Sex Education for 5 year olds. - Page 3

Margaret Pilkington · 12-02-2006, 21:22

I can remember being at primary school and being told some fairly scary stuff about sex.......aha, I hear you say, well if you had been educated about sex and human reproduction then it wouldn't have scared you so much I hear you say.......not so. I wasn't ready to have all that stuff crammed into my head. I wanted to play out with skipping ropes and whips and tops......the adult stuff could wait. OK, I know that girls are maturing faster......but I am sure that this maturation is purely physical and not psychological. It is adults who are responsible for sexualisation of young girls......I don't think there is the same problem with boys. You only have to look at the clothes that are out there to dress young girls in.

And as for girls getting pregnant to get a council house.... then we should lay the blame for that at our own feet for allowing the benefits system to reward them in such a way.

I don't have any five year olds.......and I am happy to say that I am glad I don't.....because I wouldn't want sex education to be taught at school at such a young age.

Margaret Pilkington · 12-02-2006, 21:41

And as for statistics - well, you can prove anything you want with statistics.
It depends what reason they were commissioned for, and how they were interpreted. Statistics aren't always as clear cut as they may look.

Debbie J · 12-02-2006, 22:41

At the age of 5 my daughter asked how a baby got out of a ladies tummy. I answered simply and honestly and she was happy with that. She was 8 before she asked how they got in the tummy.
We watch corrie in our house and the Craig and Rosie storyline has thrown up several questions from my 7 year old son. e.g Can girls have babies at 6 or 7? why not? How old should you be? I have told him it's best to get a 'good' education, be working and able to afford a baby as they cost a lot of money to keep and that he should want to be with the babies mother for ever. To which he replied ''I don't think I'll bother with babies as they sound hard work''!

I don't believe in sex education until a child is ready to learn 'the facts' I think parents should just answer questions kids ask simply and honestly. Leave the rest alone till they are at least 10 or 11 and let children be children. We spend a long time being adults

katex · 12-02-2006, 23:03

You are correct Debbie, as with other posts who are in the same mind. Loved it best when my Mum said, no need do the wasing up, I'll do it, you will have enough to cope with later in life !! Same difference, if you know what I mean.

garinda · 13-02-2006, 05:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

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.

My dear Marg, I wasn't doubting your personal findings, just saying that nationaly the figures don't equate with your own experiences.

The only five year old I know is actually at Westholme, and what he has been taught about reproduction has been related to frogs in biology, and has satisfied his curiosity.

garinda · 13-02-2006, 05:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gayle

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.

The figures are there in black and white Gayle if you care to look for them, lack of sexual education equals higher teen pregnancies, never mind the highest figures for teen sexually transmitted diseases in Europe.

garinda · 13-02-2006, 05:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

And as for statistics - well, you can prove anything you want with statistics.
It depends what reason they were commissioned for, and how they were interpreted. Statistics aren't always as clear cut as they may look.

Well Marg I'm afraid all the many statistics back up my argument rather than yours, I would be more than happy to look at them if you can provide any that proof socio-economic isn't a major factor in the rate of teen pregnacies.

SPUGGIE J · 13-02-2006, 09:34

I wonder if they are trying to cut pregnencies STD's abortionetc by teaching at an early age. There is rumours of a self diagnosis STD test for teens its getting that bad. Maybe they should leave it to say 8 years upwards and let 5 yearolds have a childhood as it disappears soon enough.

andrewb · 13-02-2006, 09:40

I remember being told, over the phone by my mums friend.. all I could think about was eggs in a frying pan.

SPUGGIE J · 13-02-2006, 09:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyfr

I remember being told, over the phone by my mums friend.. all I could think about was eggs in a frying pan.

A wierd thought that.

pendy · 13-02-2006, 11:21

I believe that the home is the best place for children to learn about sex, and that questions should be answered truthfully when they are asked, in simple terms that children can understand.

One of the main reasons why we have such high rates of teen pregnancy is the Mills & Boon culture - a girl has to be able to tell herself that she is IN LOVE and that doesn't equate with being sensible and taking proper precautions, does it. I would rather have had my daughter on the pill at 14 than pregnant at 15. As it happens, neither arose, for which I am thankful. Teenagers do experiment. I admit to having been one of them. What we should be ensuring is that if they do, they are safe to do so, both as regards pregnancy and STDs. Not perhaps the moral highground, but certainly pragmatic. Some time back there was a scheme in schools where the staff handed out dolls, which were programmed to behave in the same way as a real baby - waking howling in the night, needing a very great deal of attention. It was supposed to have had an effect, in that those who had to care for them realised exactly what was involved - and were thus more careful!

Mick · 13-02-2006, 11:27

I was in the forth year of secondary school when we were told about it
the science teacher said "right we are going to have a lesson on sex there will be a lot of theory but not much practical"

SPUGGIE J · 13-02-2006, 12:43

Nowadays its plenty of practical and no theory.

WillowTheWhisp · 13-02-2006, 12:47

Maybe this will put some minds at rest.

This subject was brought up at a school governors' meeting which I attended last week. The head teacher (of a primary school) said she wished they hadn't called it "sex education" because it gave the totally wrong impression.

The subject is taught to each year group or keystage at the level at which those children are. So 5 year olds for instance are not actually taught about sexual relationships but about their own body and in very simplified ways. By the time they are in year 6 (the last year before going on to the next school) they are learning about changes taking place in their bodies due to puberty, when these things are already happening to most of them, just to help them understand what is happening. So nothing beyond their years and nothing for the Daily Wail to get all steamed up about.

Phylum · 13-02-2006, 12:53

When each of my girls reached the age of about 8-10, I bought them each books designed to teach children about the changes that their bodies would go through during puberty and a little beyond. The idea was never to 'pass the buck' but more to allow them to research in their own time or to answer questions they may be worried about asking. Both girls have now said the books were very useful to them and indeed they have since been passed on to three grandchildren. My oldest had her first child at 19. The youngest has yet to do so. She's 23.