Sex play

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Knowledge of the customary stages of sex play which take place in perfectly normal well brought up children in the first ten years may help you to meet neighborhood sex play situations more calmly and without too much horrified surprise.

2 Years

• child shows interest in different postures of boys and girls when urinating and is interested in physical differences between the sexes.

3 Years

• verbally expresses interest in physical difference between sexes and in different postures of urinating.
• girls attempt to urinate standing up.

4 Years

• extremely conscious of the navel. Under social stress, may grasp genitals and may need to urinate.
• may play the game of "show". Also verbal play without eliminating.
• calling of names related to elimination.
• interest in other people's bathrooms.
• may demand privacy for self, but extremely interested in bathroom activities of others.

5 Years

• familiar with, but not too much interested in, differences between sexes in body structure.
• less sex play and games of "show".
• more modest and less exposing self.
• less bathroom play and less interest in unfamiliar bathrooms.

6 Years

• marked awareness of and interest in differences between sexes in body structure.
• questioning.
• mutual investigation by both sexes reveals practical answers to questions about sex differences.
• mild sex play or exhibitionism in play or in school toilets.
• game of "show". May play hospital and take rectal temperatures.
• giggling, calling names or remarks involving words dealing with elimination functions.

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7 Years

• less interest in sex.
• some mutual exploration, experimentation and sex play, but less than earlier.

8 Years

• interest in sex rather high, though sex exploration and play is less common than at six.
• interest in peeping, sexual jokes, provocative giggling.
• children whisper, write or spell elimination or sex words.

9 Years

• may talk about sex information with friends of same sex.
• interest in details of own organs and functions. Seek out pictures in books.
• sex swearing, sex poems beginning.

10 Years

• considerable interest in sexual jokes.

Eight through twelve years

• best friend or buddy common
• peer group begins to dominate in identity seeking
• beginning of separation process from parents
• early menstruation begins in some girls, secondary sex characteristics develop
• strong feelings of modesty begin to be expressed

From thirteen years

• puberty and resultant body changes proceed in boys and girls
• menstruation occurs in almost all girls by age 16
• ovulation established in girls 18-24 months after menarche
• usually estrangement from parents as sexual authority figures become more pronounced
• masturbation and sexual fantasies become integrated and common especially among males
• sexual attraction of the opposite sex becomes stronger
• sexual attraction to the same sex becomes stronger
• mood swings develop in body image from extremely self-critical to overly vain
• more attention is paid to personal appearance and dress
• sex role expectations begin to be acted out according to culturally established patterns (dating, petting, etc.)

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Disclaimer Copyright Updated: 6 Jul 2010