Under 5
What to expect from your child at this age
Babies and young children are interested in exploring their bodies. Be relaxed about this as it is quite normal. If they are touching their vagina or penis and you feel it is inappropriate you might want to reassure them that it is OK to do that but it is something that they should do in private.
3 and 4 year-olds usually become interested in the differences between the sexes and may look at and touch each other’s genitals. Again this is normal and it gives you a good opportunity to start talking about body parts, differences between boys and girls and what is OK to do in public and private, and good and bad touch.
You might want to teach children about their “safety ring” inside which they can say “No!” and that it is wrong for anyone to go into the “safety ring” without permission, even if they are grown-ups. Explain that they must tell you if anyone has tried to do this.
This is an important age to be telling young children that you love them and don’t be afraid to show that you love and care for other family members (hugs, kisses). This can boost their self esteem and show them how to express feelings.
The sooner you start the easier it will be and you will become relaxed and confident about these issues and any questions your child may ask.
They might ask you…
Q: Why doesn’t mummy have a willy?
Q: Where do babies come from?
Q. Where did I come from?
Q. Do men have babies too?
To help with your answer, you might consider…
- Always take your child’s questions seriously.
- Check what they are actually asking. For example, “Where did I come from?” might just mean ‘where was I born?’
- Give a very simple answer – just a couple of words may be enough for them at this stage.
- Try to decide now, what words you will use for these questions.
- Try to use the proper words for parts of the body from an early age. This will help avoid confusion.
