Although babies could appear curious about their bodies from the beginning, touching themselves during a diaper change or bath time, by the time they're 2 it's a lot easier to communicate the reasons their parts are called "private."
At this age there are a couple ways you can open up about sex with your little one:
- Teach them the anatomical terms for their genitals. The words "penis" or "vagina" sometimes seem like funny words mostly because they're taboo. Instead of "pee pee" or "VJ" — or whatever else you may call them — try to stick to the anatomical terms instead.
- Outline touching and talking permissions. Explain to your child that they're called "private parts" for that reason — they shouldn't be pulling out their penis at the grocery store, nor should they start casually talking to another child about their vagina. Our intimate body parts are for ourselves, but let them know it's OK to talk to you about whatever they are curious about whether about their own body or bodies in general.
- Enforce a "No Secrets" house rule. You should definitely try to discourage your child from keeping secrets from you and other reliable adults in their life (i.e. a nanny, a teacher), especially if it's something that has to do with their body or safety. Encourage them to talk to a trusted adult if they have questions, concerns, or feel weird about something.
