My 5 year old niece keeps looking at a picture of a penis?

Question

I don't know what to do with this. My niece got hold of a book of my son's (it was a teenage advice book and tips for teenagers). Well at one page it had a drawing of a naked man and my niece came to me and started asking me what the "thing" was. I was shocked so I tried to take the book away from her but she won't let me have it. If I try to take it away from her she will start crying.

I don't know how to grab this book away from her, somehow I think she is way too young for the book!! Please give me some advice!

Answer 1

She is just curious because the picture looks different than she does. Just explain to her that boys and girls have different parts and leave it at that. She's too young for any more info than that. If you make a big deal out of it, then she will just continue with it to get a shocked reaction out of you. Ignore it and it will no longer be a fun game to her.

Answer 2

From my understanding some kids including girls do that. They grow out of it but all that other stuff you said about the french kissing and your niece he must be getting these ideas from somewhere maybe school if his in a daycare or even a family relative like an older cousin or something. You need to explain to him that what his doing is not appropriate and he needs to stop. Since you are Christian you could get some help from your minister or a counselor on how to approach this so he can understand better why he doesn't need to do those things The last thing you want is to confuse him because you can't say it's wrong he won't understand why it's wrong. I would ask a minister or Christian counselor

Answer 3

You are making way too big of a deal with this issue. In a 5 year old's eyes, she simply is being curious and is not doing anything sexual in nature. This is a good time to begin setting the stage for the "real" birds and the bees talk that her mother will want to have with her later. Instead of being "shocked" and taking the book a way. Sit down with her and use simple words to say something like, "That is a picture of how boys are made. This thing is called a penis. All boys have one. This is where they pee from." That is all she may need for explanation. She may want to know now or maybe later why she doesn't have one. This is also simply answered by saying something like, "Girls are made differently than boys. Girls don't have a penis, they have a vagina." Go ahead and use the real words. Don't grab the book from her. Let her look at it, answer her questions simply and honestly, than when she puts the book down, put it away. Sexual education begins very young and much of our attitude about sex as teens and adults comes from the attitudes of the adults when we were little. This is a teachable moment for her so take advantage of it. Be sure to let her mom/dad know that the subject came up and what you said to her. She'll have more questions later and they'll want to build on what you have told her.

Answer 4

A five year old is old enough to understand that you don't take things that belong to someone else without permission. It's on those grounds that you take the book away -- the content of the book doesn't even enter into it!

However, you over-reacted regarding the content of the book. Five years old is not too young to know that girls have a vagina and boys have a penis (though you don't need to exlpain that they have other uses besides going to the bathroom). But it's really the job of your niece's parents to sit down with her and read this kind of a book (or something like "Where Did I Come From") with her....

Answer 5

Might be a good idea to ask her" what it is" first and see why she is so curious. Get her talking..maybe she has something to tell you. Has she seen one before? Is someone molesting her? Where are her parents anyway? Wait til she is asleep and take the book if you want to get it back. There are childrens books that teach about gender differences and reproduction using age-appropriate examples and pictures. Ask a librarian to point some out for you. Then your niece can satisfy her natural curiosity in a less alarming way.

Answer 6

You need to just take the book away from her, who cares if she cries. What is her parents going to say? Maybe if you just take it from her, and ignore her questions (by changing the subject) she will forget about it. I can't help but laugh at the situation...sorry. You should tell her parents what happened so they are prepared if she asks them questions.
My daughter is three, and I already explained to her that girls and boys have different pee pees. She saw my husband go to the bathroom one day, and asked, so I just told her boys and girls were different and didn't make a big deal about it, but the problem in your case is it is not your child, so you would probably do better not answering her questions and leaving it up to her mom and dad.

Answer 7

she is just curious. she probably hasn't seen one before. if i were you i would just explain to her the difference between boys and girls. In my opinion she is not too young, she will eventually find out sooner or later and it is better that she is told by an adult with the right information then some little kids on the playground that know nothing.

Answer 8

Just explain to her that it's not a book for children. She's going to cry anyway but she'll get over it. Good luck with the Impending temper tantrum.

Answer 9

Tell her you've thrown the book away and keep it well away from her. Let her cry and then she'll forget about it. Tell her that is where the man wee wees from.

Answer 10

Just take it away --she doesnt need that memory in her mind's eye, a child should be innocent, i know it is disturbing to her. At 5; she doesnt cry if you take it away--i believe you -her loving uncle-is the one who showed it to her. pick on sombody your own size, are you that pathetic?