3yo old toddler says my wiping/cleaning them tickles and they like how it tickles. No concerns of ab*se, just not sure how to proceed
Like title says. I’m mom to said child. In the bath last night while cleaning their butt and private parts, and then again today after they used the bathroom and I wiped them, both times I got a “It tickles, hee hee! I like it when you tickle.” I told them, “I’m just helping to get you clean,” both times. But I don’t know if I should have responded in a different way? Both times kind of caught me off guard a bit, as this has never happened before yesterday.
Of course they have been touching themselves sporadically since 1.5ish and it’s probably more often over time, so they’re definitely exploring the sensations down there, which I know is totally developmentally normal. I just don’t know the best way to proceed. I don’t want to create any shame or weirdness around it, but it makes me super uncomfortable.
I’ve also thought that perhaps I should tell them to wipe themselves and clean themselves always (I can still help of course especially with poop). They have practice both with wiping on the toilet and cleaning themselves in the bath with a washcloth but sometimes I’ll step in and do it for ease/speed/QC.
Non-sex-shaming advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
ETA: Holy cow, thank you guys - this is a lot of fantastic advice and was the sounding board I needed. I tried to post in another sub and they wouldn’t let me post there because of CSA concerns… which freaked me out even more lol… but I’m glad I came to this sub because there are some great comments here. Anyway, really appreciate the advice, stories, and solidarity!