We don't tend to talk about little ones' sexual behaviour. As adults we may find this is wrong or perverse, and yet there is a difference between 'sexual behaviour' that comes from curiosity and exploration and 'sexualised behaviour' with an intention for sex. Children are born wanting to explore the world and learning about their bodies is a part of it. When it comes to little ones masturbating this conversation is often taboo, can feel embarrassing or bring shame to adults. And yet - it is healthy and natural for children to explore their own bodies. There are however some 'red flags' to be aware of to differentiate developmentally appropriate behaviour from something that may need further professional guidance and support. Dr Martha talks about all these topics with sensitivity towards you, the adult navigating these situations, and appropriate developmental understanding of your child, to guide you to think about ways to set safe boundaries and explore conversations around privacy, consent, and safeguarding.

Pre-order my first book 'How To Be The Grown Up' here:https://bit.ly/HowtoBetheGrownUpAMZ

Pre-orders are a ‘promise’ between you and me - that I will deliver a book that I think you will love and find useful, and you will support me by promising to buy it first. No money gets taken out of your bank account until the day the book is launched.

The Confident Parent course is out! Do you have, or look after, children between the ages of 18 months and 6 years old? The Confident Parent is a practical, video-based course for parents and caregivers from Clinical Psychologist Dr Martha. Over eighty 3-6 minute videos to guide you through the main challenges of the early years (including sibling rivalry).

The NSPCC "Pantosaurus" song I discuss on the podcast is linked below:

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/pants-underwear-rule/

Three of my favourite books on sex and bodies are linked below. For a full list of recommended books see: https://www.drmarthapsychologist.com/recommended-books

• Sex is a Funny Word: https://amzn.eu/d/a318aYn
• Let's Talk About Body Boundaries, Consent, and Respect: https://amzn.eu/d/dluyo04
• Making a Baby: https://amzn.eu/d/bd8D6Rd

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