Sexuality in Infancy and Childhood Kids and babies aren t supposed to be sexual Signs of arousal o Prenatal Ability to orgasm o A few months infant boys can show erections Ejaculation doesn t happen until puberty Erections 5 month old males 5 40 per day Masturbation Need for good motor control Orgasm 6 12 months 2 3 years o Self stimulate Fatigued or stressed Soothing behavior Bed time and nap time When to Worry Lack of privacy rules by age 5 6 Excessive amount or compulsive nature o Sadness anger unhappiness Hurts self with behavior o Use of objects o Scratching rubbing Socialization Effects Behavior and Personality o Freudian Stages Oral stage birth 1 Sucking o Anal Stage 1 3 Potty training Power and control o Phallic Stage 3 5 Ediple and Electra complex Same Sex Ediple feelings for ANY loved ones o Latency Stage 5 puberty Learned keep private Social life takes control o Genital Stage puberty Socialization and Gender Identity Parents o Starts prior to birth and at birth o Rate boys more positive than girls o Fathers of newborns Boys Girls Athletic Strong Robust Small Pretty Delicate o Mothers Higher warmth and compassion in girls More independence in boys More physical activity Peers o Reward gender typical punish gender atypical Teachers o Boys Get more time and attention Can be more active Trained to question everything o Independence vs dependence Over estimate boys in math and science Rate boys more positive than girls Media o Teach us what we should and shouldn t be and maintain over time Development of Gender Identity and Roles Parallel development of identity and stereotype o Awareness of gender 3 years old o Gender stability o Gender consistency do By age 6 8 Recognition of retaining gender for lifetime By age 4 5 Gender does not change even if appearances Sexual behaviors in childhood Child sex play o Curios about others bodies Other children and adults o Common o Lamb Coakley 1993 85 of women had sex play as children that included genital touching 44 has cross gender play Typical behaviors Touching Kissing Hugging Talking Atypical behaviors Oral sex Using objects Sexual contact with animals Penetration Parental worries Is my kid gay No they choose who they are with the most girls girls boys boys Emotional damage Child sex play is totally normal o How parents should react Should talk the opportunity to teach and educate Do not associate with blame and guilt o When to worry Sexual behaviors between kids Expected Stops when adult intervenes Silly lighthearted spontaneous giggly No use of coercion Worrisome Doesn t stop or gets secretive Anger loneliness shame retaliation Coercion or use of persuasion Power difference size difference o Have they been sexually abused Abusers have been sexually abused themselves Research findings physical and sexual 40 60 have had physical or sexual abuse abuse How to tell 3 important factors o if abused severity age of onset family response o Exposure to domestic violence Sex comes with violence Fix anger with violence Poor management of emotions o Sexual yuck No pornography Sexually inappropriate behavior and conversations