Sex Education for 5 year olds. - Page 2

andrewb · 12-02-2006, 11:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

I believe that we should leave sex education to parents.

I think we have to be more realistic. As I see it a lot of the problems of underage pregnancy (obviously not all) stem from the same sort of bad backgrounds such as drugs, anti-social behaviour and whatever else..
I feel that many of the father figures in those kinds of upbringings would encourage his son to have sex and they'd be somewhat proud..

garinda · 12-02-2006, 11:37

Unless I'm mistaken, parents do have the right to teach their children about sex education now, as well as the schools.

As we have the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Europe, one side isn't doing that good a job.

garinda · 12-02-2006, 11:56

http://education.guardian.co.uk/scho...995943,00.html

An article I found about it in the Guardian.

As suspected, I also found a morally outraged artricle about it by Melanie Philips in the Daily Mail.

I have nothing against the Daily Mail, indeed I sometimes read a secondhand copy myself, as I feel my outlook should be as balanced as possibe. Do bear in mind that both the Editor Paul Dacre, and the owner Lord Rothermere, are arch Catholics as well as Tories, and this does colour the editorial content of their paper.

I knew both men quite well, and have also had the pleasure of being misquoted in said paper for political advantage.

Nothing exciting mind, it was about the provenance of Tony Blair's ties.

SPUGGIE J · 12-02-2006, 13:00

The countryis going bonkers if this is the way testing is going. A 5 year old taking a test on this subjet beggers belief.

Margaret Pilkington · 12-02-2006, 13:36

I don't know what the test will entail. The Mail didn't specify.
I know we have the worst teen pregnancy rates in Europe and this is despite sex education. This begs the question 'Is the sex education being delivered by the right people and in the right way'?? It would appear that perhaps it isn't. I, like Lettie, have been on the sharp end of teen pregnancy and it is a soul destroying experience.

Children should be allowed their childhood. And while SOME parents might not have invested much time in their children's education, we must not assume that ALL parents are the same.

Parents are the best people to deal with the questions from a five year old.
They know their child and know what answer will satisfy their curiousity....and that is the way it should be.

chav1 · 12-02-2006, 14:01

at 5 years old i thought the stork brought babies but didnt even think to ask who f**ked the stork until aged 12

also if children know what sex is at aged 5 mummy and daddy will have to be even quieter in the bedroom as they will no longer be able to tell the kids that mummy and daddy are just playing tickles

SPUGGIE J · 12-02-2006, 14:25

When they start their own game of tickles a few years later who gets the blame parents for not stoping it or the education system for putting them on that road.

katex · 12-02-2006, 15:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

I know we have the worst teen pregnancy rates in Europe and this is despite sex education.
Parents are the best people to deal with the questions from a five year old.
They know their child and know what answer will satisfy their curiousity....and that is the way it should be.

Can never undestand myself here why we have the worst teen pregnancy rates, plenty of information on contraception given through schools and the media. Think due more to the moral side of sex possibly ?(if there is one anymore), which parents should address. Difficult though, 'aint it, cause clinics are offering contraception to 15 year olds without parents knowledge and parents would hope they will not become sexually active until later years. Mixed messages all the time. Also peer pressure of being thought a virgin by the time you reach 18 (boys included). Seems we are all in a muddle on this one.
I only asked my lovely mum one question on babies ... long time ago you understand... "Where do babies come from ?" "Well" says Mum" they come out where they go in" tee hee. Was only testing her at the time, as I knew already through Biology lessons at school. Can all parents get through the embarrassment of this question? Not always. Anyway, questions will be slightly different now like: what's those Anne Summers thingies on the top shelf of Tesco ? , etc.
Can't really see why 5 year olds would particularly ask questions about 'sex' though, so why ask them ? .. and think like Margaret that most parents could answer any queries here.

garinda · 12-02-2006, 15:34

I still think school is the place for both moral and physical sex education for children, as well as from the parents.

What hope is there for the child of a teen single mother, who only got pregnant to secure a flat, and chose State funded motherhood as a career option?

Everything is relative, and must be aimed at the particular age of a child.

It was before four that I asked my parents where babies came from, just as I remember also asking them if people wore long dresses when they were young.

I was given a truthful but simplistic answer, and my curiosity was satisfied and I went back to pretending I was Christopher Robin.

katex · 12-02-2006, 17:10

Does anyone know if teenage pregnancy statistics also include abortions ? Lots of teenagers use this as a contraception these days and could account for higher figures 'cause readily available in this country.
Also, like a recent thread about a lady in Poland who couldn't get one, maybe in other Europeon countries some never talked about or known.
Again suspect talking my usual rubbish.

Margaret Pilkington · 12-02-2006, 18:18

Spot on Katex......I think you are right about educating children about morals and self respect. And in my experience the young girls who do get pregnant come from all kinds of backgrounds.....not just the lower socio-economic groups. When I worked on the Gynae ward you were just as likely to have a girl turn up in a Westholme blazer as an Everton (the school) one. The difference was the Westholme girl would probably have her mother with her.

chav1 · 12-02-2006, 18:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by katex

Can never undestand myself here why we have the worst teen pregnancy rates.

because if a teenager wants to get away from mummy and daddy all she has to do is get pregnant and the councils will give her a house or pay the rent on a house for them

although the councils SAY this has been clamped down on i highly doubt it

also like to add that i am not saying all teenage mothers had babies to get a house but a hell of a lot have

garinda · 12-02-2006, 20:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

Spot on Katex......I think you are right about educating children about morals and self respect. And in my experience the young girls who do get pregnant come from all kinds of backgrounds.....not just the lower socio-economic groups. When I worked on the Gynae ward you were just as likely to have a girl turn up in a Westholme blazer as an Everton (the school) one. The difference was the Westholme girl would probably have her mother with her.

I'm afraid Marg that there are absolutely no figures to back up your own findings. Socio-economic background does play a major part in teen pregnancies in this country. Everyone from the WHO to The Lancet come up with the same findings, time after time.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1683271.stm

Margaret Pilkington · 12-02-2006, 20:56

Garinda, the evidence I was using was in relation to my own experiences in 25 years of working on the Gynaecology unit.....something known as anecdotal evidence......and I can assure you that I saw many young girls from varied back grounds. I know that I personally gave infromation and advice on the prevention of unwanted pregnancies yet many of these girls came back more than once. I think we do a very poor job of delivering sex education, and I think that maybe it is almost as if we are giving the children permission to indulge in sexual activity. I certainly don't think that sex education for 5 year olds is the answer. Sexual matters should be dealt with as they arise.....not done because a child has reached a certain chronological milestone.

Gayle · 12-02-2006, 21:01

Totally agree with you Margaret. I wouldn't be surprised if there was some sort of direct correlation between the rise in teenage pregnancies and the time when they started bringing in sex education for younger and younger children.

We all develop at different rates and whilst I totally believe that children should not be shielded from the truth, equally they shouldn't have it foisted upon them. Bringing the age for sex education lower and lower will possiby just scare the bejesus out of some kids.