For both current parents/guardians and any who want to simply hand out their opinion, how would you go about this as an athiestic/agnostic parent? Is their any reason to be against it without religion, and is their an argument to encourage masturbation and to what extent of encouragement? Perhaps their could be limitations on where or when the child is not allowed to masturbate, or on the other end of things, perhaps access to masturbation aids and pornography is permissable. Or maybe the subject could be ignored, with the child given room to figure it out on their own.
What would be your strategy?
Do religious parents tell their kids they can't masturbate versus atheists' parents?
I don't know what the difference would be, but I simply don't want an answer skewed by divine command theory.
Yes. It's considered a Sin in Roman Catholicism.
@RavenCT Kids still do it.
@Sarahroo29 Most kids still do it. If you are repressed enough you don't.
I have a friend in her 40's who has never had sex or masturbated. Sad as heck. (Jehovah's Witness)
If they are old enough to ask ie puberty Iam happy to answer and have done as my parents did me. Idont see the problem.
Give them their first porno, think I watched my first one when I was 8. Never turned back. It's a milestone, I'd be proud. If it's my daughter mum can deal with that.
Maybe start with a few softball questions, to gauge where his knowledge is at, then go from there.
And, maybe keep it super simple, and just say, "If you haven't heard the word masturbation yet. You probably will among friends. I want you to know that it's normal human behavior, and you can talk with me about sex anytime you feel comfortable. There are a few rules of safety about sex I'd like to discuss soon, can we chat about those now or another day?"
My 5 yo old asked me last week two solid questions: "Where do babies come from, and who was the first baby?" I was blown away! His brain is already trying to track back to history. So fun to watch kids grow and learn. Good luck. Offer love and patience always!
When my daughter was 11 years old, she had a question about masturbation. She asked why she felt strange emotions all over her body when she touched her genitals. I told her the same thing I had heard from my mother: You have to open up to yourself, explore your body, and you will find answers. Years later, I found it in her locker at httрs://joynights.org/best-rabbit-vibrator/. That's when I realized that the development was going in the right direction.
I have often joked about it by saying, "There are two kinds of people in the world. Those who do it, and those who lie about it--and I am not a liar." It is a light-hearted way to say it is OK, and that there's no need to feel guilty about it which leads to lies and even more guilt.
I have 4 children. 2 grown and 2 in grade school. I've never had this conversation nor do I plan on it. I don't think it's really an appropriate thing to discuss with children.
Who's children run around masturbating everywhere?
Every ones! and sometimes ins destructive ways. Teaching your kid that it's private, but not bad is important.