My neighbor's seven year old son is acting sexual around me?

Question

I live in the basement suite of a house. My neighbors upstairs have two kids, one is seven and the other is 12, both boys.

Lately the seven year old one has been acting very sexual around me. Today I went to their door to check if I had mail and he ran and opened the door and lightly poked my crotch with a finger & a grin.

"Woah, what are you doing?" I said. Then he did it again. I said nothing that time.

I don't know if this is normal development or if it is actually sexual, or if he doesn't know the significance of what he's doing, but it's not the first time that sort of thing has happened, and I'm really uncomfortable about it. Of course it's not the sort of thing I feel I can freely talk to him or his parents about, as we have not that close of a relationship.

I'm in good terms with all of them and I eat at their restaurant all the time. I've lived there for two years and the parents often let the kids come down to play video games.

Can anyone offer some insight into this?

Answer 1

tell your parents !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...

Answer 2

Ew, that's freaky. I was grabbed in the chest once by an 8-year-old kid I was babysitting, and I also didn't know what to do. being only 15 at the time, I was embarrassed to tell the kid's parents. However, you should definitely tell the parents. They need to know so they can check out what's going on with him. It's probably just mischievous behavior to get a reaction out of you, but there is the chance that he could have been sexually touched by an adult. If he does it again, tell him sternly, "It is NOT OK to touch me like that." He needs to know that there are boundaries.

Answer 3

it's likely not tv, but sort of on the edge of normal behavior.

i suspect if you say something like, "Stop that, or i'll tell your mother", he'll stop.

then again, how well behaved are the kids in general?

that may be part of the problem.

Answer 4

Seven year olds are exposed to TOO much today via television, movies and the internet.  First of all, why do you not feel that you can talk to his parents about this? Do it!  Let them correct this situation.  If they dont, stop the visits to your place immediately.  You may have to consider moving if this cannot be resolved.

Answer 5

Nope.  Not a normal thing.  I like Elae's and Rachel's answers...(thumbs up for them) to tell him that he's making you feel icky, or to smack his hand and tell him not to do it again.  But aside from that, the parents need to know.  I'm not sure how old you are, and whether you should do it or if you're a kid and your parents should talk to them, but somebody needs to.  This is not from television.  This is not proper behavior from a 7 year old.

Answer 6

I would talk to the parents.  They need to be aware of what is going on.

There could be several different reasons why the child is doing this.

Answer 7

I'm a parent, and I'd 100%-absolutely surely want to know this. I don't care if you're a complete and total stranger, they need to know their child is doing this. It could be something innocent (like he saw this on TV) or something more serious perhaps, like abuse.

Regardless, it's worth talking about and is not acceptable from a 7 year old

Answer 8

You don't need to have a close relationship with his parents to be able to tell them their kid is doing this.  Just tell them.  This kid has not been taught about boundaries.  You're a lot more patient that I would have been, I would have backhanded him, but then again, I'm not exactly a kid lover.  ***sigh***.... here come the thumbs-downs......

Answer 9

Well the only thing you can do is to tell him that is inappropriate and to cut it out. If he continues after that tell him he can't come down and play if he behaves that way.

If necessary talk to the childs Mother. Ask her advice on how to handle it. That way you arent criticisizing her but asking how to handle this situation. Perhaps she is aware of this problem but doesnt know he is doing it away from home.

It is obvious you care about the kid - try talking to him first - tell him it make you feel icky! He will understand what you mean.

Answer 10

The kid's behaviour is not normal and is completely inappropriate! Sometimes children that act very sexual like that may have been molested and that is how they know so much about s*x and why they act out, doing it to other people and not thinking it is inappropriate what they're doing, because that is what they're being exposed to.  I'm not saying this is the case in this situation, but you never know.  Or it could be from seeing it on tv or whatever. Either way, as awkward as it may be you have to speak to his parents about it and explain the situation. Who knows who else this kid is going around doing sexual things to, so the parents should be aware so they can put an end to this behaviour!

Answer 11

Please People

Its no biggie Lol.

7 year old boys and girls been doing it for generations. Stop blaming the TV etc.

Its the start of his/her sexual identity and development.

Bad advice you all give is why we have sexual problems in the world,

You all want to think children are all innocent, Lol.

They Love, hate, Lie, etc. just like those we call adults over 18 do.

They are human beings who have real needs too and those needs are more than eating, playing, and bathroom time.

Just like the Beatles's song "Let it be".

I hope this helps.

Answer 12

tell him what he is doing is wrong and to stop it however dont say it in a rude or angry tone or way

Answer 13

With a brother much older than that i think he has heard some innappropriate talk that may have alterered his perception of right and wrong i don't think that he means anything by it but next time he does something like that just tell him that you dislike being touched there and explain that you shouldn't touch people in their private places

Answer 14

He's most likely seen this on tv, and is acting it out. Tell him that it's not ok for him to touch you in that manner, and that you will be informing his parents. Children that age dont all of a sudden decide to act sexually- they have to learn it from somewhere or someone.

Answer 15

I think His big brother is teaching something rude to him...Tsk tsk!

Answer 16

slap his hand and tell him "You do Not touch people there"