This happened to me when I was about your daughter's age. A neighbor girl would repeatedly suggest we play doctor and take off our clothes. I felt weird, but she was older and also no one had talked to me about sexual abuse or anything like that, so I did it. I wasn't traumatized or anything, but I will always remember it uncomfortably, and my adult self definitely wonders if that child was sexually abused.

Anonymous wrote:At this age my neighbor's daughter took my son's temperature... his clothes were off, I was like okay... so we don't take temperatures like that after you are 1. The daughter said, "I'm pretending he is my baby."





Luckily I am not crazy like the PP and I laughed my ass off and so did her mom. Then we had the talk, we don't get naked while we are playing, we don't touch private parts, we don't stick objects into our ears, our nose, or mouth or our ars!

She bought me a bottle of wine... and we shared it.

You all need to lighten up. Naked bodies are not sexual in nature at 5 YEARS OLD!

Believe or not, I've taught at an elementary school and some of those kids know more than you think. This particular situation sounds pretty innocent, but don't play naive and think kids, even 5 years old don't know about sex.

Also:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playing_doctor

"Playing doctor" is a phrase used colloquially in the western world to refer to children examining each other's genitals.[1] It originates from children using the pretend roles of doctor and patient as a pretext for such an examination. However, whether or not such role-playing is involved, the phrase is used to refer to any similar examination.[2][3][4][5][6]

Playing doctor is distinguished from child-on-child sexual abuse because the latter is an overt and deliberate action directed at sexual stimulation, including orgasm, as compared to anatomical curiosity.[7] Playing doctor is considered by most child psychologists to be a normal step in childhood development between the ages of approximately three and six years, so long as all parties are willing participants and relatively close in age. However, it can be a source of discomfort to some parents to discover their children are engaging in such an activity.[8] Parenting professionals often advise parents to view such a discovery as an opportunity to calmly teach their children about the differences between the sexes, personal privacy, and respecting the privacy of other children.[4]

Here is some expert guidance, all:

http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/parenting/child-rearing-and-development/sexuality/genital-play-whats-normal-whats-not

What’s normal? General Curiosity. Children are curious, especially about differences, and what could be more fascinating than different genitals? Understand this situation for what it is—normal childhood curiosity at work. It needs sensitive understanding to prevent it from reoccurring. Get behind the eyes of your child. He wants to learn what the other sex looks and feels like. The child is more interested in satisfying curiosity than in sexual arousal. You can tell innocent sexual curiosity from deviant sexual behavior by these characteristics. Innocent acts are occurring when:

Children are young (under age seven), close in age, and know each other.
There is mutual agreement; one child is not forcing the other.
There is usually a game-like atmosphere: playing “doctor” or “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”
Secrecy is part of the game. As if sensing their parents would disapprove, children retreat into a bedroom, garage, or a private place. (This is true for deviant acts as well.)



When sex play is not normal. How do you tell when the line has been crossed from innocent, childish curiosity that needs to be handled with understanding and explanations into abnormal behavior that needs serious attention? It’s important for parents to know how to tell when one child is victimizing another. Here are suspicious signs:

One child entices or forces the other into sex play.
There is an age difference of more than three years between children.
The sex play is not appropriate: for example, oral-genital contact between a six-year-old and a three-year-old.
The event occurs more than once despite your careful intervention and supervision. These are grounds to protect your child from another by terminating the friendship. If the sex play is between siblings, seek professional help.
If your child has been threatened to keep it a secret.

I'm not sure if this is normal. I had the same thing happen to me around that age but the kid actually inspected my vagina. My brother went and told my mom and it turned into a huge blow up between my parents and the other kid parents. Curious or not, I personally would not feel comfortable with what happened.

Normal! They are curious.

Anonymous wrote:Sorry but I agree with the pp above - I don't think this is normal. I have a 5 year old. I agree that looking at yourself at that age and maybe touching yourself is normal. Her doctor said even looking at others especially opposite sex is normal due to curiosity. But asking I be touched doesn't seem right to me. I would definitely let the other mother know although it will be tough. I would also talk to the pedritrician to get some more information on this and normal vs not.

Well, whether you two believe it or not, it is completely normal. yes, kids play doctor and try to touch each other. They're exploring their bodies. That's why you need to supervise them and talk over and over about keeping things private.

You need to tell the mom what happened. She should know.

Anonymous wrote:Very normal at this age. PP, I don't think this is a sign that the other child is a victim of abuse. If after having a talk about bodies being private it happens again or becomes repetitive, then that would be a concern, but this scenario seems normal.

PP again - but definitely let the other child's parent know...and no more closed doors during play dates. My kids are 8 and 10 and i still have that rule when friends are over.

Very normal at this age. PP, I don't think this is a sign that the other child is a victim of abuse. If after having a talk about bodies being private it happens again or becomes repetitive, then that would be a concern, but this scenario seems normal.

This is totally normal at that age. Please don't freak out and don't make a huge deal of it.

Anonymous wrote:At this age my neighbor's daughter took my son's temperature... his clothes were off, I was like okay... so we don't take temperatures like that after you are 1. The daughter said, "I'm pretending he is my baby."





Luckily I am not crazy like the PP and I laughed my ass off and so did her mom. Then we had the talk, we don't get naked while we are playing, we don't touch private parts, we don't stick objects into our ears, our nose, or mouth or our ars!

She bought me a bottle of wine... and we shared it.

You all need to lighten up. Naked bodies are not sexual in nature at 5 YEARS OLD!

No, naked bodies are not sexual in nature at 5 years old. However, the act of taking of underwear and asking someone else to touch you IS sexual in nature. I'm certainly not labeling this kid as a pedophile, as a PP so kindly suggested. I am rightfully concerned she may be the victim of sexual abuse.

Your neighbor's kid and your son were engaging in pretend play based on something they'd experienced and had working knowledge of, taking a baby's temperature.

At this age my neighbor's daughter took my son's temperature... his clothes were off, I was like okay... so we don't take temperatures like that after you are 1. The daughter said, "I'm pretending he is my baby."





Luckily I am not crazy like the PP and I laughed my ass off and so did her mom. Then we had the talk, we don't get naked while we are playing, we don't touch private parts, we don't stick objects into our ears, our nose, or mouth or our ars!

She bought me a bottle of wine... and we shared it.

You all need to lighten up. Naked bodies are not sexual in nature at 5 YEARS OLD!

Anonymous wrote:Sorry but I agree with the pp above - I don't think this is normal. I have a 5 year old. I agree that looking at yourself at that age and maybe touching yourself is normal. Her doctor said even looking at others especially opposite sex is normal due to curiosity. But asking I be touched doesn't seem right to me. I would definitely let the other mother know although it will be tough. I would also talk to the pedritrician to get some more information on this and normal vs not.

I'm OP, and worried to do such a thing. One of the blessings and curses of DCUM is its anonymity. Calling my child's ped and giving our names feels like we could end up with CPS at our door.

You people are sick.

Who is asking to touch? A five year old. You are ready label her as sexual predictor? Abuser?

It's normal for kids to be curious about their bodies and to want to touch and be touched and explore.

Get a life.