Sometimes a child's behavior can be uncomfortable for parents. It's believed that changes in a child's behavior with age could be due to the environment or some other reason. If your child repeatedly behaves differently, learn from an expert how to address them.

While raising children, parents often face situations that make them feel uncomfortable. Children undergo physical and mental changes as they grow older, and it's often the case that parents fail to educate them properly or understand the changes they're experiencing. This is especially true when children become curious about their own bodies or their parents' bodies, often unknowingly touching their mother or father inappropriately. Sometimes, the child behaves beyond their age. This leads many mothers to question whether the right age to start sex education for a child is 7 or 8 years old.

Recently, I also noticed a change in my 7-year-old son. 'My 7-year-old son often comes near me while playing and touches my breasts.' This behavior of his was a bit uncomfortable and I wondered many times whether this behavior of his is normal? Is it time to give him sex education? To get the correct answer to this question, I spoke to Mimansa Singh Tanwar, Clinical Psychologist at Fortis Hospital. Let us know from her whether children should be told about these things at this age.

Is this behavior normal for a 7-year-old?

According to experts, children between the ages of 6 and 9 become curious about their bodies and surroundings. Some changes can also occur in the body during this age. If a child touches their mother's breast while playing or joking, in most cases it is simply innocent curiosity. Sometimes, the child does this because they consider many of their mother's body parts to be normal. Sometimes, the child is also trying to understand the different parts of the body and their significance. However, it is not right to completely ignore this behavior of the child. This is the age when it becomes important to explain limits to the child.

Is it okay to scold a child?

Often, parents, seeing such behavior in their child, scold the child or tell him not to do this again. Experts believe that doing so can create a feeling of guilt towards the body in the child's mind. In the future, he will start hiding his questions and may try to get information from wrong sources. However, it is best for you to explain good and bad touch to the child at this age instead of sex education. This will not only give the child information about body parts but it will also be easier for him to understand why touching anyone's private parts is wrong.

Should sex education be given at the age of 7?

Sex education doesn't just mean talking about sex, but also about understanding the body, private parts, good touch-bad touch, and personal space. You can teach all these things to your child at the age of 7, and it may be appropriate to give further education when the right time comes. First, explain to the child about good touch and bad touch, which parts of the body are private, and what the child should do if someone tries to touch them. Not only this, if the child at this age touches the mother's private parts, such as breasts, even while playing, it is not right to do so. Explain this conversation in a simple and normal manner, so that the child does not take anything otherwise and does not share his curiosity with anyone else.

How to talk to a child?

• If your child touches your breast while playing, then immediately talk to him in a calm voice and explain to him that this is mother's private part and it is not right to touch it.
• Talk to the child in normal language and do not scold or embarrass him.
• Talk to the child about this while maintaining eye contact and try to make the child comfortable.
• You can also explain such things to the child by presenting an example.

If children aren't taught personal boundaries early, they may be slow to understand the boundaries of others. While sex education at this age isn't entirely right or wrong, it can certainly teach your child to differentiate between right and wrong. If your child repeatedly behaves in this manner or shows excessive curiosity about others' private parts, you can talk to a parenting expert or psychologist. If
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