Parents are generally unprepared for how much a child will touch, grab, pull, poke, and probe their own genitals. And this kind of self-exploration tends to happen far sooner than most parents expect. But it’s completely normal for a child to touch themselves and eventually even masturbate. So what should you do if you catch your child touching themselves? Put it in context and address the issue in a reasonable way.
When it comes to kids exploring their own bodies, there’s no shortage of baggage and hang-ups about sex. That puts parents on edge. And when parents are on edge, they may resort to shame or anger to stop a practice they consider abnormal or even immoral. The harsh truth is that child masturbation is neither. Parents may find it uncomfortable to catch their children touching themselves, but that discomfort doesn’t mean the behavior is bad. Child masturbation is just part of growing up.
Here are more harsh truths about child masturbation that every parent should understand before they tell their kid to stop touching themselves.
Harsh Truth #1: Children Will Touch Themselves Sooner Than Parents Expect
There are a whole bunch of people in this world who are shocked by the idea of a child touching their own genitals. But even as babies, a child will touch their junk. Most often this happens during diaper changes or baths. The biggest concern here is not that the child is getting some sort of illicit pleasure. That’s just silly. The biggest concern is that the child may hurt themselves due to lack of coordination or sharp fingernails. So keep the nails trimmed and don’t worry about a baby who has discovered their penis or vulva.
Harsh Truth #2: Kids Touch Themselves Out of Normal Curiosity
As a baby grows into a toddler, their lives are ruled by one prime directive: developing an understanding of what they are and how they fit into the world. Part of that understanding comes from a child exploring their body, including their genitals.
For a child, all parts of the body are made equal. There is no difference to them between rubbing a penis and rubbing a toe. It feels different, sure. But so does touching the tip of their nose. The important part is that they understand that each part of their body has a function. If a parent wants to talk to a child about their genitals, they can explain that those parts of the bodies have functions, just like the other parts. You use your ears to hear, your hands to grasp, and your penis or vulva to urinate.
That’s all they need to know.
Harsh Truth #3: Child Masturbation Is a Form of Self-Soothing
The genitals are made to respond to stimulation. The outer portion of the sex organs are packed with nerve endings. After puberty (hopefully well after puberty), those nerve endings become incredibly important for sexual response. It’s a significant part of the reproduction of the human species. Even in children, those nerve endings are already primed. As such, touching one’s genitals feels good and comforting.
The term “comfort” is the key. Adults understand this. Many men, for instance, instinctively slip a hand under their waistband while relaxing and watching the game. If they were accused of doing something sexual, they would feel outraged because having a hand in the pubic region is about comfort. It’s the same for kids. Touching themselves can feel as centering as thumb sucking.
Harsh Truth #4: Child Masturbation Is Only a Problem Because of Adult Context
Parents may feel shocked if they catch their child masturbating. But whether a kid is rubbing their vulva or playing with their penis, touching themselves at a young age is a completely innocent act. Parents don’t see that because their recent experience around genitals is primarily sexual. That is the adult context: The sex organs equal sex. But that’s not the case with kids.
That said, there is an important point here. If a child is inserting an object into themselves, or touching themselves and speaking in a way that feels beyond their years, there might be a problem. It can be a sign that they’ve been introduced to sexual concepts too mature for their age. In the worst cases, it can be a sign of sexual abuse. In these instances, it would completely appropriate to bring up the behavior to a specialist or pediatrician.
Harsh Truth #5: Children Will Masturbate by Using the Couch
The couch is a safe, comforting space. And as a child grows older, they may seek safe comfortable places to engage in their exploration. Girls may straddle pillows and boys might hump them. These things happen, and they are completely natural. Freaking out about it won’t help anyone.
That said, maybe direct the child, sans judgement, to the cushions in their own bedroom.
Harsh Truth #6: The Best Reaction to Kids Touching Themselves at Home Is to Ignore It
It’s completely natural for a parent to feel weird about a kid touching themselves. But, again, those emotions are based on adult context. Still, they can be rather strong. That’s why it’s important to take a beat before reacting.
A parent who reacts to a kid touching themselves with shock or horror will affect the way a child understands the body part that they’re touching. The message is: doing that is wrong. Kids will pick up the idea that their genitals have a unique power to cause concern. That’s not particularly great for kids. It can drive them to explore even more or cause them to shut down and stop speaking to parents about their body parts.
The better way for a parent to react is to either ignore their kid or send them to a room where they can have privacy. However, it’s important to note that kids under 5 years old will likely struggle with the concept of privacy.
If a child is touching themselves in public, parents should keep calm and try to redirect their kid to an activity that requires them to use their hands, such as putting together a puzzle or doing a craft. Shame, on the other hand, is never advised. It can lead to emotional turmoil for everyone.