Everyone needs time alone, teens and young children included, and this kind of private time is when masturbation is generally appropriate.  However, if they decide to masturbate right in front of you or in front of others, the behavior needs to be curtailed.  With an increase in privacy, the inappropriate behavior may decrease.  Ignore it at bedtime.  If you catch them masturbating at bedtime or when they are alone in the bathroom, you should not punish them, and should just leave them be instead. Remember that masturbation does not necessarily mean that your child will become sexually active with another person soon. It is just a sign of personal body discovery. Until inappropriate behavior in front of others has been addressed, provide your child with some privacy at home, but continue to supervise them in front of other children. When you are in public, you might not want to address the behavior directly as this will call even more attention to it.  However, you can distract your child to snap them out of it and shift their focus to something more appropriate.  If they are younger, you might use a game to do so. For example, you could play "I Spy." If they are older, then you can ask them a question or ask them to do you a favor, such as: “Can you go get me a few napkins, please?" If this doesn't work, say "Please stop that" and then redirect them. Providing a younger child with a blanket or stuffed animal can be a great way to occupy their mind and their hands to distract them from masturbation.  This can also help to soothe children who are anxious or who have any developmental disabilities. If this is an older child, consider a fidget toy, such as a fidget box, fidget spinner, or even a piece of clay. If you are close to your home, you might want to send your child to their rooms so that they can be alone and have their privacy.  Perhaps you are at a neighbor’s home with your child and they are old enough to walk home on their own.  If so, send them home and have a conversation afterwards. If they are too young, then go home with them and have a conversation then. Your child might be masturbating in public when you are with them or when you are away, such as when they are at school.   If your child is masturbating at school, then you should work to provide them with some solutions so that they can dissipate the desire and wait until they get home.  Connect with their teacher to see how they are performing at school and if they have any concerns.  Do not directly ask about masturbation because you might embarrass your child or put their teacher on alert. Instead, try: “I wanted to check how Henry is doing in your class.  Do you have any updates about his grades or his behavior that I should know about?” If his teacher tells you that he has been masturbating in class, thank them and let them know you are working with your child and to call you if it happens again. If your child has any additional caregivers including before or after-school program instructors, babysitters, nannies, or any other form of additional support, speak with them about the situation. Ask them for updates on your child's actions, and let them know how you want them to handle any inappropriate situations. Consistency is important, so any other caretakers should be on the same page regarding handling your child's masturbation. Masturbation may occur more often in children who are looking for comfort or pleasure. To help curb that behavior, try to provide your child with a well-rounded set of activities they can turn to when they are seeking enjoyment, and help bolster their confidence so that they can provide themselves with other forms of comfort.  Give them a healthy amount of praise, one-on-one time, and positive attention. Allow your child to try a number of different hobbies and activities. Finding some that they truly enjoy can help keep them engaged and boost their self-esteem. Let your child know that they are capable, valued, and accepted in your home. Create a warm, supportive environment to help bolster your child's confidence.
أعطِ الطفل بعض الخصوصية في المنزل. وفر له مصادر للإلهاء. أعطه وسيلة أمان يأخذها معه في العلن. أرسله إلى غرفته. تعرف على آخر الأخبار من معلمه. تحدث لمقدمي الرعاية لطفلك. ادعم بداخله شعور احترام الذات.