Celebrating (natural) retraction of foreskin?

[Mamabeakley]

My intact 7 year old son recently came to me and proudly announced that he can retract his foreskin now!  He's so pleased with himself :-)

I'd like to create some kind of ritual or tradition to honor this growing-up, sort of like many families do to honor a girl's first menstrual cycle - except at a level appropriate to a boy child instead of a girl adolescent.  Has anyone done anything like that which you could share with me?  Or know of any resources you could suggest?

[JamieCatheryn]

Any fun new responsibility/priviledge he's ready for now anyway? Let him feel a bit more grown up about something? 7 is a bit unusual for retraction (my boys did at 2) but it's a time so much sudden growing up goes on, it's great to celebrate all of it. Let him head up a family building project or be in charge of something at home, or expanded freedoms if he's ready for them?

[Mamabeakley]

Hm, wikipedia says average age of foreskin retraction is 10+ years.  7 didn't seem that old to me.  His 5 year old brother definitely can't retract his all the way.  Others?

[Lula's Mom]

Oh I don't think 7 is remarkably old!  My older ds was 3.5, but I would not have worried if he was much older.  I'm sorry, I wish I could think of something to celebrate this growing-up event, but I'm kinda terrible at things like that.

[Monkeygrrl]

My 8yo could do it when he was younger, but then stopped playing with it so much (I guess) because now he can't retract as far. 

My 5yo is still working on it, but definitely plays with his more. (More baths as opposed to showers.)

Neither one says it hurts, so I don't worry about it.

[~Adorkable~]

there is a huge range that it totally normal. including 7.

i think it is a great idea t find some way to celebrate, no real suggestions. maybe a small gift that is something similar to something he likes of his fathers? a item that is often thought of as being owned by a man rather than a boy, like a type of hat or bag?

[Lula's Mom]

Originally Posted by Monkeygrrl 

My 8yo could do it when he was younger, but then stopped playing with it so much (I guess) because now he can't retract as far. 

Oh, that is the case with my older ds as well! For a while it was a novelty and he retracted it often, but he kind of forgot about it and now it goes about halfway, I think. 

[MyBoysBlue]

A lot of North American doctors and most mainstream medical websites from the US still state that 3 years old is the normal age of retraction.   But studies done in countries where most men are left intact show that the average age is around 10 years old.

My boys are 9 and 4.  We didn't do anything special when the older one became retractable.  We didn't actually know when he did.  One day, recently DH just asked him if he could.  He was mostly retractable at 5 which was the last time I remember seeing his penis, he had to show me he could retract it a bit.

http://www.cirp.org/library/normal/

[Lula's Mom]

There was no way I could miss it when my son discovered it!  It was Mother's Day, and along with breakfast in bed, he brought me that neat trick.  He thought it was soooo cool.  

[camera_mama]

Originally Posted by Mamabeakley 

My intact 7 year old son recently came to me and proudly announced that he can retract his foreskin now!  He's so pleased with himself :-)

I'd like to create some kind of ritual or tradition to honor this growing-up, sort of like many families do to honor a girl's first menstrual cycle - except at a level appropriate to a boy child instead of a girl adolescent.  Has anyone done anything like that which you could share with me?  Or know of any resources you could suggest?

[minivanbutthurt]

Mama, have you thought about perhaps giving him a special gift? I know that some parents choose to mark special occasions like that with something meaningful like a crystal? My husband has one his dad gave to him sometime around puberty, and he really treasures it. 

Also, another idea, is to maybe get all the guys in your family/other manly friends to take him camping? I know my husband goes with his "Joe Brothers" (close friends who are also into camping and other manly stuff, he says) and they'll build a campfire and have a "Joe circle" where they'll discuss what it really means to be a man. Once, my husband said, one of their "Joe circles" even attracted a bear!

So, maybe something like that? Maybe you could give him some camping gear? I know my husband is really into the Ed Hardy tent I bought him. 

[NannyMcPhee]

I think I have heard of those Joe circles. You can bring your favourite music too, like Micheal Jackon and KISS.

[ozark]

My husband and his friends have Joe Circle camping trips about once a month. They are generally gone for a few days and return with freshly killed game and home made bar b que sauce. They say it is made with love, and I believe it!

[PhoenixMommaToTwo]

Don't they carry some special type of knife to these Joe circles? I've heard of them, too. And only certain men do them.

[Doraline Kae]

Originally Posted by minivanbutthurt 

Mama, have you thought about perhaps giving him a special gift? I know that some parents choose to mark special occasions like that with something meaningful like a crystal? My husband has one his dad gave to him sometime around puberty, and he really treasures it. 

Also, another idea, is to maybe get all the guys in your family/other manly friends to take him camping? I know my husband goes with his "Joe Brothers" (close friends who are also into camping and other manly stuff, he says) and they'll build a campfire and have a "Joe circle" where they'll discuss what it really means to be a man. Once, my husband said, one of their "Joe circles" even attracted a bear!

So, maybe something like that? Maybe you could give him some camping gear? I know my husband is really into the Ed Hardy tent I bought him. 

What a lovely idea!    I suggest smokey quartz.

Originally Posted by ozark 

My husband and his friends have Joe Circle camping trips about once a month. They are generally gone for a few days and return with freshly killed game and home made bar b que sauce. They say it is made with love, and I believe it!

My hubster does something similar although they jokingly refer to them as the Jack Coven.  Jack is hub's BFF and organizes the trips so I guess that makes him the camp leader.      They don't hunt but do other activities.   They're pretty secretive.  What happens in the coven, stays in the coven LOL.