Moms of boys only.......serious question here....no immature crap!?

Question

This is a serious question and I don't want any bullcrap answers because this is weird to me. Okay, my son is 2 and a half and potty training. On numerous occasions, when i let him go potty alone and he has been in there for a while i go in there to check on him and he is rubbing "it" on the rug. And it is hard...like hard that little kids shouldn't be getting. What is this? Is this normal? When he does it and I catch him he acts like I just caught him doing something he knows he's not supposed to be doing. I tell him that he needs to stop it and its nasty but to everyone else i talk to they say that he is just discovering it. Uh...I am weirded out!

Answer 1

It's ok. It is perfectly normal. If he is reacting like he knows he's doing something wrong it's probably b/c you have that "OMG, what the HECK are you doing?" expression on your face. LOL.

Even tiny newborns can get erections. It is a perfectly normal physiological reaction to environmental stimulants like a full bladder, cool air, the sensation of touch on it like the diaper, his hand (or yours--don't freak, it doesn't MEAN anything), or even the carpet.

Kids are little animals. They can't help it, they're born that way. As they grow up it is our job to socialize them and make them fit to come out in polite society. You are already half-way there if your little guy is already doing this just in private. I have had friends of little guy toddlers in play groups all haul theirs out for show and tell to see if everybody's "did dat". again: LOL.

Don't tell him it's nasty, hon. It isn't really nasty. It is a part of your little guy and he is very innocent. All he knows is that it feels good. He is not imagining naked women or attractive sheep. He just knows that it is a positive "wow, that's kinda fun" and "cool! look what I can do!" Try not to make him grow up thinking any part of himself is nasty.

The trick here is the concept of "appropriate". He is not a nasty, dirty little guy. He just needs to learn that doing that is usually not appropriate. Like, we don't do it at pre-school. We don't do it in front of other people. Floors are dirty with germs so we don't rub our nice clean bodies on them. We wash our hands before and after touching ourselves, just like as if we used the potty.

If you make it "the forbidden fruit", human nature will assert itself and he will want to do it even more. You need to be very matter of fact about it, and before long, he will find other more interesting things to play with.

Be aware that mastur.bation is perfectly normal, and most healthy functioning adults have done that, do it, whatever. It is certainly preferable to random sex acts to scratch that itch.

The people that tell you he is just discovering it, are absolutely correct. It is like having the best toy ever, attached right to you where it can't get lost.

Don't be grossed out or worried. Remember you love him unconditionally. He hasn't become a tiny sex junky. He is a normal, healthy, intelligent toddler.

Have fun with your beautiful baby. This is just a little worry. When they are 19 like mine, the worries get bigger, no pun intended. Now I just want him to find a great girl who will be happy together with him.

Answer 2

Don't be too upset about and most definitely don't make him feel ashamed and dirty. He is only 2 and the thoughts you may be having as to why he is doing this are nowhere close to what he is having.He is discovering his body and it's perfectly normal. Please visit the website Parents(magazine) or BabyZone.There are lots out there.

I think that the most important thing is that you realize it's not perverted and he's not perverted. If I were you, here is how I would approach it if I had just walked in.

"Hey sweetie,what are you doing?" (In a very calm,normal and caring voice)

"Your so silly, let mommy help you up on the toilet"

"Are you finished? Let's be a big boy and wash your hands so that we can read some books."

My whole point is not to make a big deal about it,and distract him into doing other things.

As far as how he acts when you see him doing this, I think his reaction is in response to Your reaction. Not so much as to being,"caught." He knows that you are upset.

Potty Training is a big deal to toddlers,a big step in their Independence. I think it's very important to make it a good experience so that things can progress and that it is seen as a positive thing. I hope this helps.Good luck!

Answer 3

Yes, they can get erections at that age. I know it sounds weird, but it happens.

Don't tell him it is nasty. It's a natural thing. A bit weird for a mom to see at age 2 1/2, but not nasty, so you shouldn't tell him it is a bad thing, or you'll cause him to have hangups later.

Tell him that you sent him in there to go potty, and that is what he is supposed to be doing. Also try telling him that he should not rub himself on the rug because everybody walks on the rug in there and it is not very clean for his private parts to be rubbing on.

Good luck. Don't freak out. He's a boy. He's going to be doing "that" until he's 106 years old.

Answer 4

one, NO its not nasty. dont tell your child it is. You are making him feel like he is doing something wrong. Its not. Its a part of growing up. A better thing to say would be ok, lets get going potty or something like that. You dont have to say anything right now at all. When you make him feel bad about it, it may make him think its wrong...its not.
Second it is a normal thing. Sure i was surprised to see my 5 year old in the shower pretending his penis was "gone" when he tucked it in and said-- look its all gone. I have come in his room to tuck him in and he is touching it, its normal. Heck i have woke him up in the morning and his hand was still down his shorts. He is a boy...he is learning his body. Girls do it too, so its not that uncommon.
No its not something I want to think about or want to see, but as he gets a little older you can explain when to do it (when he is alone).
Dont be weirded out. its natural. You can get upset when in 14 years or less he is touching other peoples privates.

Answer 5

Toddlers masturbate for the same reason that older children do:

It feels good!

Bodily exploration is part of growing up. During the toddler years, your child will learn to run, jump, throw, pump a swing, draw, and (probably) "make all his poops in the potty." He may be just as curious about his genitals as he is about his fingers, toes, and belly button — and if he's recently switched from diapers to underpants, he may be able to get to them for the first time. When parents first see this kind of exploration, they wonder 'is this normal? The answer is yes, you don't need to be concerned.

Don't panic. Not everyone does it, but masturbation is a completely normal thing to do. It doesn't cause any physical ills, pose any health risks, and no, it won't turn your child into a sex maniac, either. Masturbation in toddlers isn't sexual (as it is for adults) because toddlers don't know what sex is.

Parents' reactions to masturbation pose the greatest danger for kids. If your toddler is made to feel guilty for exploring his body, or made to feel that what he's doing is dirty or naughty, he may associate sexual or pleasurable feelings with guilt and shame.

Answer 6

It's normal for all little kids, girls too. They touch themselves just by accident or casually one time and discover it feels good so they do it more... they don't understand that there's anything sexual or "wrong" about what they're doing. Boys can get hard even when they're babies.I would say just try not to make a big deal out of it... if he was doing it in public like at the store or something tell him to stop it and that it's not polite to put your hands in your pants when others are watching... but I think if you mostly just ignore it he will grow out of it

Answer 7

I have a 3 year old son and he plays with his "stuff" as well. Don't freak out about it. As everyone else has said, it's normal. He's just discovering himself. And please don't tell him it's nasty. He's not doing it for sexual pleasure..he's too young to understand that. It just feels good. Just explain to him that it's not something that he should do in front of other people. Again, it's normal. Don't make him feel bad for being a normal little boy :0) Good luck!

Answer 8

Totally normal, I'm going through this right now too with my 2 year old. It's not sexual, he's curious. I wouldn't tell my son that it's nasty though. He has no idea what he's doing or why anyone would be offended. If he gets more interested in grabbing himself than going potty I just tell him let's pull up your pants and tell me when you have to go. I'd be careful not to embarrass him or make him feel ashamed.

Answer 9

Well I don't know bout rubbing "IT" on the rug but I know what you are talking about. I catch my 2yr old boy doing the same thing when he is covered up in his blanket. I don't know what to do either but to tell him stop touching "IT". But I guess he is exploring what he has. It kinda gets hard explaining it to my Mother-In-Law which she should know well for its been like 30 yrs since her baby boy's was baby's. But my son would go to her and pull on his underwear and say OUCH..I try to tell her that he is just hard, but it is kinda akward saying this but hey its the truth, she thinks that he has a rash when he doesn't but I know its not. I'm still weird out about this too so your not the only one. I guess its just a phase lets hope. Good Luck

Answer 10

Ok...first of all calm down!! He's a little boy, and he has just discovered his best friend!! Boy's of all ages, even as infants get erections. I think now is a good time to have the good touch bad touch talk with him....no one is supposed to touch his privates etc.....I also don't think you should be telling him it is nasty for him to touch himself....you just need to let him no that it is a private thing and should not be done in front of people. When you catch him in the act, you could simply say please don't do that with my rug....please don't do that in front of me etc....if you lead him to believe it is "dirty or nasty" he might grow to be ashamed of sex or his sexuality and that would not be healthy...just keep your eye on him, and if something seems out of the ordinary talk to him.....have the good touch bad touch talk over and over....and don't panic!!