Karis

My nephew of 9 years was walking around with a cut off of Heidi Montag semi nude from a Maxim magazine in his book bag. When my sister found it she freaked! I don't know what to tell her now. I mean is it normal for boys this young to be interested in women or pictures like this? Does she punish it? Encourage it? What?

babymama

I can recall being about that age and the neighborhood boys pulling a Playboy out of the trash cans. Our parents made a big fuss over it and that just made them want to look even more. I'd suggest having a simple talk. After all bodies are born naked, its only society that dictates we cover them and feel shame for being nude. By not freaking out she is telling them its ok and normal and not drawing attention to it or causing shame so they will hide it later on. She can talk about how its not ok with her to lok at such things, but if they choose to when they get their own home they can, or whatever her feelings on the subject are. Being honest and frank is much better than yelling and threats and shame/guilt.

Karis

That's what I told him. I talked to him the other day and told him it made his mom sad he was looking at the magazine. He felt really bummed out ans said he meant nothing by it poor baby! I think my brother-in law is going to have a man to man talk with him so we'll see how that goes...

grace

It's way normal for boys to be interested in pictures like that at that age. You handled it the way I would have, because the more you get upset and tell them how wrong it is, the more they just have to get a look to see what all the fuss is about.

Karis

Yes that's true. My parents told me not to smoke one time and one time only and I wasn't banned from hanging out with kids who did smoke, so since I was never terminally banned from smoking like my friends were, I never cared to try it.