Q: My 5-year-old daughter has been rubbing her genitals with a quilt recently, especially when she can&39;t sleep or I&39;m busy. I&39;ve tried to divert her attention but it didn&39;t work. Is this too early? Will excessive stimulation lead to early sexual development in the future?
A: Sexual development is part of growth, just like emotional and language development. Even small children will find that self-stimulation of sexual organs can make them feel comfortable during the exploration process.
Occasional masturbation is normal, don&39;t worry too much
Occasional masturbation is a normal behavior, usually when children want to sleep, are bored, or are under pressure. Some children masturbate frequently, which may be because they encounter setbacks, are punished, or are strictly prohibited by adults. Masturbation of preschool children will not cause physical harm and has nothing to do with early sexual development. Usually around 5 to 6 years old, children will understand that masturbation is a private matter. Therefore, as long as they don&39;t masturbate deliberately in public, parents don&39;t need to worry too much.
Face it calmly and agree to masturbate only when alone
If you know that your child often masturbates at certain times, parents can play with toys or tell stories to divert his attention; when diverting attention is ineffective, discuss with the child calmly and agree that it can only be done in the bedroom or toilet, and when alone. When the child masturbates, parents should give him privacy and avoid asking or interfering with details.
It is recommended that parents increase the intimate contact between parents and children (such as hugging, patting), chatting and telling stories before bedtime, which will also reduce the number of times children masturbate. Once masturbation begins, it is unrealistic to ask children to stop immediately. If excessive punishment is given, or masturbation is labeled as dirty or other inappropriate labels, it may cause emotional harm to children.
