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What do you do when a 3 1/2 year old boy is humping stuffed animals?

Every time I put my 3 1/2 year old son to bed, nap or in his room for a time out, he strips his clothes off, gets into bed and starts humping stuffed animals. Many people shower with their kids, walk around the house naked or in their underwear around their kids. My husband and I don't do anything like that, we think that it is wrong. I don't know why my three year old is doing this. We monitor all television programs that he watches. He is only able to watch a couple of cartoons, and only get a half hour of cartoons in the morning and a half hour right before bed. Is this a normal thing that 3 year old boys do? Why do you think he is doing this? And what can I do to stop it?

Public Comments

1. My son is 4, almost 5, and has NEVER done this. Perhaps you try to be really careful and he has seen something when you didn't know it. I don't really know what to tell you. Good luck
2. The reason he does it is, it makes him feel good. Remove all stuffed animals from his crib and tell him the reason why. That you don't like it when he takes his clothes off and plays with his animals that way. He's 3 1/2 and will understand what you're saying. Tell him that he can have his animals back if he behaves the way you want him to. It's not as unusual as you might think it is. Girls riding on their Dad's knee do it, because it feels good. However, by being firm and persistent you can change this kind of behaviour. Do NOT tell him that it is bad or that he is a bad boy, just let him know that this behaviour is something YOU don't like and approve off.
3. this site has a lot of grate advice on helping children develop a good sense of sexuality http://www.askdrsears.com/html/10/T105300.asp also...when i was 4 my father was sexually abusing me and i began doing some thing similar to what you are saying your son is doing...you may want to Look in to his day care or any where else you leave him just to be shore that no one is touching him inappropriately....just in case...
4. There's the possibility something abusive happened to him. You should discuss it with your pediatrician (embarrassing as it might be - don't worry they've heard it all). Or, He may have just discovered this on his own. A kid's going to do something if it feels good. I doubt that just seeing nudity would have anything to do with this kind of thing.
5. He humps because it feels good. Little girls do it too. Just leave him be.
6. Why do I think he's doing this? To be crude: he's not the only one in the house who enjoys taking off clothes and rubbing genitals. He likes how it feels! As a toddler, that stimulation doesn't mean the same things to him as they mean to you; his psychosexual development just isn't there yet. But he knows that it feels good and tingly. And yes, this is NOT abnormal behavior. Many children of both sexes rub their genitalia at very young ages. Young children are still learning about the parts of their bodies—they are still figuring out their hands, their arms, their legs, their feet. Some spent time figuring out their privates. This certainly does not mean he has been abused. As most three year old boys stick stuff in their mouth to experience that sensation, some will stimulate themselves for that sensation. If you are afraid he has been abused, like some have suggested, that is not something to ignore: you should do everything in your power to ensure your son's safety. If you do wish to end this behavior here and now, Mightymo's advice is exactly how to do it. I would encourage you, though, to consider just letting him be. I wouldn't be surprised if he got bored with it after a while and grew out of it (for a few years), and even if he doesn't, I would encourage you to wonder if that matters. This is your parenting decision, but I'm suggesting you think it through and make sure you're not just going with a knee-jerk reaction. I am not an expert in child medicine, health, or parenting.