Playing doctor

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This article is about juvenile exploration. For erotic activity amongst adults, see sexual roleplay and medical fetishism.

"Playing doctor" (or "play doctor") is a phrase used colloquially in the western world that refers to the occurrence of children engaging in the examination of each other's genitals.[1] Playing doctor is considered by most child psychologists as a normal step in childhood sexual development between the ages of approximately three and six years. The phrase originates from children using the pretend roles of doctor and patient as a pretext for such an examination, but the phrase refers to the act whether or not such roles are actually involved.[2][3][4][5][6]

Playing doctor is a source of discomfort to some parents when they discover their children are engaging in such an activity.[7] Parenting professionals often advise parents to use the discovery that their child has been playing doctor to calmly explain the differences between the sexes, and to teach them about modesty and respecting the privacy and bodies of other children.[4]

Adults also use the phrase facetiously in similar reference, to refer to adult sexual activity.[8]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Is Your Preschooler Playing Doctor?". FamilyEducation. http://life.familyeducation.com/sexuality/toddler/53839.html. Retrieved 4 September 2009.  Excerpted from: Boyd, Keith M.; Osborn, Kevin (1997-06). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Parenting a Preschooler and Toddler, Too. USA: Penguin Group. ISBN 978-0028617336. 
  2. ^ Pike, Lynn Blinn (January 2001). "Sexuality and Your Child: For Children Ages 3 to 7". University of Missouri Extension. http://extension.missouri.edu/xplor/hesguide/humanrel/gh6002.htm. Retrieved 4 September 2009. 
  3. ^ Kennedy, Kevin (27 October 2004). "Sexual abuse? or just playing 'Doctor'?". MedHelp. Self-published. http://www.medhelp.org/forums/ChildBehavior/messages/33006.html. Retrieved 4 September 2009. 
  4. ^ a b Clayton, Victoria (6 August 2004). "Playing doctor: How to teach kids about inappropriate touch". Growing Up Healthy. msnbc.com. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5444897/. Retrieved 4 September 2009. 
  5. ^ Heins, Marilyn (2004). "Sex Play: parenting strategies". ParentKidsRight. Archived from the original on 14 February 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080214/http://www.parentkidsright.com/pt-sexplay.html. Retrieved 4 September 2009. 
  6. ^ "Why Your Child Plays Doctor". Advice from Experts. Fisher-Price. 2005. http://www.fisher-price.com/us/parentingsolutions/article_view.asp?articleid=36591. Retrieved 4 September 2009. 
  7. ^ "I Caught Them Playing Doctor!". FamilyEducation. http://www.canadianparents.com/article/i-caught-them-playing-doctor. Retrieved 4 September 2009.  Excerpted from: Pantley, Elizabeth; Sears, William (1997-06). Perfect Parenting: The Dictionary of 1,000 Parenting Tips. McGraw-Hill. ISBN 978-0809228478. 
  8. ^ Grzeskowiak, Mark (2 June 2005). "Playing Doctor". MedHunters. http://www.medhunters.com/articles/playingDoctor.html. Retrieved 4 September 2009. 


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