What do you do?

What do you do when 3 boys stand around the bathroom comparing sizes of their parts?

What do you do when a 3 year old boy stands in the bathroom looking at two boys standing and peeing and then attempts to do the same?

How do you handle it when a girl announces at the table, “Boys have penises.  I don’t have one.  But my baby brother does.”?

How do you handle this?

Well, if you are a level headed teacher, you take it in stride, use proper terminology (penis, vagina, etc…). and, depending on how involved in the experience the children are, begin a unit on body parts and inform the parents about your curriculum so they can reinforce what the children have learned at home and ask any questions they may have.

For the most part, however, you shrug, go into the bathroom, and explain to the boys that their penis is for them only, and they are not to be shown off or shown to anyone else but their parents.

You stifle a giggle, go to the cubby, and calmly bring the little girl a change of clothes as you explain that girls just can’t pee standing up…we’re not made that way.

You calmly affirm that the bit of knowledge about boys having a penis is correct, however, it’s not a conversation to have at the lunch table.

The main thing, however, is to remain calm, cool, and collected.  It’s as simple as that.

First, however, you have to work on being comfortable with it yourself.  Practice it in your head.  Get your giggles out.  The children are looking to you to see how to react; and bodies are NOT something to be ashamed of.  They need to be able to explore their knowledge while learning the social standards to live by.

Any questions?