Miller Duchovny is still interested in learning about sex

Miller Duchovny knows how to dress to impress. When he learned thata "pretty woman" — an author whose picture was on her book jacket –was coming over for dinner, the 5-year-old knew he needed to look his best,dad David tells Jay Leno on The Tonight Show.

My son saw the picture of the woman and he said, ‘She’s coming here todinner?’ And Téa [Leoni] said ‘Yeah.’ And Miller said, ‘Are my big boy pantsclean?’ His big boy pants are his jeans.

David, 47, also told another Miller tale reminiscent of Téa’s accounton Late Night with Conan O’Brien in June, in which Miller reveals hisdefinition of "hot" — "you’re sexy and that your vagina looks good / you have a pretty vagina."This time, he said the same thing to his nanny.

I came down for breakfast and it was perfect timing as if it wasscripted. I just hear Téa say to him, ‘You better ask your fatherthat.’ And he said,’When I think about girls, I get a funny feeling in my peeny.’ And Isaid,’That sounds about right, man.’

David and Téa, 41, also have a daughter, Madeleine West, 8.

Comments

Let me know if I am thinking too hard about this since I don’t have little boys yet. The Duchovney/Leoni family certainly likes to talk about their son and his penis. A few months ago, Tea was talking about it during an interview regarding how he likes to masturbate and how cute it is.

I wonder what kind of conversations little Miller listens in on.

- Jen on August 10th, 2007

I agree Jen. There’s something a little off about continuing to talk about this in such a public arena. Poor kid – when he gets older, he’s going to be reminded of this time and time again. I fully acknowledge that children have moments of discovery such as these, however, broadcasting them around the world is bad judgement if you ask me.

- felicity on August 10th, 2007

Well…. I do have a little boy he is only 9 months old but everytime his diaper is off, and I do mean everytime he grabs his penis. So i’m not sure what 5 years old will be like but I have a feeling it will be interesting.

Also in regards to what type of conversation he’s around… the comments about vaginas is pretty explicit for a 5 year old. I have a 10 year old daughter and I’ve heard her say the word sexy in coversation but when I asked her what that meant she couldn’t answer me at all. It wasn’t like she was making an excuse she just geniunely didn’t understand. We’re not prudes or anything but I think kids do pick things up from TV or friends at school.

I think it’s pretty cool that they are open about about bodies and sex in their family. If that works for them then more power to them

- Melissa on August 10th, 2007

I have a 5 and 3 yo son and you can talk about sexual parts without talking about actual sex. My son knows about vaginas and penis’s and often comments to me how he has “two balls down there” lol. It may seem weird to some people but kid are curious. I believe in teaching them proper names for proper things. I also teach them that there is a place to talk about those things and a place not too. It is not like the Duchovney are talking about it at school, this is all in their own house lol. Like I said, just because they are using proper words like vagina or penis does not mean they are all talking about sex.

- Salina Shropshire on August 10th, 2007

That is EXACTLY the reason I don’t want to have any boys. I think Brooke Shields has it perfect with 2 little girls. Heaven.

- Maya on August 10th, 2007

I really don’t know what to say on this subject…..I mean a 5 yr old saying your vagina has to look good? wtf….

- kayleigh on August 10th, 2007

I have a son (also called Miller, coincidentally), and he’s never been quite as… verbal as the young Mr Duchovny in that regard.

And even if he were you can bet that it wouldn’t be my primary topic of conversation.

- Kate on August 10th, 2007

ITA with the first Jen

- Mary on August 10th, 2007

To Melissa:

It’s normal for younger boys to grab their penis quite often. It’s just a stage they go through. Even though the genitals aren’t as developed as those of teenagers or adults, boys are able to feel their touch and it makes them feel good and calm them down. It’s nothing obscene or bad, it actually helps them.

I work in kindergarten and I get to watch the children and their behavior and reactions there. Sometimes, if the boys (aged 1 year – 6 years) are insecure or scared, I can see them putting their hands in the pants pockets and just moving them towards their penis; or just putting a hand inside their pants. When that happens in those situations, they just stand there and sometimes don’t even realize they’re doing it because it happens subconsciously to calm them. It’s a stage they go through, and at a point they stop doing it.

- Kate on August 10th, 2007

I’m with the first two posters on this one. I am definitely no prude, but the last couple of times these people have spoken publicly about their son, it’s been something sexual and I think it’s a bit creepy.

My 6-year-old son has said/done some funny things along those lines, but I wouldn’t go to work and announce it, just as I wouldn’t make comments on camera about it either.

They may think it’s funny now, but I’m sure their son won’t when he gets older.

- TwinMom on August 10th, 2007

I have to wonder if they like telling everyone about their son’s interest and knowledge about sex mainly for shock value. I appreciate their honesty with their son about sex but some things are private and best kept at a level young children can understand. I can see their son getting into trouble at school if he talks to the other students or teachers the way he talked to the nanny. He needs to learn respect and when it’s appropriate to talk about such things.

- Kresta on August 10th, 2007

No one is perfect and kids can be cruel whether they know information on you or not.He is not a serious person.People really need to get a sense of humour

- Renee on August 10th, 2007

I think this family (especially the parents) need to stop discussing their children’s sexuality on t.v.! It’s not cute, and no one else finds it amusing except for them. I certainly wouldn’t espouse that sort of information to strangers, which is what they’re doing by broadcasting it on television. Someone really should tell them to stop already!

- Mimi on August 10th, 2007

Tea and David need to stop commenting on what their son’s comments related to sexuality. The poor boy is going to get teased when he’s in middle school/high school.

At minimum, they aren’t putting their son’s best interests first when they mention these incidents in a public forum.

- cats on August 10th, 2007

I am shocked with the little vagina jingle and also the talk of masturbation being cute… and it’s because of his age. Maybe they are trying to grow him up a little too fast.

- Sarah F. on August 10th, 2007

Kids will say the darndest things! Lighten up people, he is just a little boy and little boys are curious, especially about bodies and parts!! Its completely normal and I don’t find anything wrong with it! I think the reason why Tea talks about it is because she thinks its humorous! I think it is too. At least they have open and honest communication going from the beginning! That is rare with parents and children most of the time.

- tink1217 on August 10th, 2007

I watched this and was totally horrified—and it takes a LOT to horrify me, as I’m a bit of a hippie about sex-ed etc. It’s normal for a kid to be curious about his own penis, but he should not know that a vagina is supposed to look good/pretty at this point.

He’s old enough to be curious about girls, but not even close to adolescence or close to the age where you feel “tingly” in his “peenee”. It sounds like his parents are letting him watch too much adult tv, or a bigger kid is filling his head with mature thoughts, or (worst case scenario) somebody is touching this kid’s penis.

- PSB on August 10th, 2007

Jeez, they need to just stop talking in public period! In every interview I’ve read with either on of them, they talk about their son and his penis. It is so rude.

- Macy on August 10th, 2007

As a mother of 3 boys all under the age of 10 I find this article ridiculous and offensive. Whether a boy or girl all infants and children are curious about there bodies. But to say a 5 year old boy has feelings in his peeny after seeing a picture of pretty women (to me) is a perverse spin the parents put on this child. It is physically impossible for any child this young to have sexual feelings. We accept this and think it is cute because it is coming from a high profile family. But if some mother at school told you the same
story, you would think they had issues.
When little Miller turns into a premisicous teenager lets see how funny David and Tea think it is then!
Jill

- Jill on August 10th, 2007

I think it’s disgusting to share that kind of info with the public and I don’t think it’s normal for a 5-year-old to have sexual feelings when he “sees” girls. That sort of thing doesn’t start until closer to the pre-teens. At this age, erections are spontaneous and not associated with “sex” and for the parents to put that kind of spin on it is just perverted. I would expect this sort of talk from David (because he’s always struck me as a little bit odd), but Tea has always seemed a little classier.

And to all of you saying “lighten up”… when your daughter asks her father if she has a pretty vagina someday, I’m sure it won’t be so funny.

- LaurieF on August 10th, 2007

I don’t have kids but a lot of my friends & family have kids (of all ages) and if I heard this conversation from any of them or heard their kid say this, I would think there was something not quite right. It would make me think the kid was being exposed to things he shouldn’t be or being abused (not necessarily by the parents).

I certainly hope there is nothing bad going on. But, I do hope CPS keeps an eye on the situation and steps in if need be for Miller’s sake. If a situation doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.

- Charity on August 10th, 2007

Was I the only one who thought Duchovny sounded completely stoned last night?

I was watching the show with my husband and we both thought he was high as a kite.

As for the subject matter, I don’t think it’s appropriate for TV, not because of the content but because it will be embarrassing for Miller as he gets older.

- Mary-Helen on August 10th, 2007

This is sad. People are accussing them of being bad parents.I’m sorry that they aren’t perfect parents who say what a lot of you consider to be the perfect things about their son.God forbid someone has a sense of humour.

- Renee on August 10th, 2007

Wow. See, I enjoyed hearing about Miller, because I have a five year old boy that is similar. I don’t think they’re bad parents at all. I know I’m not. My five year old has told me that watching a man and woman kiss on tv (even commercials for gum), makes his penis get big. I thought whoa…why does he say that? I called my RN friend. She said that some kids really can be more affected by sexual things at an early age than others. My eight year old son…never said a word about it. He used to heavily play with himself when he was about three or four, and we discussed that it’s a private thing and I rarely ever see him doing that now…he’s learned to do it in private. Now, one of his eight year old friends has his hands in his pants or pockets almost constantly and will full on grab himself in front of you.

I think I was shocked at first by my five year old…since my eight year old is nothing like him…they are polar opposites anyway. However, we don’t watch “sexy” movies, we don’t talk about sex…I’m not even having sex and haven’t since I divorced their father when our five year old was a baby. I am with them virtually all the time, and I know they haven’t been molested or anything. Their nana, father and step mom are usually the ones that are with them when I’m not.

I just know that this is a kid that I will have to keep a close on eye, to be sure he doesn’t have sex at an early age. My younger brother was just like this my mom said. He ended up having sex when he was 14, with one of my 16 year old friends…my mom doesn’t know that part, and I didn’t know for a few years either…but there really are just more sexually aware kids out there. I don’t think I have done anything wrong either.

I just think David and Tea need to remind Miller more often of what is appropriate talk for his age, and sort of a private parts manners lesson. They taught him the names, and knowing my five year old, he doesn’t always know what he’s talking about, so Miller’s pretty vagina statement is probably misunderstood by us. For years my children described any kid with black hair, a black kid…and I hadn’t ever taught them black, Asian, white etc…so I had to talk them through that to figure out what they meant at first. They’re half Filipino, so they usually would say dark like them, or lighter or darker when they’d describe someone’s skin color. Now they hold their hand out, and say this is daddy, and flip their hand to show palm up and say this is mommy.

The only thing David and Tea really need to do is stop telling the stories on tv. I’m sure they might think it’s cute, or maybe they’re looking for other people to go, hey, my son is like that too.

- Hoother on August 10th, 2007

I have 3 nephews and babysit for a 3 yr old boy. Boys are VERY curious about their penis! As I agree some of this talk may be inappropriate for t.v. let’s not forget that this is late night television and it’s a show to get laughs. Most of the time sexual talk of any kind (esp. talk from a child) will get many laughs. If he had talked about this on say Regis and Kelly I may have to agree that there is a time and a place and morning television wouldn’t be the place.

That being said, people shouldn’t be afraid to discuss sexual body parts with their kids esp. if they ask. Heck my mom gave our “parts” wacky nicknames when we were kids which I thought was pointless and vowed never to do with my children. I am not saying you should have a sex talk with your 6 yr olds but I’d rather my kids come to me about issues with their bodies then go ask someone else.

- J.M. on August 10th, 2007

I have taught 4 year olds for five years.Yes it’s normal for children to be curious about their bodies.However the comment about his penis feeling funny when he thinks of a “pretty” vagina is not normal. He is being influenced by an older person with those feelings.

- gina on August 10th, 2007

“God forbid someone has a sense of humour.”

Thank God most people here don’t share the twisted, perverted sense of humor David and Tea possess. Anyone who seriously thinks parents talking about their 5-year-old’s masturbation habits, erections, and telling his nanny she has a “pretty vagina” is funny needs to get their head examined, to put it nicely. I think the way they talk about their son is nothing short of disgusting-and this coming from someone who thinks kids should be taught the proper words for body parts as opposed to the little cutesy names parents like to come up with for their childrens’ private areas. The way Miller talks seems totally abnormal and inappropriate for a five-year-old, and the way his parents carry on as though it’s hysterical really disturbs me. They need to get a clue.

- Lauren on August 10th, 2007

I defended Téa’s comments but David has taken it too far.

Their son sounds like a little brat to be honest and I David and Téa’s ways of raising him to believe sex is cool and funny, will have a long term effect on the kid.

He’ll lose his virginity at 12 and make his parents grandparents before they’re 60.

David, Téa

Grow up

- SJ on August 10th, 2007

These comments were made on a late night show. The only reason we are all hearing about it is because it has been posted on here. My friend’s daughter would masturbate at a very young age (not really knowing what she was doing, just knowing it made her feel good). She turned out to be fine just more sexually inclined (she’s 23 now and married).
Masturbating is EXTREMELY normal and by saying people are perverted or something is a very intolerant attitude.
If your kid would tell you he gets a funny feeling down there when he sees a girl, would you tell him that he’s disgusting??!! No way! I doubt very much his son will be embarrassed when older as they seem to have a very healthy communication. Lighten up and try to get your PERSONAL views across without insulting anyone by saying they are perverts or need to get their heads checked.

- maria on August 10th, 2007

Hoother, thanks for sharing. Maybe I overreacted. It’s just that I know several people who have been victims of sexual abuse/violence and for most of them it ocurred during childhood. I guess this makes me hypersensitive to kids & anything remotely relating to sex (except naming body parts, that I see as normal).

- Charity on August 10th, 2007

A child telling others that they have “hot vaginas” should have a talking to about wht is appropriate to say to others.

“Peenee feels tingly” isn’t disgusting, the kid should just know that there are times and places to say things, if they they are even to be said at all.

- J on August 10th, 2007

“It is physically impossible for any child this young to have sexual feelings.”
Uh sorry but thats comepletly inaccurate. Children as young as six months old will touch thier genitals to produce pleasurable feelings.

- esperanza on August 10th, 2007

curiosity is 1 thing, but no 5yo should be conversing about whether genitalia(of either sex) looks good or not.that’s a sign someone is filling his head with inappropriateness IMHO.

- ang on August 10th, 2007

The comments don’t bother me, as I don’t have a boy that age, but know boys in my 1st grade class like their penis’.

But the parent’s seeming so inclined to shout these sexual stories seems off to me…..

- JoLynda on August 11th, 2007

I find it very odd that a 5 year old would say they are getting a funny feeling in their penis
when think about girls.
I have 6 kids and have a degree in child development. That is just not the norm.
I would be concerned if he were my child, or even a friends child.
It sound more like he may be mimicking what he has herd.

- simply_bohemian on August 11th, 2007

i agree with this not to be normal talk.Celebrities think they can say anything they want.If a child was in school and talked about his penis feeling funny when he sees girls or telling girls they have a hot vagina, you know the Department of Family and Services would be taking a visit to that school to evaluate the situation. I taught preschool once and a 4 yearold girl was talking very explicit about sexual things during housekeeping.She did this often.DCF came out to see her and found out she was watching adult tv. If Miller talks to the other children about what he knows parents are not going to be happy when their kids come home from school and say those things.

- gina on August 12th, 2007

To Kate

I know it’s normal for boys to grab their penis, I wasn’t implying that it was abnormal. I just didn’t experience the constant touching with my dd’s so my own experience is that my boy seems to be more into his”stuff”.

- Melissa on August 12th, 2007

If you don’t make it taboo, they get past it quicker, I dig having boys myself…I wouldn’t trade them for anything, boys are the bomb.

Besides, if I’d have had a girl she’d have been murdered by the age of five…she’d be just like me, and we can’t have another me in this world. LOL

- Asuigeneris1 on July 7th, 2008