My 5 year old boy has recently started a really gross, gross habit. He is continuously putting his hand into his pants to....well...touch himself...and then he takes his hand out and...smells his hand

This is absolutely the most disgusting habit..I have tried to calmly talk with him about it but it has no influence on him..I've tried calmly asking him to go to the bathroom if he feels the need to touch himself...without emotion..

Nothing is working. This is so groooossss. And now he is doing it in his pre-kindergarten class too.

Any moms with some wisdom for me?

kris

You poor thing! I dont know, have you tried the "germs" thing, that he may get sick...you know the deal, so that maybe the fear of getting sick may make him more hesitant about doing it?

My 4 yr old has for the past several months been *tickfully* (if there is such a word) putting the back of his hand and rubbing his younger brother's mouth (he's 3yrs old)whenever they are beside each other. It gets on my nerves. Nobody wants someone else's hand coming in contact with the mouth! It is especially not good given his age. No telling what is on his hands! I have threatened to put him on time out, and he really does try to not do it, but sometimes he just cant help it. Like he is OC or something.

One of my son's friends does this (and continues to, now at 8). I've never asked his mom what she does. At my house, I ask him to stop and make him go wash his hands. I have explained that he might get germs on the computer or videogames so I don't want him to do it here. It's maybe a little less than a year ago but it still happens, and I probably supervise less so maybe the frequency hasn't changed.

He is 8, psych? 8???

Here I was telling myself he might grow out of it.

I don't want to try and scare him out of it..ie the whole masturbating=bad thing.

I am at a total loss...this is so gross.

kris

Just an idea:
Make him carry a bottle of anticeptic hand wash (the no-rinse kind), and everytime you catch him doing that, either he has to run to the bathroom right away or use the hand wash.
(One friend of mine broke her son of thumb sucking that way, but I suppose it also tastes bad.)
The teacher could enforce that as well.

Could he have a concern about his penis? That makes him need to smell it regularly to check?? I mean who knows what other kids may have sufggested?

Or could he have an infection & it causes discomfort which causes him to touch and reflexively smell his hand?

Or does it hurt? or itch?

Is he circumsized or not? Does he have a rash?

Would asking him any of these things be helpful?

Just some thouhts

drmoo...

Thanks for the suggestions. I am indeed going to ask him these questions!!!

kris

I dunno..... but I think this is fairly normal behaviour for boys this age. Bodily functions are just about the most interesting thing to a group of boys age 4-8 imho. My son (7) does this to some extent too. I don't make a big deal out of it, but keep reminding him not to touch himself in public, and to wash his hands alot. :rolleyes: It sounds gross maybe, but I think it is just natural curiosity and it feels good. He may never grow out of touching himself, but he WILL learn when it is appropriate and when it isn't... with our help that is.
:twocents: Mimi

I have two boys and I must admit they like to "check out their joysticks" frequently. I think it is pretty normal. I am not sure what to make of the smelling his hands issue but I suspect it is a variant of the norm. While I agree that asking him to wash his hands is appropriate, I would not make a huge issue out of it for fear that he will learn to be embarressed by his body.

It sounds normal to me, too. Most of the little boys I used to babysit for did it, and the younger ones who needed help dressing tended to play "rubber band" with their penises, too. As for smelling, I don't remember seeing that, but it sounds normal too. Right along with checking to see what's in the tissue or in the toilet bowl.

I guess I don't see anything gross about it. Socially unacceptable, sure, but not gross. It's his penis, not a landfill.

amy