What Is The Normal Age To Start Masturbating For Boys And Girls
Masturbation is a perfectly normal aspect of humans exploring their sexualtiy. It begins in children as early as five years of age. At that time they are just keen to explore their body, not necessarily from a sexual angle. Parents often find this behaviour being displayed by their children quite odd. They view it with rising concern. However, if they gain an understanding of the issue, what is the normal age to start masturbating, then they might be able to resolve their fears.
The technological boom has impacted all aspects of a child’s life. According to recent research children as young as twelve years of age can develop concerning sexual behaviours if they are exposed to the internet in more than usual amounts. They come in contact with pornography and such explicit content significantly alters their sexual perception and makes them sexually or emotionally immature as they grow. Parents need to educate their children on this area and monitor their online behaviour. If it becomes concerning, they can refer their child to specialists and professionals who are skilled at handling such problems in children.
So, what is the normal age to start masturbating? This question does not have one answer as children’s exploration of their bodies is a normal developmental behavior. In normal circumstances, the answer to the question, is masturnation good for health is positive. However, if a child is engaging excessively in it, he or she may be using it to cope with a serious personal or psychological imbalance. Hence, you need to investigate the cause behind it further.
What Is The Normal Age To Start Masturbating
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As mentioned before, children start exploring their bodies as soon as they gain consciousness of their bodies. Even toddlers and preschoolers are seen playing games like doctors and nurses which have them touching their and their friend’s private organs. All these activities are for them a way to discover themselves and make sense of the world around them.
It is from the age of five years that a child begins to become aware of their bodies. The early school years, that is, five to nine years of age is a period when children can be seen indulging in masturbation. At this stage, the appropriate behaviour on this front includes the following:
Touching their private organs
Asking their peers to show their private organs
Holding the hands of their peers in a loving manner
Telling and asking for stories that involve something about private parts and their function
Indulging in dress up games that involve making a naked person wear clothes on online platforms
Recording various instances of their life using photos and videos
These types of sexual behavior are perfectly normal for children to exhibit. But it may become concerning if you notice your children doing the following:
Constantly rubbing one’s genitals in a public or private area.
Displaying a constant need to touch the private parts of other children.
Forcing their friends to play games which are sexual in nature.
Using dirty words and displaying a sexual knowledge that is significantly advanced for their age.
The middle school years, that is, nine to twelve years of age is a period when children become more aware of their sexual orientation. In such age-group, the appropriate behaviour on this front includes the following:
A need for having more privacy.
Carrying out masturbation privately.
Flirting with their friends and having frequent conversations on topics like reproduction.
Using social media accounts that are effectively monitored by their parents
If you find your child exhibiting the above mentioned behaviour then there is no need to worry. However, the situation may become concerning if you find your child:
Engaging in masturbation to the exclusion of other tasks.
Threatening to expose the genitals of other people.
Displaying a keen interest in pornography.
Taking sexual and nude images of themselves.
Touching the genitals of other people without their permission
The older school years, that is, thirteen to eighteen years of age is a period where children are slowly growing into adults. Thus, one can expect them to become more keen about their sexuality and exploring it through masturbation. The following types of sexual behaviour on their part is perfectly normal:
Privately maturbating and showing an increased need for maintaining privacy
Indulging in conversations and jokes that are sexually explicit in nature
Kissing their peers, holding their hands, and frequently hugging them
Indulging with mutual consent in foreplay
Indulging in sexual intercourse with their partners
Exposing themselves through sexually explicit content like pornography
Exchanging sexual images with each other
Masturbating through the ways mentioned above is a normal part of an adult’s life. But, sometimes, it may cause harm if the person displays the following behaviour.
Always being preoccupied with sex
Establishing multiple sexual relationships
Exposing themselves to sexually aggressive content
Forcefully penetrating inside another person
Always maintaining a contact with pornography
Indulging in oral sex with persons who are younger than them
Touching and trying to expose the genitals of another person without their permission
How Do Girls and Boys Masturbate?
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How do girls masturbate? By masturbating, a woman enhances her awareness about her body. It is a perfectly normal way for them to let go of all tension and stress. They may use various sex toys like vibrators and dildos to feel different parts of her genitals like vulva, clitoris, and vagina. Fingering, or using their fingertips to press different parts of their genital organs is also a common masturbation technique.
How do boys masturbate? Boys masturbate by pressing their genital organs from different angles. Some may use a lubricant upon it to make it more slippery. It causes the whole process to be much smoother. They may also watch porn in large amounts to arouse themselves.
Masturbation is a practice that has a number of misconceptions associated with it. It is surrounded by various myths that have been propagated by people. Linking of masturbation with hair fall, bad skin, and bad health is common. But as educated people, we must prove ourselves against falling prey to them. A major question on the minds of many people intent on masturbating is, does masturbation cause acne? Well, the answer to this question is no. on the contrary, masturbation, by helping you release all your emotional tension, imparts you pleasure and in the long run, boosts your mental health.
What to Do if You Catch Your Child Masturbating?
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After knowing the answer to the question, what is the normal age to start masturbating, you might be intrigued about the steps you can take if you catch your child indulging in masturbation.
Remember to first determine if your child is displaying normal sexual behaviour or not. You should interfere only when you feel that your child is indulging excessively in it. Make him or her understand in a gentle manner that masturbation although normal should not be something that you should indulge in all the time. Do not label masturbation as dirty, sinful, or evil. It will make your child feel guilty whenever he or she engages in it. It will also lead to them developing unhealthy sexual habits.