My 2 boys 5 and just got caught fondling each other how do you punish?

Answer 1

You don't say how old the second boy is, so I assume he is not older than 7 or 8.

I don't think punishment is the right approach because there is an innocent and quite natural curiosity that children have about their bodies. If you punish them, then you will be heading down a road that will create adult men with sexual hang-ups and other issues that will impede healthy sexual relationships when they are adults. The best solution is simply to explain that what they were doing was not appropriate and that they shouldn't do it again.

That said, if it keeps happening, however, then you might want to consult with a child psychologist or counselor for next steps (because if it happens frequently it could be a sign that one or both of them is being sexually abused by someone else). If you punish them and sexual abuse is occurring, then you are punishing them for the sexual abuse--and that is inappropriate for a parent.

Precocious sexual behavior (i.e. sexual behavior that is sooner characteristic of someone much older) is a sign of sexual abuse.

If one of the boys is older than about 9 or has started puberty, then the fondling might actually be sooner considered molestation--and this is actually also a sign that the older child has been sexually abused, too. Again, punishment is not the right approach. You should find out what's going on with the help of a psychologist or counselor and address the real issues going on.

Punishment of any kind in this case will merely prolong any problem or create unnecessary sexual hang-ups later in life.