My 3 y/o keeps playing with himself..

[Jims5543]

It is funny how 2 kids can be so completely different. My 13 y/o was potty trained by the time he was 18 month old. He just woke up one day and decided to use the toilet. It was that instant. I remember reading Nathans Dad's posts about his 3 y/o and potty training having no clue why his kid would not go on the toilet. My 13 y/o was easy. My 3 y/o still shows no interest in the toilet. So I feel your pain now.

My 13 y/o when little would get erections and get mad at them. I remember him getting upset over it.


Now my 3 y/o....... My wife and I are dumbstruck. He keeps wandering off into his room, closing the door and playing with his erection. This is not a once in a while thing either. He does it a lot. When you walk in on him he gets kind of flustered. Puts it away quickly and acts like he wasn't doing anything.

We are not making a huge deal out of it with him and hope its a passing fad. We actually had to walk to another room one time and get the laughing over.

I normally just ask him what he is doing and he quickly replies, nothing daddy and changes the subject.

He shouldn't know to be embarresed and we have not done anything to indicate to him what he is doing is wrong so we are really baffled over the closed door in the bedroom thing and the quickly covering up. It not the playing with himself so much that bothers me its more the sense of embaressment that has me baffled.

Here comes the jokes.

Hopefully maybe some of you wise men can tell me if we are handling this correctly by not making a big deal of it and letting it run its course.

[fastpat]

Little boys do that because it feels good. The best response is that he can't do it in front of others. Most likely, he'll quit in a few months, until puberty anyway.

[rattlsnak]

like father, like son.

[Don Plumley]

You were supposed to stop?

[scottmandue]

Ummm uh....


No, it's too easy... I'll be nice.


Very tricky problem, don't want him to think it is a bad thing but he needs to know there is an appropriate time and place for such activities.

I don't have kids so as usual I'm useless, hopefully one of the doc's will chime in.

[Nathans_Dad]

Originally posted by fastpat
Little boys do that because it feels good. The best response is that he can't do it in front of others. Most likely, he'll quit in a few months, until puberty anyway.

Paste has a lifesized poster of Lew in the bathroom to help him along...

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Is he snipped?

Just collating data, as they say.

[scottmandue]

My parents used the "every time you masturbate god kills a kitten" system on me...


Did I mention I don't have any children?

[widebody911]

Can't help you, but a friend of mine's daughter used to do that when she was around 3 or 4. We'd be in his garage working on something, and she would just take off her shorts and start poking around down there. A bit awkward and unsettling, to say the least...

[speeder]

Hmmm, Definitely don't want to give him a complex by shaming him at that age. That could cause permanent damage and adversely affect your relationship. I'm no expert, but IMO the best parent-child relationships I've seen in life are the ones where kids feel like they can discuss anything w/ the parents, especially sex or other delicate issues. This is an opportunity to establish that kind of bond at a young age, the last thing you want to do is project any embarrassment on him.

I'd have a talk w/ him and tell him that his private parts are not for others to see, (outside of the family), the standard modesty talk but w/ no shame attached. That's the big one.

Who knows? Maybe he'll grow up to be President or Sec. of Def.

[widebody911]

Originally posted by speeder
Who knows? Maybe he'll grow up to be President or Sec. of Def.

More likely a Surgeon General!

[Jims5543]

Originally posted by scottmandue
Very tricky problem, don't want him to think it is a bad thing but he needs to know there is an appropriate time and place for such activities.

I don't have kids so as usual I'm useless, hopefully one of the doc's will chime in.

LOL!! He is 3 YEARS OLD.

Maybe I should just get him a hooker.

A masturbation speach should not be needed for at least 8 more years.

Its more like he is playing with a new found toy. Its little he pokes around at it it gets big. He thinks its cool.

I am more baffled at the fact that he hides to do this.

Thoms friends kid whipped her junk out in front of everyone without a concern. That is how its supposed to be with a 3 year old.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Just do like the Catholics do and tell him it's a sin and he kills the baby Jesus every time he even thinks about it. Oh, don't forget the "you'll go blind" part, too. . .

[TerryBPP]

I am not adult enough to have this conversation.

[Tishabet]

Any chance he's learned the "this is an embarassing thing" stuff from the 13 year old? Maybe embarassed him in front of a friend and was reprimanded or something?

[scottmandue]

Electro shock therapy... it worked for me... not bad once you get used to it!

If anyone needs me I will be in the basement chopping the heads off mice.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Seriously...is he circumcised?

[Jeff Higgins]

Does he even have enought to get ahold of at that age? Don't worry, he will get over it. Kids do really weird things but don't start to think they are until some adult tells them so.

[Jims5543]

Originally posted by BlueSkyJaunte
Seriously...is he circumcised?

Yes he is snipped.

You have my curiosity now. Why do you ask?

[Hugh R]

Just let him do it until he needs glasses!