Hi,

My six year old daughter recently inherited an iPod from her older sister and has been using it a lot. She likes to play games on it, use it to text message, and sometimes looks up videos on YouTube to listen to music. Today, I noticed she was being secretive and taking her iPod into my closet. I didn't think anything of it until later when my stepdaughter (her older sister) brought me the iPod with a porno like video playing and said my daughter had been watching this. I took the iPod away from her as punishment and looked at the history... she had been watching several YouTube videos of people having sex. I am so disappointed because she was always so innocent and knew nothing having to do with sex before. My question is what do I explain to my daughter and deal with this situation?

time to sit her down and tell her of the bird and bees, don't let her know you are aware she has looked at these though, she's obviously been told by a friend or stumbled across and is curious which is completely normal. I was that age when I came home from school, put my kidy video on and to my shock was a porno, but I left it on and watched it as I was curious to what they were doing, eventually after a few times I learnt that I felt funny feelings. Not long after age 8-9 years old I started my period. I believe s3x education should be taught early before any child goes through change as much as this is a horrible thought as she is young but if she's not aware this can affect her in her teens. Hold your breath and let it go, she won't be to young to be embarresed, teens will be.

Hello S:

It WASN'T an Ipod. It was a smart phone. An Ipod would be GREAT for a 6 year old.. A telephone isn't.

excon

Excon,

It was in fact an Ipod. She has a new Ipod touch which can get wifi, thus get the internet. The only reason why she has it is because my 13 year old stepdaughter accidentally cracked the screen on it and got a new phone. It is however, a lot like a smart phone, except you can't make phone calls with it.

tabane27,

Thank you so much for the advice. I found it really helpful, think I know what to do now, and feel a lot better.

Six year old kids are "interested" in my day you looked at your older brothers ( or dad's) playboy books or other magazines. Kids played "doctor" to see what the other had.

I did not know that Youtube had full sex on it, I thought it was more somewhat naked. But then I don't look at it either.

But yes, this is more natural and if you read here you see 12 year olds having sex and getting pregnant. Society has changed ( and not for the better in my opinion)
Kids are seeing sexual items on TV every night, the violence and sex on normal shows is amazing, so it is no wonder younger and younger kids are interested in finding out.

Add to this older children in the home.

For the good side, it happens, you have now had a wake up call. And you have a fairly responsible other child for telling you.

Do not over react, Perhaps a different iPod without internet for now. Or nightly check your child's history ( I check my sons history all the time at random)

But yes time for the birds and bees talk, let her learn the real facts and all the truth about it, from you. Don't punish ( yes I am saying that) but accept this as a natural part of growing up.

Six year old kids are "interested" in my day you looked at your older brothers ( or dad's) playboy books or other magazines. Kids played "doctor" to see what the other had.

I did not know that Youtube had full sex on it, I thought it was more somewhat naked. But then I don't look at it either.

But yes, this is more natural and if you read here you see 12 year olds having sex and getting pregnant. Society has changed ( and not for the better in my opinion)
Kids are seeing sexual items on TV every night, the violence and sex on normal shows is amazing, so it is no wonder younger and younger kids are interested in finding out.

Add to this older children in the home.

For the good side, it happens, you have now had a wake up call. And you have a fairly responsible other child for telling you.

Do not over react, Perhaps a different iPod without internet for now. Or nightly check your child's history ( I check my sons history all the time at random)

But yes time for the birds and bees talk, let her learn the real facts and all the truth about it, from you. Don't punish ( yes I am saying that) but accept this as a natural part of growing up.

How old is the stepdaughter?

At any rate, yes, you now know there's a problem. Obviously the 6 year old didn't think this is something she should be doing or she wouldn't be hiding in a closet.

I'm a stepmother so maybe I'm more vigilant but I don't know how a child can watch porn and the mother is unaware.

And, yes, I agree with Chuck. I'd tell her you realize she's interested in how "sex" works and then I'd offer an explanation, complete with a book, aimed at her age or level of intelligence. Would I punish her? No. Would I explain that some things are too old for her to watch? Yes. I'd also tell her that sex games are inappropriate.

People post frequently that their child is told about sex in school or, even worse, some child engages in sex play in school, at younger and younger age, imitating what they've seen on TV or the Internet.