 10, 11??). From these sorts of ages most dcs have heard about sex and have picked up various notions of willies being involved, plus TV images etc of snogging and school-child cartoon willy pictures adding to the picture. So sex jokes or rudey comments ('John and Mary were sexing in the toilets') become rife if they think no adults are in hearing distance.

What would worry me much more would be children showing sexually detailed knowledge at a young age e.g. with knowledge of unusually specific detail around sex that you wouldn't expect to have been learnt from other children or TV.

Threesocksnohairbrush · 06/09/2014 21:59

Are they fairly newly placed? Does the history apart from SWs examples give you reason for concern?

I have two of similar age.
Agree it might be easier to advise if you are comfortable sharing any info about the types of behaviour. The range of normal is wide and colourful I would say.

8 year old much as a pp describes. He knows what sex is in broad brush terms. Does not know details of particular ways of doing it. The idea of anybody having sex is simultaneously hilarious and horrifying ie he may giggle about somebody 'sexing' without really knowing what it means, but when some Y6 boys were discussing sex seriously at his lunch table he and home quite upset and I had to speak to the teacher. He doesn't really get why adults should do this peculiar thing. He is never ever doing it even when he is a grown up Grin

5 year old - bums, willies, boobies, poo, wee are the funniest things ever invented by humanity. Especially poo Smile Sex not really on their radar although I think they know it's something grown ups do to make babies.

Both of them would find the sight of an adult/parent getting changed utterly hilarious. Although we do change around them a fair bit. Less so the 8 year old who is beginning to express a wish for privacy at certain times.

I hope that helps. Happy to advise further.

Ledkr · 06/09/2014 22:40

My 3 yr old pokes my boobs and asls what they are, I say "my bosoms" and she says "nannys got bosoms"
She has started to say who has a willy (boys in family) and vice versa with foofs.
She hasin the past given dh's willy a tug.
I heard him tell her the other day in the bath that he didn't need his wily washed thankyou.
I'd say all pretty normal inquisitive stuff.

Lilka · 06/09/2014 23:31

To the above lists I would that for children their ages, touching themselves is very normal, because they've worked out it feels nice. It can also be a comfort mechanism for children who are neglected and deprived of normal interaction (you might have heard about self-stimming behaviours like rocking backwards and forwards resulting from neglect, but masturbation serves the same purpose). However masturbating excessively or in public can throw up flags once they've reached a certain age (I don't expect a 3 year old to know that touching your willy in the supermarket isn't appropriate, but I would expect a NT 7 year old to know that)

'I'll show you mine...' is usually normal in a playful-on-both-sides manner. The same activity accompanied by coercion or threats to keep it a secret from one child is worrying. Use of force with another child should raise massive red flags.

Language usually confined to childish terms like willy, not adult/explicit ones. A 7/8 year old might talk a bit about sex, and they will have a small amount of knowledge eg. 'that's how babies are made' or 'it's when a man puts his willy in a woman's vagina', but their knowledge of the mechanics should otherwise be limited, and they shouldn't be using adult terms eg. calling it 'fucking'

When it comes to things like what the SW said re. the hairbrush. When it comes to objects, it's normal to have a good giggle at objects which look like willies, or perhaps even with a hairbrush, holding it in front of them and pretending to pee. So for instance, laughing at a sausage because it looks like a willy is age appropriate. However, the same child then picking it up and simulating oral sex is a big red flag.

Persistant talk about sexual things is relatively uncommon, as is persistantly using sexual themes in play. Most children are curious, but not obsessive and can be distracted or redirected relatively easily.

There is a broad spectrum of normal, but be wary of adult knowledge of the mechanics of sex (beyond willy+vagina=baby), adult language, anything which they couldn't have learned from similar age peers, and anything which gives you a bad feeling - some things can give a very strong 'this is not right' gut feeling which you should listen to if you get it IMHO. A child's tone of voice, body language and facial expressions can sometimes raise flags when a child does something which you might otherwise have put down as within the spectrum of normal.

I am more than happy to advise further, you can PM me if you want. You can also find guides online, including several 'traffic light' guides to sexual behaviour in children. Google something like 'sexually appropriate behaviour children' and you'll get a lot of guides, a lot of organisations publish them.

Lilka · 06/09/2014 23:37

Oh and when it comes to touching others, that can be quite common within limits. Young children might want to see or touch their parents private parts and young school aged childen might want to touch their peers private parts, and that's usually normal

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