Childhood masturbation

[Jesus]

While this is a bit off topic for the Archive, I thought that enough of the readers here would be interested. Japan really is a different world.

Kids rub their teachers, and their genitals, the wrong way

By Ryann Connell
Staff writer

Her practical experience sessions were at a public daycare center in Tokyo. She was shocked by what happened to her. A young boy, no more than 4, suddenly walked up behind her. Yelling, "titties, titties," the boy jumped up and squeezed the young university student's breasts, leaving her in a state of shock. So terrified was the girl to have been sexually abused by a pre-schooler that she immediately began crying. But what happened to her was hardly rare.

Pre-school children are playing with themselves to an unprecedented degree and showing an inordinate amount of interest in sex while young childcare workers are at a loss over what to do about it, Sunday Mainichi (12/15) says.

"I feel that recently during our nap periods there has been a growing number of boys and girls who play with their genitals, or rub them up against bedding or the floor," a daycare nurse tells Sunday Mainichi. "It's not dirty or anything, but it seems the kids naturally tell each other that if they do such-and-such it'll make them feel really good. I don't think they consciously do it, and I sorta feel that one doing it starts off the others."

No formal data exists about pre-schoolers and sexual behavior, but those involved in the care of young children say that masturbation has become more prevalent.

"It's always been around, I suppose, but the masturbation carried out now seems different. I've got two habitual kids in my current class. One is a girl who rubs herself up against the edge of the table. Her face goes red and she starts breathing heavily and sweating. Some of the boys will also lie down and start playing with themselves. I always look at what's going on. Sometimes it continues for a few minutes. I tell them that I knew what was going on, or warn them that they'll get all itchy if they keep doing it and most of them eventually stop. I get the feeling that adults are influencing them. I get the parents to have a look at what's going on and talk with them if need be," another nurse with 30 years of daycare experience tells Sunday Mainichi.

Other nurses see the alarming trend as the result of the increase in working couples and the lack of time available for busy parents to spend with their children, leaving the kids feeling starved of attention. Reiko Shimizu, a Saitama Prefectural University professor, tends to agree.

"More prevalent masturbation doesn't necessarily mean that it should be viewed from a sexual point, but probably suggests the kids need a bit more loving. I think that masturbation sort of becomes a way for the kids to relieve the stress they feel and playing with the genitals is sort of like sucking on a thumb or a towel," she says. "Adults have got to spend a bit more time with the kids and not panic and simply realize that's the way some kids are."

Akiko Murakami, the head of a kindergarten in Tokyo's Nakano-ku, doesn't see a great deal of need for worry, either.

"I'm sure you'd find that there's a hell of a lot more masturbation going on than what has already surfaced. There is, I think, an important need to distinguish between masturbation and playing with oneself," Murakami tells Sunday Mainichi. "Little boys have got something that sticks out. They're fascinated with it and the shapes change. I think it's natural. All kids have a different shaped penis and it does harden with some kids. I don't know, but I don't think it's conscious. Sometimes it just starts off because it's itchy and they scratch it. If you look at it from an adult viewpoint and scold the child for doing it, they feel guilty, become all the more fascinated with what they're doing and start doing it behind people's backs. I think all we're seeing is that the kids are either looking for something to do with their hands or they're feeling lonely."

Childcare expert Toshiyuki Shiomi, a Tokyo University professor, also sees a problem side to pre-schooler masturbation.

"More than anything else, the kids are masturbating because they feel lonely. If there are troubles in the family, or a separation, or a divorce, the child has got no idea of what's going on. If kids are starved of love, they may not be able to release their stress even if they are having a good time playing around with their friends," Shiomi tells Sunday Mainichi. "Kids can't ask their parents to give them love, so they seek out another form of feeling comfortable. They discover a part of their body that feels good to be touched and when they do touch it they regain some of their self-respect."

The Mainichi Daily News (Tokyo)
Wednesday, December 18, 2002
http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/waiwai/index.html

[happousai]

Interesting.

I suppose if something like this happened in the US, the adults would be throwing hissy fits over it.

[Blaise]

recall anytime in my life when I didn't play with myself. :o My poor mother sometimes had to rush to the front yard to stop me from humping the lawn. She was always promising to cut "it" off, but she never did.

[gandalf]

Originally Posted by Blaise

recall anytime in my life when I didn't play with myself. :o My poor mother sometimes had to rush to the front yard to stop me from humping the lawn. She was always promising to cut "it" off, but she never did.

I remember when I was about 4 I got an erection at the dinner table (for some reason) and us kids were laughing about it and my mother threatened to cut mine off and tuck it in and make me a girl. I laid awake for several nights waiting for her to do it . Nothing happened.

Bob

[jemagirl]

Wow! 12-18-2002, that's a really old post. I thought those were all gone many website crashes ago.

[Paolo]

Well if the kids were going at it like that 6 years ago, think of what they're up to now?!?!?