How can I get him to keep his hands OUT of his pants?

We're doing pretty well with potty training (knock on wood). Quinn has been wearing underwear for a few days now, w/o accidents. I took the advice in an earlier potty training thread about pull ups being evil and just took them away except for naps and nighttime. So things are improving.

But ... the kid will NOT keep his hands out of his pants! They're either down the front, or down the back, or BOTH! I tell him it's not okay to play with his penis all the time, that he can go to his room and do it with privacy and that's okay -- but he WON'T STOP! He tells me "My hands are cozy in there." As was his C3PO toy the other day. Every thing is "nice and cozy in there." Today he told me his penis hurts, and I suggested that he stop pinching it so much!

Any ideas? Matt, David, Peter - some help here? My dh is useless ... you'd think the good dawkter would be the one with the anatomically correct terms and such, but he's not.

[Vanquisher]

I think you are doing the right thing. When you see him playing with it, tell him it is not something to do in public, and that he needs to go to his room. You've already talked about it. He knows! It can all be cozy, but it needs to be cozy only in his room. Then walk away, and ignore. I think, eventually, he will stop playing with it as much. I mean obviously the novelty will always be there. Aren't penises always a novelty to men anyway? You'll never break him of that. The trick is not to let it bother you. He'll figure out soon enough what makes the penis hurt and what does the opposite, and hopefully he will learn to do it privately.

I swear that my 8-year-old does not touch his penis in public anymore. I assume this will change again with puberty, but Dad can deal with that one.

[SueC]

Well, I might have told you the unorthodox thing one of my friend's did. She told her boys that she used to have a penis and she played with it so much it fell off. :! :!

[rainbabies]

Glad I have two girls. They do the same sometimes but not as often as boys. A friend of mine has to remind her son not to play with his penis when we come over.

He recently told her, "Mama, that is too bad you don't have a penis."

Friend: Why?
Son: Because you have nothing to play with.

Friend thinks, oh but I have your fathers and says: I thought penises were for peeing.

Son: They are but they are also really fun when you get bored.

[SueC]

Son: They are but they are also really fun when you get bored.

Gee, I guess us girls are really missing out!
Jenn, the older boys I know (5-7 yrs.)can't keep their hands off their gameboys, so I guess there is hope for the future.

[mommax3]

Something I did, with limited success, was to make them wash their hands every time I saw them getting busy with their little friend. This was all part of a bigger conversation about germs and about whatever is on your hands eventually gets in your mouth, etc., etc., etc., but either I was very convincing or they got sick of washing their hands all the time, because it is not a big problem (at least in public) around here now.

I think, too, that being in underwear vs. a pull-up or whatever, brings a relative feeling of freedom, but the novelty will wear off soon.

Sally

[DCJenn]

Nikolai was really into touching himself when he first got here, and Rick told him, "Dude, it gets WAY more fun."

Jenn

[rainbabies]

[fluffhead]

Re: How can I get him to keep his hands OUT of his pants?

Any ideas? Matt, David, Peter - some help here?

Don't look at me - I didn't quit this habit until last week!

Oooooooookay...

Here's hoping for girls. Why didn't anyone tell me about this? Why don't I remember this???

[pstone]

You know, I have no ideas...have not had my little one start that so no experience yet.

Is it really a problem? I mean why even care?

surely they will stop at some point and calling attention to it might make it worse?

I think it is funny that everyone thinks girls are easier...wait till they want to start dressing in small clothes...I am so happy to have a boy...penis touching at all.

[DCJenn]

I think this is one of those self-correcting things anyway. I don't know too many adult males who continually walk around with their hands down their pants, Michael Jackson excluded.

As my brother says to my nephew about nose picking, "You can pick your nose but only the wierd kids eat it."

Jenn

This thread has me cracking up! DS went through a phase last month where, as soon as I took off his diaper, he would reach down and touch himself and start laughing. DH's response was always, "Good boy!" And during baths, he would hold on to his penis with one hand while playing with his toys with the other hand. It should be interesting once he starts wearing underwear and has more freedom.

[BonBon]

LOL. Funny thread.

Surprisingly, DS hasn't been too interested in that area. I suppose once we move into the underwear stage it will be a free-for-all.