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Step-parenting

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11 yo DSS exposing himself to 4 yo daughter?

38 replies

flippaflippa · 18/08/2015 12:31

Any advice welcome about this problem please, summed up in thread title: I overheard my 11 yo DSS saying to my 4 yo DD "Look at my penis", whilst lying on her bed. Being just outside the bedroom door I walked in, and in rather a state of shock told them to go and play downstairs, to diffuse/break-up the situation. Unsure what to do, and still in shock, I only mentioned it to DH once DSS has gone back to his mums. In hindsight I should have brough this up at the time, with DSS, that what was said was not appropriate. During the same visit DSS was holding DD on his knee, bouncing her up and down, then when she got off his knee rubbing his crotch area. I should add DSS's visits have been sporadic due to bad relations between my DH and DSM since separation 8 years ago.. not helped by living in different countries. DSM has told DSS that DD and DS (3) are 'fake' brothers and sisters, which also no doubt colours how he views them. Even after 8 years she refuses to meet me, and has never met my kids. My current strategy has been to insist I am always there whenever all kids are together, but in reality is unrealistic. Also I'm not supported by my DH, who would like to be able to spend time with all his kids without me 'policing'. He says I'm hugely overreacting, and even doubts such a thing could ever happen, "you are branding my son a pedophile, demonising him, when he is only a child. This is your problem, not his.. etc.". This leaves me feeling very unsupported. I have no family, and have been through therapy dealing with my own child abuse issues, which adds to my sense of isolation in handling this situation. When I've discussed with situation with friends the consensus also seems to be that it's just children being children, and not to take it too seriously. Advice please!

OP posts:
gamerchick · 18/08/2015 12:45

Is this the kid who's mother packs her used underwear in his suitcase (I hope you mean top half) so he has something that smells of her? Held your toddler daughter down with a cushion?

yout bloke sounds weak and you may have to end up choosing between him and your bairns safety.

titchy · 18/08/2015 12:47

Sorry I disagree with your friends wholeheartedly. At 4 or 5 or 6 then yes, just kids being kids, but not at 11 - this is a child who is or soon will be at secondary school. Exposing himself is VERY concerning behavior. Make sure you are always around when he is, make sure your dd knows she can tell you anything, make sure she knows she can say no to him and walk away from him if she wants to. And phone the NSPCC for more advice - preferably on speakerphone with your dh listening.

happymummyone · 18/08/2015 13:04

No this is not normal for a child his age. He will know exactly what he is doing and your DH needs to stop condoning this behaviour. These incidences are the ones you have witnessed, sorry to be blunt, but what if there have been other occurrences you are not aware of or if they worsen and you or your husband could have done something to prevent it? You go with your instincts and if your DH fails to get on board your children are not safe. Good luck OP, you must be going out of your mind with worry. Thanks

MeridianB · 18/08/2015 13:15

OP, that is very upsetting. What would your DH say/do if this was an unrelated 11-year-old boy exposing himself to your DD?

If I was in this situation I would speak to DH once more and say that this is not accpetable and DSS needs help from his parents.

I would also ensure that the two of them are never left alone (and had no more physical contact) even if that meant taking my DD away when DSS visited.

Ultimately, if my DH did nothing to address the situation and help his son, I would keep prioritising my DD and review the relationship.

CocaKoala · 18/08/2015 13:17

This is absolutely inappropriate behaviour. He is eleven and on the cusp of puberty. There is no excuse or explanation for what he's done. How would your DH have reacted if it were a friend's 11 year old instead of his son?

I'd be having stern words with my DH if that were his answer if it happened in this household. at the very least he should be sitting down with his son and telling him his behaviour is inappropriate and will not be tolerated.

seaoflove · 18/08/2015 13:24

You need to act now. A preteen boy and a four year old girl isn't innocent exploration. It's skirting very close to sexual abuse, and has the potential to escalate into sexual abuse unless you act now, and act strongly.

Google the NSPCC "Pants" campaign, and talk to your daughter. She needs to be taught about what is and isn't appropriate when it comes to genitals. I'd also suggest you never leave the two of them alone together.

AnotherTimeMaybe · 18/08/2015 13:31

The other posters said it all not much to add. Please trust your instincts, your DSS probably knows how to use his penis by this age so he pretty much knows what he's doing when he's exposing it .. Pretty scary to think if you hadn't opened that door what would happen!

For future reference don't leave your ds unattended with someone this age who you don't know 100% as it's not your actual DS

Booboostwo · 18/08/2015 14:26

I have to apologise to you because I opened this thread expecting an OTT, hysterical interpretation of a normal event, like your DSS walking naked past your DD in the bathroom. However you are right to be worried. What you describe is not appropriate behaviour and needs to be addressed ASAP. Your DH has to understand that this is not about demonising your DSS but about protecting both children. Aside from the effect on your DD you both need to consider what may have happened to your DSS to trigger such behaviour. It is possible that he is the victim of sexual abuse and is copying learnt behaviours.

Wdigin2this · 18/08/2015 23:38

I agree with all of the above comments Flippa, you cannot put this down to 'children's games' this boy is 11 and knows what his penis is for! Your little girl does not understand however, so you must protect her, and if your DH will not accept this is real, or that he really needs to take control of the situation, then at the least I'd be taking her out of the house when DSS visits...or at worse I'd be reconsidering my future!

ImperialBlether · 18/08/2015 23:42

I'd get my child away from the son and from his father. What does he think of you, that he thinks you would make that up?

EeyoresTail · 18/08/2015 23:51

Sorry but there is no way he would be alone in a room with my DD again. Your DH is sticking his head in the sand if he can't see that situation was wrong.

NotSoDesperateHousewife · 18/08/2015 23:59

You absolutely must not let him be alone with DD! I speak from an aquaintances horrific experience, please put DD first and report this to SS and any other authorities you consider relevant.

If DH didn't support me on this, personally, I'd leave without a backward glance.

GiddyOnZackHunt · 19/08/2015 00:11

If he was a 4 year old then I'd be having a stern talk with him about privacy. An 11 year old is a different thing altogether. And how much older does he have to be before anyone takes notice? A 16 year old exposing himself to a 9 year old? What if he asks her to do more than look?

merrymouse · 19/08/2015 00:12

11 is far, far too old to be behaving like this. Not in normal range of behaviour at all.

smsam · 19/08/2015 09:09

Another voice to say this is definitely not normal. I know a lot of 11 year old boys and none of them would think this was acceptable.
If anything at that age they are embarrassed about their bodies and wouldn't want her to see it even passing on the landing after a shower, never mind getting it out deliberately. They have pubic hair and erections at that age. I mean.. I don't want to sexualise all 11 year old boys like they're all predators, and it's worth checking he isn't being abused himself. But your number one priority is getting your daughter to safety until things have been worked out.

flippaflippa · 19/08/2015 09:52

Wow, so much good advice, many thanks all of you - it backs up my gut feeling, which is reassuring. CocaKoala, it's true that if a friend's 11 yo did the same it would have been a different matter. I checked NSPCC's "PANTS" site but it only covers inappropriate touching, but it's a helpful intro to approaching a difficult subject with kids without being alarmist. I should add, I only overheard what DSS said, and didn't witness anything as I darted in. So DH thinks I'm judging DSS harshly on something that could have been misheard, and, based on this, excluding him from the family, i.e. hammer to crush a nut. Without over disclosing, he thinks my views are coloured by my own childhood experiences... no doubt, but I'm not a fantasist!

To give a context, I posted a thread a couple of years ago with unrelated incidents between DSS / DS / DD that left me on edge, because of the big age gap. DSS denied any wrongdoing, much tears, DH brushed all under the carpet & I "overreacted". The "look at my penis" incident happened some months ago, and he hasn't stayed with us since (it would have meant me being part of the day at work, so I vetoed), and as he lives in Germany weekends with us are not an option. DH either takes him to his grandparents (they are there now) or else visits where DSS lives, on-on-one. So since, there's been no contact, but I just don't know how to deal with things longer term. DH thinks I have a problem with his son. DD / DS are DH's kids as well as mine, and understandably he wants all 3 to have the chance to be close, to be 1 family. He has guilt about not being around for DSS as he is for DD / DS.
We have thought about couple therapy, but as far as I'm concerned this should involve DSS's mum also.

P.S. yes gamerchick, DSS's BM used to pack him off to stay with us with her used underwear in his bag...

OP posts:
DriverSurpriseMe · 19/08/2015 10:02

Wow, that is one of the weirdest things I've ever read, and a bit of a red flag in my (uneducated) opinion. Do you think there's any chance at all that there's more inappropriate stuff going on between DSS and his mother? Because packing used underwear in his bag so he has something that smells of her is actually quite sickening. A scarf with her perfume sprayed on, maybe. Used underwear? How can that be interpreted in anything other than a sexual way?

merrymouse · 19/08/2015 10:11

I think your DH needs to be less defensive and more concerned about why his son hasn't learnt appropriate boundaries at 11.

Used underwear very, very odd indeed.

smsam · 19/08/2015 11:11

top or bottom underwear? (not that either is okay!)

flippaflippa · 19/08/2015 12:07

Eeuuw - before this gets out of hand - it was TOP underwear! Dirty pants would be off the scale creepy! Still, it was in my house, and DSS was 9 or 10 at the time, so I [discretely] binned it and DSS didn't even notice. BTW he has always slept in her bed, as far as I know he still does...

OP posts:
happymummyone · 19/08/2015 12:36

Here son, take my sweaty worn bra and give it a good sniff if you miss me. She sounds batso. You sound like you have a real job on your hands trying to neutralise the crazy.

flippaflippa · 19/08/2015 15:06

Did I mention she is German? Smile (joke)

OP posts:
Wdigin2this · 19/08/2015 22:59

Giving your 11 year old son your (worn) bra, to remind him if you, plus having him sleep in your bed is just NOT normal...in any language! And, I would say, if you're absolutely sure you heard DSS say 'those words' to your DD, it doesn't matter what you did or didn't see when you entered the bedroom.....this is a huge red flag warning that you shouldn't ignore!!

00100001 · 20/08/2015 08:23

maybe the step-son is being sexually abused himself?

00100001 · 20/08/2015 08:24

to be sharing a bed at 11 is not right.

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