Sex Education for 5 year olds.

Margaret Pilkington · 11-02-2006, 19:46

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

Gayle · 11-02-2006, 19:52

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.

Doug · 11-02-2006, 19:54

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

Margaret Pilkington · 11-02-2006, 20:00

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.

ANNE · 11-02-2006, 21:09

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.

grannyclaret · 11-02-2006, 23:07

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

garinda · 11-02-2006, 23:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

I believe that we should leave sex education to parents....

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?

Phylum · 12-02-2006, 08:50

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

lettie · 12-02-2006, 09:06

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..

chav1 · 12-02-2006, 09:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

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.

were you one of them ...?

read and write by the way lol

Phylum · 12-02-2006, 09:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

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?

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.

garinda · 12-02-2006, 10:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phylum

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.

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.

Phylum · 12-02-2006, 10:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

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.

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

katex · 12-02-2006, 10:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

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.

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

garinda · 12-02-2006, 10:31

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.