Ask KidSafe
Q. How much detail should my child know about sex at age 5?
A. First I will answer your question with a question. What do you mean by ‘sex’? There is a lot more to ‘sex’ then the act itself. If your child shows interest in knowing about ‘sex’, you should ask a few questions to clarify what they are really asking about. It could be anything from…
Q. I caught my 5 y/o son looking at my 3 y/o daughter, naked. Is this normal?
A. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) , at this age these actions are completely normal. It is common in many families that kids will see each other naked at these young ages. Bath time, changing clothes. It is a healthy and normal part of development. If he is showing interest it is…
Q. Is it normal for my 18 month old to touch their private parts when I change their diaper?
A. The short answer is yes! At this age they are still discovering their own bodies and in medical terms, they do feel pleasure when they touch themselves. This doesn’t mean they are masturbating. They are simply making a new discovery about themselves that they hadn’t noticed yet! The best action is to let them…
Q: When can I leave my child alone (even for 5 minutes) to run an errand?
A: Your question contains the answer! Start in small increments. The age of your child needs to be taken into consideration – but just because a child is of a certain age does not mean they are automatically ready to take on the responsibility of being home alone and visa versa. You know your child…
Q: Are sleepovers safe?
A: Great and fair question. Nothing is 100% guaranteed to be safe. But there are definitely steps you can take to increase the level of safety at a sleep over. Here are some things to think about as you make the decision of if and when my child and family are ready for sleepovers: Ninety…
Q: I told my kid to not let anyone touch their private parts – is that enough?
A: First – thank you for recognizing that teaching your child about their body safety is important. This is such an important question that we get asked often. Many years ago a mom/police woman attended a KidSafe seminar. She told us that she always told her daughter “Never let anyone touch your privates.” She felt…
Q: Is it okay for me to bath/shower with my 3 year old?
A: If you’re comfortable with it, why not? This can be an opportunity for you to bond with your child and teach them the proper names for their body parts. It’s not until age 4-6 that children show gender consistency and gender stability, which means a girl understands she will grow up into a woman….
Q: How do you best vet a babysitter?
Many of us need to leave our child with a nanny or babysitter. Finding the right person to trust with this responsibility is a very big decision. Often, parents aren’t sure what questions to ask, how personal they can be, or even where to begin. Here are some useful tips: Before you meet the potential…
