Anyone with small kids - help!

[Tiny Sue]

I'm a bit embarrassed though I know I shouldn't be. I have a new pupil with down's syndrome this year, and she's settling in nicely to the class. The problem is, she wet herself this morning, and seems to have a little problem toileting in that she doesn't know when to ask, so her assistant has to watch for her "dancing" to indicate her desire to go...
Anyway, crisis one averted, pants changed, all dry, they were all sitting on the rug, having a storytime when I noticed the same little girl with her skirt pulled up and her lovely dry pants all gone! She was masturbating and had wet herself too...and I mean that finger was right up there...I was mortified, and I still am...We led her to the bathroom again and didn't scold her (hey everyone does that whether they admit it or not), but I'm wondering how I will deal with it in future, because I don't want to give her a complex about it...she's only small and so lost...and may have been doing it as a release...but we can't have her do it in front of 30 others and not expect a comment from at least one...

I spoke to her parents and they said she does this all the time and they are the same, they don't want to scold her for something that is natural...

Any advice? All you experienced Moms out there?

Sue

 

[Freya]

If you have an assisstant could you indicate to her when it is going on and then get the assisstant to distract by saying hands in lap during story time or something similar. Very difficult to deal with as you say you don't want to draw attention but you also don't want the other children saying something. Otherwise I would talk to the children about where to put their hands when sitting on rug and when you notice something turn it into a game by singing wind the bobbin up finishing with hands in lap (e.g give her something else to do with her hands) not sure what else to suggest.

 

[Urchin]

Hi I look after kids that sometimes do this, it is quite natural.
I can only suggest keeping an extra eye on her, give her something to hold, and always be ready to get up and wash her hands. You will be ok to tell her "no" she will have to learn it sooner or later
What about you try getting all the kids to sit with arms folded when they have a story?

 

[Tiny Sue]

When I posted I suppose that I was a little more embarrassed than anything else...that embarrassment is a product of my upbringing, I guess, you know, the attitudes that dictated that kind of thing as dirty etc. I know it's natural, but I guess at the time I hadn't thought it out.

I clearly need to keep her hands busy, till her language skills are at a stage where I can tell her...it's okay, but do it in private please...

Thanks gals, I know it was a bit off topic, but it startled me a little today...I haven't ever seen any open masturbation and I have been teaching for thirteen years! Gosh...you never do know what to expect though... Poor little mite.

Sue

 

[petchy]

how about telling her that it's ok to do things like that when you are alone, but not in front of other people because it's a very private thing?

it must have been a bit of a dilemma that - hope you find a solution to the problem!