***** fascination?

[princess mommy]

My DS is 3.5 and just stopped sleeping in pull ups. He has now moved on to cotton training pants. The last few nights, as I was laying with him getting him to sleep, I noticed that he has taken up the habit of sticking one hand into his underwear and covering his *****. Has anyone else had this experience???? I know that boys tend to go through a masturbatory phase between 3 and 4, but am interested to hear how other people responded to it.

[MaryL]

My boys went through this phase...and we didn't make too much out of it. I think their "parts" feel different in regular underwear than they did in diapers/pull ups and they are suddenly more aware of them. Plus...it's a part of his body that he has needed to gain control over (potty training) and he's probably amazed at himself. I wouldn't worry about it. When my dks would do this...(and yes, occasionally it would be in public 8o ) I would just gently tell them that hands don't belong in their pants...and we never had trouble with it.

[KarlaB]

ITA with Mary...

My boys went thru this, too. Youngest is 3, so we're in the midst of it. I generally try not to add any extra attention to what he is doing - as that sometimes makes it more fun - to get our goat. LOL! If we're around people I'll say something, but generally it's not a big deal.