Discussing sexuality with your child

Masturbation

Some parents are uncomfortable dealing with the knowledge that their children may be engaging in acts of sexual self-satisfaction. But we're all sexual beings, and humans, right from babyhood, express their sexuality by touching themselves and fondling their own genitals, which is perfectly natural.

Sometimes parents worry about their kids masturbating because they learned as children that masturbation was "bad" and that it could cause them emotional and physical harm. Or they may think that a child who masturbates is oversexed, promiscuous, or sexually deviant. Even if you, as an adult, no longer share those views, you may still feel uneasy. Those parents whose religions consider masturbation to be morally wrong should teach their children their views in an open and nonjudgmental way.