At 8? Farts & poop?
My reasonably well-adjusted 40 year old delighted in toilet humour at 8 too, as well as vast numbers of other 8 yr old boys. Must be genetic ;)
That's why books aimed at young boys use farts & underwear as a means to get them to read!
Apart from instilling a sense of occasion, in my opinion it's all normal & sometimes fun to observe the scathing hilarity.
As the legendary comic George Carlin said , "Farts are funny".

i do get the humour in farts and poop, but the penis fascination at 8?  at times he makes michael jackson grabbing himself look modest.  when i asked him where he had ever seen such a gesture he said justin beiber grabs at his penis all the time.  that caught me off guard.  i thought that i was being safe by avoiding the lmfao videos, but justin beiber?  seriously?!?  he also thinks spanking his butt and prancing around the house naked shaking what god gave him while singing "wiggle,wiggle,wiggle" (lmfao) is the funniest thing since arm pit noises! 

The preoccupation with body parts could just be a phase.

However, farts and poop get a good laugh at my house, especially the other day when I ran over some horse poop.....on purpose!!!! Poop and fart jokes (and associated content) are pretty normal, in my opinion. I just finished reading a book called, "Sir Fartsalot Hunts the Booger", (which I originally bought for my daughter, but ended up reading for myself. Laughed my ass off). My daughter just read a book called, "Doctor Proctor's Fart Powder", and I read the, "Walter the Farting Dog", series to my grade two class this year, which was a BIG hit!! And, from the library, we just got, "The Day my Butt Went Psycho", "Zombie Butts From Urans", and, "Butt Wars: The Final Conflict", by childrens author Andy Griffiths.

Farts and poop are a normal part of every day life. I say embrace them. I wouldn't suggest literally, however. A literal embrace in this context could get messy.

Yeah, I think the whole grabbing one's "junk" fad is tasteless. It's a behaviour that seems to be adopted by rappers & sports figures. He is likely just reflecting that unfortunate trend.

i also don't want him to feel "ashamed" of these parts, but getting him to understand appropriate and inappropriate without doing that can pose a challenge.

btw: yes, my son has those books. captain underpants is a biggie.  where are the books about captain cleanroom?  we just picked up the book that is supposed to teach a boy how not to read books.  i can't remember the exact name, but the title is something like that.

They are. They really, really are.

:(  come to think of it, it seems as though it's always been a trend?  elvis the pelvis, michael jackson, madonna. 

Pee Wee Herman.

is this its own section at chapter's?

and yes, embracing literally could get messy, but would probably cause my son to spontaneously combust from laughter.

Hi momsfruitcake,

It is hard to tell.

Do you happen to have an example of one of your 8 year old's fart comments?  Say a fart joke perhaps?

If it is just a phase it should be something that he grows out of.  If it is just an appreaciation of humerous bodily function then it seems pretty healthy.

For example, I have a great chili story from three years ago that still brings tears to my eyes and all the laughter makes it hard for me to breathe.

Admittedly not mature or refined conversation.

It lifts my spirits to remember it.

To paraphrase Dr. House, "Everyone farts."

Grace and peace to you.

John

I have a similar story. It involves a road trip, a cough and a textbook example of a shart!!

I have experienced this with little boys a lot over the years.  With my own boys and the grandboys I tolerate a certain amount and then remind them about manners (some things are fine in the backyard but not in the classroom etc).  Penis play (in my opinion) belongs in private - they tend to be horrified if someone asks them if the same behavior would be ok for a parent, teacher or other adult!

our dinner time theme song *usually joined by his 5 year old sister*:

beans, beans, are good for your heart, the more you eat, the more you fart, the more you fart, the better you feel, beans, beans at every meal (this was taught to them by my sister in law).

okay. fine. the fart/poop silliness i can come to grips with, i suppose.

the penis and lack of "modesty" isn't so easy.  i don't want him to feel shame, but at the same time i think running through the house naked at bed time while singing i'm sexy and i know it at the top of his lungs, with a penis shaking solo is a bit much.  okay.  a lot much.  especially with a puppy, and his curious 2 year old and a grossed out 5 year old sisters.

is there a "talk" i can have that makes him learn what's appropriate and inappropriate.  i've tried and i guess i just haven't found a "talk" that works.

i'm constantly reminding him of manners and the need to be appropriate around his sisters.  it hasn't been a problem in public as of yet, but i worry.  i am also always throwing him the "do you ever see daddy/mommy/so and so doing that?" pitch (we don't and he doesn't, btw *lol*).   it just seems like anytime he has the chance to be naked and shakin' what his momma gave him, bets on behaviour are off.  heck, even when he isn't naked he's grabbing or shaking, or spanking his butt.  why?!?!  why?!?! *sigh*

i can only imagine.....

i also don't find it funny that after three pregnancies sneezing isn't quite what it used to be.  maybe pregnancy was entrusted to the wrong sex?!?

LOL moms fruitcake!  Pregnancy and childbirth would be handled far differently if men had to do it!

Getting back to your boy - I think I would make a new rule that applies to people over the age of seven.  "Private parts are PRIVATE. Thou shalt keep them covered when in front of others".  Infractions get a quick reminder - then immediate  loss of a 'big kid' privilige if the offense isn't [romptly rectified. For me it boils down to - You Aren't a Baby Anymore.

Yes, kaythecurler, I used that tactic too!  I loved the horrified looks on their little faces when I suggested I sit on the couch and do that!  Ha ha!  If you can't ignore a behavior long enough for it to stop then announce the game is over and use whatever method works that stops other unwanted behavior.  I like the wet a tea towel and snap method without actually making contact but gee wouldn't it suck if missed....That crack sound is scary and you could also tell him about a boy you read about in the paper who fell on his while running naked around his house and slid on the rug and had to go to the hospital for stitches!  I found that worked too!

Hi momsfruitcake,

Hmmmmm.

On the bright side now you don't have to pay to go and see "Magic Mike."  Still I presume you want to dissuade him from working on his routine at present.

This can be difficult.

Emphasis on what private means and compare behaviour with the rest of the family (presumes the rest of the family is not engaging in their own burlesque shows) to exemplify what is normative for the family.

I suspect that your son does this because of the reaction that it produces.  Once the reaction no longer fills whatever need it currently meets the behaviour will modify itself. Time-outs or other disciplinary measures may be called for.

The longer he keeps it up the longer the disciplinary action keeps up.

Grace and peace to you.

John

we teach our kids to fit in to the society that we live in

i guess by age 8 most boys have that natural behaviour stamped down to better fit into society/help alleviate his parent's anxieties of child perfection (where the thoughts and feelings of the parent come from themselves and no one else...)

that's all

At least your daughters will get a bit of early education.  I remember going to a house with some friends where it was only guys living there in my late teens.  Not having a brother I was horrified to see a guy comfortably hanging out in his boxers.