• Children will develop healthier feelings about themselves and their sexuality if they are made to feel secure and loved as babies. The way we touch and hold our babies, feed, bathe and diaper them and even the tone of voice we use sets the foundation for the future.

• It is normal for babies to explore their bodies. They should be allowed to enjoy learning about their bodies. If we slap their hands away they will get the message that certain body parts are "bad". This won’t stop the activity, it will simply force the child to be secretive and feel guilty. Then later in life he or she won’t feel comfortable looking to us for guidance about sexuality.

• A child of this age begins to differentiate between male and female roles. It is important to treat both genders equally so that the child does not grow up believing that one gender is better or stronger than the other gender.

Three thru Five

Six thru Eight

Nine thru Twelve

Thirteen & Up

In General