Help!! My son is playing with himself

Sophia - posted on 09/08/2012

all kids at that age or even older reach and touch. Explain to him he can hurt his penis, and dont make him feel bad.

Lisa - posted on 04/19/2012

It's pretty normal, and i have caught my little boy grinding on the couch with his penis sticking straight into the air.

Khalilah - posted on 04/17/2012

It's so normal and so annoying!!!!!!

Mashell - posted on 03/01/2010

it is normal and healthy for a baby to "explore themselves". I have always been told to let them do it, but only in private settings, such as the bath, or in his bedroom. He needs to know that it is not ok to do it around others, but that in private it is acceptable

Kristy - posted on 02/28/2010

let him do it. encourage stretch of fore skin and hand co ordination when it comes to teaching them to stand at the toilet. let it be. his curios he doen't know what its there for to him its like a new toy from the shop. To them its the only thing they haven't explored. they found fingers toes mouth etc that was the only thing left because its always confided in a nappy don't stress.

Maria - posted on 02/28/2010

It is totally normal! I'm surprised he hasn't done this sooner. Let him explore. When he's around two, you can tell him he needs to reserve that behavior for his bedroom or the bathroom.

Don't ever shame your child for exploring his (or her) body! You wouldn't believe the problems it could cause, down the road.

Stephanie - posted on 02/27/2010

yeah my boy is 14 months and has been grabbing it during diaper changes for a few months now he just laughs about it...doing it for the attention. but also nothing to be ashamed of just make sure when they get older they know there is a time and place for those things

Shelley - posted on 02/27/2010

Its very normal my little guy is into it to

Kara - posted on 02/27/2010

My son has played with his since birth. Every time the diaper comes off it is like a magnet for his hand. When he was younger he would run around naked pulling it really hard and I kept telling him he was going to pull it off. Dad called him the pud puller. Now that he is potty training the only time we can get him in big boy underwear is when he has an errection because he says the diapers hurt his penis...I'm not sure what that means but we are going with it. He went out to the ranch with him dad and uncle for a couple hours and came back and told me that he had a "big penis." Suffice to say, mine is obsessed with his and has been always. I'm not sure they ever get over it.

Bethanie - posted on 02/26/2010

I will echo the same sentiment, "It's normal"! My son started exploring around a year then stopped for a while. Then around 17 months, started noticing it again. We've been learning body parts (eyes, ears, nose, mouth, etc.) so when we would change a diaper and he was exploring himself, I would state to him "is that your pee pee"? So now he points to it and says "pee pee". My friends son, who is a month older (21m) has gotten bad to where he will reach in his diaper, fully clothed and pull it out. This has caused a few wetting accidents but even at this young of an age she was having to teach him to not do that in front of others and that it was a "private" thing.

Samantha - posted on 02/26/2010

Believe it or not but I had a 3D ultrasound done when I was 29wks preg. and The technician said at the very beginning of the ultrasound" Yeup! its a boy alright....look...hes grabbing himself" We thought it was hilarious. They are well aware that it is there at a very young age. He never just started grabbing it at a certain age. He just always did. I was concerned for a while and now he's going on 3yrs but my mother raised 3 boys and she said" they ALL do it. and they ALWAYS will" When I would make a big deal out of it he would do it for a reaction...just like Jane said. But once I realized half the time he was doing it to see how I would react I stopped reacting. Now if he grabs himself through his underwear I just say" let go of it please" and he does. Although half the time he doesn't even realize he does it. It's just " a guy thing".

Jessica - posted on 02/07/2010

totally normal. alot of male babies have been caught exploring their junk in utero. my daughter is 12 months and is doing the same thing. shes noticed she has some junk (well lack their of) and is eager to see what it's all about.

Annemaree - posted on 02/07/2010

i have a 2 yr old son n yes his hands are always down his nappy having a play which makes it pretty hard for toilet training but its all perfectly normal after all he has to learn that it is his n that its not a dirty thing. we send our daughter now 6 to her room (yes she still does it ) tellin her its not appropriate to do this in front of people n noone wants to c that.

Danielle - posted on 02/07/2010

It's absolutely normal and very important not to imply that it's dirty or wrong to your child. I'm sure you aren't doing that, but it's a good reminder. You've just got to let them explore so they get to know their own bodies and learn about the human body in general! Ahhhhh, toddlers!

Rebecca - posted on 02/06/2010

There is absolutely nothing wrong with it! My son is 18 months old, and discovered his penis months ago. He doesn't go searching for it yet, but in the tub or during diaper changes, he seems to remember it's existance. As he gets older, we will teach him about privacy, and that there there are appropriately times and places for things. I agree with Kerry that it's important not to make his actions "taboo" or make them think it's wrong. At this time, him touching himself isn't necessarily "sexual" but it still feels good! :)

Kerry - posted on 02/05/2010

He is exploring every part of his body and it's completely normal. I think it's important for parents to encourage confidence and talk about all body parts. Sometimes the language we use (like "junk") can have a big impact on a child sexuality later in life. I like to use the right words (penis and vagina, breasts etc) so it's not treated like a taboo topic

Karen - posted on 02/05/2010

when do you start letting the wash the winkles, my son is 4 yrs old and has just started to pull the skin back and wash ant first it hurt but now it dont. do any of you wash

Michelle - posted on 02/04/2010

I have 4 boys. It's so normal for them to do play with themselves. I don't even think they realize it sometimes. My twin boys when they were toddlers thought it was a hoot to have sword fights with each other with their privates. Boys! Now they have butt humor. It's a boy thing. As the twins got older I would talk to them about appropriate behavior. My other two are still toddler and preschool age and will have age appropriate talks as they get older. Just wait until they realize that they have no control over when their privates get big and such. My boys thought it was broken and would start to cry. I would just look at them at tell them to stop rubbing or touching themselves and would get fixed/ be back to normal.

Kate - posted on 02/04/2010

My son was cinstantly after himself for about 6 mo. He's almost 3 now and he never bthers with it anymore. He'll stop sometime. Oh, he used to comment on it being big and he was right around 2 yrs old, They are men even at that age.

Corey - posted on 02/02/2010

It's completely normal. My 3 year old step-son looked at us the other day very excited and exclaimed "My penis just got bigger!" And as funny as that was we explained to him (not letting him see us laugh) that that kind of stuff is ok but it's personal and we don't tell everyone in the living room. Start by letting him know that exploring is ok but is it is also a private, personal "activity." Never let him feel ashamed to learn about his own body.

Samantha - posted on 02/02/2010

it is completely normal. I have 2 boys. well as soon as my baby was old enough to sit in the tub i started bathing them together. my baby noticed his brothers first and tried reaching for it.. nate my oldest showed him his own and he started playing with his own. every now and then he still tries to explore his brothers but nate wont let him.

Amanda - posted on 02/02/2010

yes its normal, I do have a daughter but I also have 2 nephews and they both did as soon as they found they had something down there.

Jane - posted on 02/02/2010

It is perfectly normal for you babies to become curious about themselves. My nephew started at 11 mths. The looks are in response to your reaction, as long as he isn't wiping it out in public I say let him explore.