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why does this child do this??

leftfield's picture

Submitted by leftfield on Tue, 01/31/2012 - 11:39am

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5 year old boy is going through a "phase" where he touches boobs of women. This has been going on for a few months. He will even say "boobies" as he touches them. these women are family friends.

is this normal?? My nephews never went through such a phase.

PeanutandSons's picture

Submitted by PeanutandSons on Tue, 01/31/2012 - 11:47am

I have no idea why he'd suddenly start doing it.

How do you handle it? He needs to be told that's its inappropriate and made to appologize to whomever he touches. It's probably just curiousity, but he needs to understand that he can't be doing it.

Probably a really good opportunity for a "private areas" talk. Not only to stress where he doesn't touch other people, but so he understands how own right to not be touched in those areas and how he needs to come to you if someone ever tries to touch him there.

3xmom's picture

Submitted by 3xmom on Tue, 01/31/2012 - 11:50am

I have three sons and all were breastfed babies till age of 1. The youngest a couple of times touched my breast or my mothers and said num num that's what he called them when he was hungry but after being told it was inappropriate and redirected he got the picture pretty quickly and didn't repeat it. He's 3 now and hasn't done it again. I can't imagine a 5 yr old doing that.

PeanutandSons's picture

Submitted by PeanutandSons on Tue, 01/31/2012 - 12:04pm

I breast fed my son till he was 2.5. He's only been weaned for 3 months and he doesn't do that. He may stick his hand down my shirt occasionally, but its more of an absent minded thing, not intentionally honking my "boobers". And he certainly never did that to anyone else, as he realized that I was the only one who had milk for him.

I really don't think this has anything to do with breastfeeding.

Newstep's picture

Submitted by Newstep on Tue, 01/31/2012 - 12:12pm

My friends son did that he was about 6 or so. He would just walk up and grab boobies and laugh. It was so annoying she would get mad at him and make him sit in time out. He stopped eventually but it seemed like it was just a wierd phase he went through.

bestwife's picture

Submitted by bestwife on Tue, 01/31/2012 - 1:07pm

What's this crap about "phases" - more than once or twice you give them a reaction that will have them quaking in their boots. and I am not talking physical punishment.

What does a parent do if a small child starts doing something that might cause them great physical harm? Just say it's a "phase" and hope they live through it?

ThatGirl's picture

Submitted by ThatGirl on Tue, 01/31/2012 - 1:33pm

^This

OptimisticMe's picture

Submitted by OptimisticMe on Thu, 03/15/2012 - 9:16am

My 21 month old son that I breastfed for a year occasionally does that...but only to me! And his dad thinks it is cute so that doesn't help me break his habit. I think this is normal at 2 or maybe even 3...not normal at 5. Time to "get real" with him and break him of the habit.