Help! Don't know what to think...

[Sweet Kat]

My 5yo dd was playing with her 6yo friend (who is a boy). They were downstairs, I was upstairs, and I heard them saying, "Hey, we're 'tackling' just like on tv". Curious, I go downstairs, to see the boy getting up from lying down on the couch on top of my daughter. My first reaction is to be totally apalled and upset. I'm embarrased to even write this, and to tell my husband, for that matter.
I told the kids that was inappropriate behaviour and not to do it again.

Am I overreacting? I know they are very young, and most likely this is very innocent. Something they are copying, that they saw elsewhere (although I have no idea where! )

Anyway, I don't know what to do, or think. I find this very unsettling. Has anyone gone through something similar?

[becoming]

A (girl) friend of mine and I copied some kissing/sexual behavior we saw on TV (her mother's soap operas!) when we were 5 years old. I very clearly remember this incident. We both got tired of it after a few seconds and went on about doing whatever else it is 5-year-olds do! It was not a sign of more to come - nothing even remotely sexual ever happened to me again until I was 13!

I wouldn't worry about it, and I wouldn't make a big deal about it with your DD. I think it's totally normal for kids to want to mimic/experiment with things they see others doing. I'd venture to say it probably won't happen again with your DD.

[Earthy Mama]

What exactly was the "tackling" they saw? Actually tackling ie football, wrestling, or making out?

I wouldn't be too worried about it. I was 5 and kissed my neighbor boy. We wanted to see what it was like. That was that and then we played on the swing set or some such thing...

[mistymama]

I wouldn't make a big deal out of it. We are huge college football fans, and my son likes to play "tackle" during football season sometimes.

Sometimes I think we put sexual connotations where they do not belong, kwim? How do you know they were not immitating football or wrestling?

[Ellien C]

The 4/5 yo in our day care play tackling and tickling games. One on top of the other. It's not a big deal - just something they do.

[mom22girls]

I'm going to be the dissenting voice here. While I wouldn't make a big deal out of this incident, I would heavily monitor future playdates. 5 and 6 is the right age for show and tell, etc. I would also tell the boy's parents so they can be aware of it if the kids are playing at his house. It's not a big deal now, but it could be.

[archibaldbc]

Originally Posted by mom22girls

I'm going to be the dissenting voice here. While I wouldn't make a big deal out of this incident, I would heavily monitor future playdates. 5 and 6 is the right age for show and tell, etc. I would also tell the boy's parents so they can be aware of it if the kids are playing at his house. It's not a big deal now, but it could be.

i agree, only because you really don't know what the boy was doing or thinking.

[Sweet Kat]

This definitely was not "football" tackling. But I do feel that it was fairly innocent. Like you guys said, they were probably just copying something they saw or heard about.

My daughter walked in on my dh and myself once. We were covered up, but still, seeing that close contact, and knowing it was a loving thing (we had to do a bit of explaining), I can see how she would think it was cool to emulate that.

I do intend to keep up with not allowing that play to go on though (and keeping tabs on them when they play together), because it is inappropriate, even if they don't understand what they're doing.

I feel a LOT better now though, having heard from a bunch of you.
Thanks for the advice/support !!!!