Living in a digital age, there is a high possibility of children getting exposed to sensitive content both online and offline. It is a sensitive and emotional issue, but the parents are advised to handle the child’s sexual behaviour problems constructively. There is no need to panic after discovering any such thing, as it will worsen the scenario; instead, dealing patiently with it is the key.
How can we deal with it constructively?
- Do not panic: The most important thing to remember is not to panic. Understand that children might go wrong; there should always be room for growth and learning. Panicking might turn the children against their parents, resulting in a shutdown of conversation.
- Focus on the potential reasons: There are a lot of ways through which a child can get exposed to such behaviour. Focus on where it came from.
There are various possible reasons that might affect a child’s psychology, such as exposure to pornographic sites, child abuse, and a lack of knowledge about where to set the boundaries or inappropriate peer behaviour. - Gain the child’s trust: Be supportive so the child doesn’t freak out. He needs to know what is wrong and why, take accountability, and then focus on correcting it. Address that the issue is serious, and then let him know that he has his parents’ backing to mend his mistake, emotional or legal.
- Check if people are involved: Communicate openly with the child to understand if there are any potential victims of his behaviour or if someone is supporting him with this mindset. It is essential to know both the factors. Save any potential victim and also distance them from the person promoting such a mindset.
Appropriate measures to be taken
- Consult a therapist: It is essential to consult a professional in such cases. They understand the pattern of such behaviours and act accordingly. They might also get to the root cause of such behaviour and conclude whether the reason is deeply rooted since childhood or just inappropriate development of the mind.
- Preach healthy boundaries: There should be proper counselling of the child’s sexual behaviour problems related to his boundaries, and he should know about the term “consent”. Help can be taken from age-related books, videos and therapists. Regularly monitoring his online activities should be done to understand what kind of content he is into.
- Open communication: There should always be room for open communication so the child doesn’t hesitate to share whatever goes on in his mind. He should be openly told about the rights and wrongs. This will open the gates for addressing the signs of regression and risky behaviours.
- No emotional pressure: Dealing with the situation in an utmost emotional way might bring a lot of guilt in the child, which may result in extreme behaviours. Look out for your emotions and do not overburden your child with them. Understand that it might be a phase, and he will move past it.
Take a deep breath
It can happen to anyone, as much information is available online without age restrictions. It might look tempting, and curiosity combined with immaturity may result in misguided steps. Being calm and patient is the key. It is not beyond help and can be dealt with through clear communication and professional guidance. We are here to help professionally with our personalised tools and resources to reduce sexually inappropriate behaviors.