My 6 year old daughter looking at other children's privates

[Katie0000]

My 6 year old was caught yesterday with her 4 yr old cousin. She purposely locked the door as she has done that before   and she knows she will get punished. It started when she was 4 ( I caught her turned around to another child showing her anus) when I asked her why she then told me it was funny. She has done this 4 or 5 times after each time I spoke to he and told her it was not ok to look at other peoples privates or show yours and this was followed by disciplining. Now she tells me they were playing doctors and she wanted to see what's inside.. and she also took it to a new level (she told me she put a pencil in there). I don't know where she got this from and I know that it is not sexual with her. What worries me is that after being punished she still goes back for more? I don't know what to do anymore...

[specialmom]

Hi.  Well, I'd hate that as a mother myself.  I have found that a quick showing of the private area happens pretty commonly with 5 and 6 year olds and they do indeed find it funny (love that kid humor . . .NOT!).  

I wonder why your child is so sexualized though.  I'll be honest----- I'd be concerned about that.  I think flashing, looking and giggling is normal.  I think putting a pencil in starts to put it in a different category.  That is my gut feeling.  I've got kids and I do realize they do wacky things.  But I would keep my eye on her to be safe.

And, I mean this with all sincerity.  She may not go into closed rooms with other kids.  Period.  You need to be Jonny on the spot to make sure that doesn't happen.  Because if she takes a play mate into her room and suggests a game of "doctor" and something is inserted-----------  the other parent is going to go ballistic.  Child on child molestation is quite common and usually happens if the one who starts was molested themselves.  That is a statistic that I am sad to tell you about.  You need to protect your daughter from having the opportunity to participate in such things as well as any other kids that come into your home.  I'd keep a close watch on her with other kids.

I don't say that in a bad way as I do think this is a situation that can happen and it does not make a child bad--------- but it is something that a parent needs to stay in control of as best they can.  

I wish you luck and . . . raising kids is such hard work!!  It makes me tired just thinking about it!

[Katie0000]

Thanks I am trying to watch her now, and hopefully she will grow out of it. And I did tell her that you can play doctor without looking at private bits. I did explain to her that she can ask me any questions and even showed her an anatomy book ( I didn't mention that those are used as sexual organs too, as she has no idea about that yet) And told her that it's ok to look at her own just not involve other children.

[yngdad]

Children learn from curiosity. Every ones body is different. She is just being a normal child, but u shouldn't punish her. If u know she does this stuff, u should keep a better eye on her when she is with other children. Don't let her be alone with any other children anymore.

[helioper]

what you should try is to tell her that playing doctor is fine as long as you dont show your privates or the patients privates children are naturally curious about these things and why their private and if you punishing her then youll end up telling her in her mind that ther bad things so tell her thier good but only to herself