Our Sexual Journey Through Life... as Children - From the moment we are born we exhibit a variety of traits and behaviors related to our sexual development. Although there are a broad range of normal behaviors and traits, and not every person may exhibit all of them, the following is a summary of what may happen.

EARLY CHILDHOOD (BIRTH - 3 YEARS)*

• Learns about love and trust through touching and holding.
  
• Sucking (need for oral satisfaction)
  
• Boys- erections of penis
  
• Girls- vaginal lubrication
  
• Gender identity develops
  
• Sex role conditioning (boys and girls are treated differently).
  
• Exploration of own body (hands, feet, genitals, etc.)
  
• Toilet training
  
• Possibility of orgasm
  
• Curiosity about differences between boys’ and girls’ bodies.
  
• Curiosity about parents’ bodies.
  

LATE CHILDHOOD (4 - 9 YEARS)*

• Childhood sexual play (i.e., doctor)
  
• Sex role learning: how to behave like a boy or a girl.
  
• Learns sex words: “Bathroom vocabulary”.
  
• Asks questions about pregnancy and birth.
  
• Begins to distinguish between acceptable and not acceptable behavior.
  
• Possibility of masturbation.
  
• Becomes modest about own body.
  
• Media influences understanding of male/female family roles.