Strategies for constant willy grabbing

[TaurielTest]

DS2 is 3 (4 in Sept) and has recently moved on from constantly having his hands down the front of his trousers to constantly pulling his genitals out over the top of his waistband and having a good old fiddle. Since he was out of nappies this spring, he's wearing shorts/trousers with nice stretchy waistbands to make using the toilet easy - with the unfortunate side effect of unprecedented easy access.

I'm not hugely bothered by it and get that it's all normal behaviour - but I would like not to have to ask him to put it away over and over again. We have had endless gentle conversations about how penises are private and we don't show them to people or play with them in public. He nods, looks sheepish, and is back at it sixty seconds later.

Anyone?

Wait till he's wrapping it around pencils 'sigh'.

All you can do is tell them to put it away over and over and over.

Keep an eye out for it maybe being sore or itchy though. You get so used to them fiddling that sometimes it's easy to miss something.

I'd leave him alone. Its new and fascinating to him, he's just discovering another part of his body. DS used to do this and when asked why his penis was suddenly outside his trousers, would say simply, " i brought it out for some fresh air", [amile] he grew out of it. The more you make it an issue of it the more he will do it.

not [amile] but

Mine does the same with a running commentary "it's gone all big" "it's gone all pointy" he's nearly 4. I just tell him to put it away.....I'm a bad mummy cos it just makes me snigger (a lot)! To be fair, he hasn't done it for a while so maybe this too is passing!

My DS1 (4.7) and DS2 (2.11) are both winky pullers. There's barely a day that goes by that one of them doesn't get it out, and normally the other copies immediately too. I normally just ask them to put it away but so often they're so busy giggling like mad that my request just gets ignored. I agree educationrocks1 above - the bigger deal that we make, the more they'll probably do it.

I guess it's all part of being a boy and growing up. I don't think they ever stop playing with them do they!

FTS my DS does exactly the same

The first time he did the "it's gone all big" thing we were in the supermarket. Obviously he'd pulled it out so I could see.

Sorry, realise that was no help OP but he's still just as bad! I can't pretend to have any useful advice

he takes after his father

Boys like their willies. They do't grow out of it. My 14 yo DS has his hand down his trousers ALL THE TIME. (Hopefully not in school.) He's not 'doing anything', it just comforts him to have his hand down his waistband. DS2 (10) is starting to do the same thing...

Yes I agree, i think its comforting.

My DH, age 30, also has his hand down his trousers pretty much the whole time he's at home, so I don't think you've much hope OP!

BUt why he has to have a hand down there I don't know! I don't put my hands down my trousers/top the whole time. When I ask him why, he tells me it's because it's warm there!

It baffles me and irritates me in equal measures - maybe he will grow out of it one day!

We don't bother too much with DS (3) at home if he's just, erm... cupping, but if he's fiddling noticeably he gets a "put it down DS and go and wash your hands".

He doesn't do it out and about... I don't think!

Thanks all :grin: I'm certainly not making an issue of it at home, but out and about - well - I'm just looking forward to the day when he gets the message that a station ticket office, or a supermarket aisle, or at pre-school, is not the place.

When my nephew started doing this in public my BIL would say "Earl" to him (after 'My Name is Earl', who apparently does it all the time too!). He'd withdraw his hands straightaway and 30 seconds later do it all over again

Our (6yo) DS is now more descrete and keeps his fiddling to at home but I am still constantly saying "hands!"
He also has a winkie dance when he really wants to wind me up