Talking With Your Doctor
Tips for Talking to Your Doctor
What Should You Do If You Catch Your Child Playing “doctor,” I.e., Showing Private Parts To Another Child?
this is a normal developmental stage for a child. You DO NOT want to shame them about their body, this will just have long term complication and self confidence issues later in the child. Children are curious about their bodies. My child development prof. in college told us a story about this incident in her house when her son was playing doctor at the dinner table, she told him, we don’t play with our penis at the dinner table. You want to set guidelines and boundaries but you do not want to scare them are act to upset when yo see this, it is just exploration, they do not think the way adults think and do not have the same concepts for these activities that we do.
11 Responses to “What Should You Do If You Catch Your Child Playing “doctor,” I.e., Showing Private Parts To Another Child?”
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tiff-so- said on Sunday, November 8, 2009, 11:53
It can be hard. You don’t want to shame them, but at the same time you want them to know it’s not a good idea to show their private parts to others.
Just explain to them that sometimes there are things that are only meant for you. Your private parts are yours and not for others to see.
Celebrat said on Sunday, November 8, 2009, 16:02
you need to sit your child down and explain that it’s not nice to look or touch others private parts and that doctors are not suppose to do that either without your mom or dad present.
juicy said on Sunday, November 8, 2009, 20:15
Nearly all children do this, and they have to taught it is inappropriate but it is not the end of the world for this to happen………..more talking than punishing is effective.
danewies said on Sunday, November 8, 2009, 23:50
Toddlers and children up until really 7 or 8 are really into exploring each other and they don’t know it’s wrong. They don’t do it sexually they just want to know what going on. Don’t be worried about it, just talk to your child about why maybe that’s not the best idea. There is not wrong time to start talking about sex. Or how babies are made.
snowbaby said on Monday, November 9, 2009, 1:01
It’s completly normal for children to be curious about this sort of thing. You should not tell them that this is naughty behavior because this will simply make them feel ‘dirty’ and bad. That could cause them to have long term problems not only with themselves but with the opposite sex when they get older. Just redirect them.
safjbiel said on Monday, November 9, 2009, 1:56
Put a stop to it. Explain to your child that that kind of behavior is inappropriate. If it continues to happen, punish the child.
firestud said on Monday, November 9, 2009, 5:34
What ever you do do not make him/her feel bad for what they done calmly tell them to get dress ask what they were doing if the explanation gets to sexual oriented this could be bad if they say they were just looking and touching i would have the Privates talk with them this will also would be a time to tell them about good and bad touch
chuy said on Monday, November 9, 2009, 11:54
Absolutely just be cool and tell them it’s time to get dressed now so you can all have an icecream and do something else. Just make sure the kids are always supervised in your house – I know it’s hard but possible – and always play with the door open. It’s totally normal of course but certainly let the other child’s parent know about it at once and discuss with them the way you want to handle any future incidents like this so you both are on the same page.
At about 3 – 4 you can start teaching your child that some parts of the body are special and private, and not really to be touched except the child themselves when they have privacy, their parents, and sometimes a real doctor.
kakapobi said on Monday, November 9, 2009, 14:00
-Depending what age you are talking about. If they really young just ignore it but if they are 4 years or older I would sit down and have a talk and explain these are your personal things and no one should see them or touch them. Children are curious about their bodies and a talk may answer their questions. Another talk later when they are pre-teen to answer their questions is another matter. The old bird and bee talk. Most will know as much as you do by that time though.
Chuck C said on Monday, November 9, 2009, 15:13
you should just explain to him or her that you dont show them things that is not good behavior and if that dont work i would talk to someone because if they do that to the wrong person you could get in trouble and you dont want that
ashley said on Monday, November 9, 2009, 17:33
Well hun you definately don’t want to make that child feel embarrassed or ashamed because it will carry over into adolesence and so on.. he will feel as if something is wrong with himself and his body he won’t be comfortable anymore. however you need to stronger let him now that showing his private areas to others is not something he should do, as they are HIS and should be something that only a parent or a doctor is able to look at if they feel something is wrong.. How old is your child, a little bit more information would have been helpful.. If he is very young, then it is just even more of a natural curiousity kind of learning thing.