MY DAUGHTER PESTERS ME TO SEE DAD’S WILLY

Dear Coleen

My five- year- old daughter saw her baby brother in the bath recently and when I explained his body was different because he was a boy, she asked if that meant her daddy and older brother looked the same.

When I said yes, she wanted to see – which, of course, is not going to happen.

As far as she’s concerned she’s just interested in the difference between boys and girls, and she obviously knows nothing about sex.

How do I get this idea out of her head without turning it into a serious issue?

Coleen says

It’s just a phase most kids go through – natural curiosity.

You’re right about not making a big deal of it, but it’s also important not to make it a taboo subject or something associated with shame or embarrassment.

I used to find distraction worked well when my kids were younger – just move the conversation on.

But I think your daughter will naturally shift her attention to something else if you give her an appropriate answer.

You can talk to her about the importance of respecting each other’s bodies and perhaps get her a book with illustrations.

There’s one called Who Has What? All About Girls’ Bodies And Boys’ Bodies which you can find on Amazon. It’s suitable for kids aged three to seven.

Something like this might give her the answers she wants and stop her asking to “see”.

She’ll start asking where babies come from at some point, too, and you’ll have to address it in an age- appropriate way. Luckily there’s a ton of resources online and in print to help you navigate all of these tricky conversations.