Sex Education for 5 year olds.
 

What do you think about the current proposals to test five year olds on their knowledge of sex education?

Re: Sex Education for 5 year olds.
 

I think it's insane, absolutely insane. Children should be allowed to be children for as long as possible.

I make a point of explaining things (with the correct words) to Maddie if she ever asks but I would hate to think that someone was forcing the knowledge on her.

Re: Sex Education for 5 year olds.
 

Not a lot Margaret, we should let them have a childhood first before filling there heads full of sex. It won’t do much to educate youngsters against making the mistakes of there older teenage siblings. I think it will encourage more experimentation and younger pregnancies as a result. They will know enough as it is. I think we need to start educate them in their early teens and emphases the hardships and costs (personal as well as financial) of teenage pregnancies and the increasing risk of STDs

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I am glad I am not alone. I think it is absolutely ludicrous for teachers to be dealing with sex education for 5 year olds......they can't get it right for 15 year olds so why should we believe they would do any better for small children. Like you Gayle, I believe that we should leave sex education to parents.....who know what their children can take and what would worry them......I also think that we should be teaching them playground games.....skipping, hopscotch, things like that before we go messing up their mind with sex education.

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Who on earth thinks up these oddball ideas?
I think that questions should be answered as simply has possible when and if they are asked.
Other wise when they start Secondery school is quite soon enough.

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The worlds gone mad..............

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That's fine up to a point, but we have a whole generation of children being raised by people who allow some of their children to leave school without being able to read and right.

If there are some parents unable to help their children to learn to read, I fear little of their chances of learning moral guidance from their parents.

I would need to know what is meant by sex education for five year olds before I could comment. If it was basic biology, that is understandable, I don't really see the problem.

At what age do you stop fibbing, and tell children that no, the stork didn't bring them?

Leave well alone I say. Time and place for everything.

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As you all know by now, I am all for good sex education regardless of ethnic origin and religion. I do think that 5 is way too young but all kids should have had some sort of sex education by the age of 11. When you bear in mind that the youngest pregnant girl I have had contact with was only 12....

What I am interested in is who is teaching them in schools?? What are they teaching them??? What qualifications do they have to teach that subject??

We all know that the education system in some schools is really bad. People who have a degree in English are teaching Geography and other subjects, of which they themselves have little knowledge..

Re: Sex Education for 5 year olds.
 

were you one of them ...?

read and write by the way lol :p

Re: Sex Education for 5 year olds.
 

I think it's up to parents to make sure their kids can read and write. I could certainly read before I went to school as could my kids.

Re: Sex Education for 5 year olds.
 

So could I.

My point was that there are lots of parents who show little interest if their children can read and right by the time they LEAVE school.


Like I said earlier I would need more information before I could comment on this Daily Mailesqe headline.

Re: Sex Education for 5 year olds.
 

Well, before or after, I totally agree. I can't see that 'parenting classes' will be of much use either.

Re: Sex Education for 5 year olds.
 

My thoughts exactly Garinda ! Margaret, do you know what type of questions are involved here ?

Re: Sex Education for 5 year olds.
 

If it is simple, well explained and fun, I have no problem with it.

If it was about simple relationships, and about families, explaining that some children live with a Mummy and a Daddy, but some might live with just a Mummy, or a Step Mummy and a Daddy, or even gasp - just a Daddy.

If basic facts about seeds, eggs etc were explained in a fun scientific way, again no problem.

If of course five year olds were to be taught about contraception, that would be totally inappropriate, but I like to think, behind the headlines, that is not the case.

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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..

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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.

Re: Sex Education for 5 year olds.
 

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.;)

Re: Sex Education for 5 year olds.
 

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

Re: Sex Education for 5 year olds.
 

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.

Re: Sex Education for 5 year olds.
 

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

Re: Sex Education for 5 year olds.
 

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.

Re: Sex Education for 5 year olds.
 

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.

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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.:)

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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.

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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.

Re: Sex Education for 5 year olds.
 

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

Re: Sex Education for 5 year olds.
 

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

Re: Sex Education for 5 year olds.
 

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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. :D

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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A wierd thought that.
:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

Re: Sex Education for 5 year olds.
 

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!

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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"

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Nowadays its plenty of practical and no theory.

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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.

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Garinda, I don't have any statistics......only my experience......and my experience showed that over 25 yeas there was a very varied mix of socio-economic groups attending for both termination of pregnancy and sexual health issues. And statistics can prove anything you want them to...depending on the interpretation and the way the statistic have been collected and collated. Despite all the Personal Health Education AND free contraceptive advice we STILL have the highest teen pregnancies......so we must be doing something wrong. I don't think educating 5 year olds is going to make any difference to the teen pregnancy rates.

Sorry if you feel I am labouring the point here.