Discovering Private Parts

Post Reply New Topic

Hi all-

It has been a long time since I have been on WP, but I have a question and I thought you all could help. My son just turned 8. In the last month or so, I have noticed that he was playing with himself and actually had an erection. This has happened at least 3 times. I know boys always sort of play with their parts simply because they are there, but it seems different now. I remember when he was about 2 yrs old we noticed that he would get erections periodically, but I read that was normal, and then they just stopped until now.

My question is this----is he getting ready to start going into puberty? I am so not prepared for this since he is just turning 8 and is so immature in most every way. I mean he is still enjoying reading books that are meant for 4 and 5 yr olds. He has no friends (boy or girl) so I don't think this has anything to do with it. Anyway, I need help because I wasn't ready to deal with this for at least a couple of years. He is my only child, and having AS, I have absolutely nothing to compare this too.

Thanks for your help!

Unless someone else has discovered his private parts, you have nothing to worry about ... yet.

My son is about your age. When he was younger, we did impart upon him that penises are private. We never told him not to play with it, just that it should be done privately. I doubt your son stopped doing it; it just went underground (or under the covers or something.) I would guess he just needs reminding. Is he resistant to wearing clothes? (Our son would be naked all day, if we let him.) If he is naked, a lot, it makes it easier to forget to save it for private circumstances, because it is right there.

I don't think boys typically go through puberty that early, but I know that it had been creeping earlier and earlier. I am not ready for that, either.

I read some random thing once that said the average age for boys doing that with intent was 9. I don't know if that's true, and I can't remember where I read it. We've always had a similar policy. He can play with it all he wants so long as he is in his room or the bathroom, because those are private parts.

The public school that my two oldest went to for K and 1st, insisted on all boys referring to their privates as their "bad spot". My oldest was told off once for calling it a penis! I told him to continue to call it his privates or a penis and if he got in trouble again to let me know (he didn't tell me the first time until a long time after the fact, when I was explaining to him that it was absolutely not a "bad spot" and to not be thinking about it like that.)

I would just say that it is older childhood setting in. He is not physically ready for puberty yet, but he is entering the long pre-puberty stage of late childhood - ages 8 to 12 say.

As another person noted, if he is doing it in the open - if you are noticing it (not through suddenly entering his bedroom, though) - then perhaps he needs a "not in public" reminder.

BAD SPOT???? Omg, now I've heard it all. Geeze!

I teach horsemanship lessons and a lot of my students are homeschooled for religious reasons. They don't know about private parts, and male horses have big ones! When they ask me what it is, I say it's his penis, and pretty much most of the time, the kids, even up to age 12, say "what's a penis?" Unbelievable.

Thanks for all of your responses! I tried not to react to strongly to it, but I did tell him that we need to always make sure our private parts are covered up. The one or two times I saw him, it was after he had been in the bathtub soaking for a long time, but yesterday, I walked into the living room and there he was. It was just not what I was expecting at all since like I said he is just so immature and innocent.

Guess I should start reading up on adolescence in boys while I still have some time since I am clueless!

Thanks again everybody!

Lol I remember my little boy going up to my wife at about 4 years old with an erection saying "look mummy its gone hard!". At that age its more fascination and the fact that it feels nice than anything sexual. Just let him know to keep it private and he'll be fine.

Cannot believe any school would call it the 'bad spot' some people just shouldn't be allowed to work in education.

_________________
Autistic dad to an autistic boy and loving it - its always fun in our house

I have Autism. My communication difficulties mean that I sometimes get words wrong, that what I mean is not what comes out.