Are Children Learning Sexual Education Too Young?
How Young is Too Young?
My son is in the 5th grade and he is being taught and shown sexual education videos and listening to lectures. I believe he is not ready for all this material. These kids are 10 and 11 years old! Why should these children be worrying or even thinking about sex or safe sex for that matter?
I know that there is, indeed, a high teen pregnancy rate, but most 10 and 11 year olds are still playing with Batman action figures, Barbie's and Lego's, just to name a few. My son worries more about how long he gets to ride his bike at the bike jumps or how long his friend can stay and play Lego's with him. He is not thinking about sex or sexual content.
I don't feel they should be taught Sex ED before their time. I was really shocked when my son came home and told me that he was learning about sexual education in class. Shouldn't we, as parents, have the right to say when our children should be subjected to Sex Education? Or a courtesy note sent home giving us the choice to allow or withdraw our child from class when Sex ED will be taught?
Children in today's society are, already, growing up too fast compared to our yesteryears. The materials children are subjected to everyday play a big role in our changing society. We can do the best we can, as parents, to monitor what are children are subjected too, but only when they are in our presence.
What about when they are not? When they are with friend we give them rules and hope they will follow them on their own. But what if, your rules are thrown out the window because the Sex Education class is mandatory what are you to do?
Sexual Education classes should be taught mainly in, 7th and 8th grade, because this is when most kids begin to change and fall into puberty. So yes they should be taught about safe sex.
In 6th grade some classes should be taught about their own bodies and the changes they will soon face. But this is not for 10 and 11 year old children in the 5th grade because that is what they are, merely children who still play with toys.
We, as parent, declare and help provide a vote on our children's educational plans. We should have more say about sexual education and when it should be taught to our child.
Published by Robbie Tittle
A devoted mother. As published writer/photographer, I find the world very intriguing. It has opened my mind to many things, and the possibilities are boundless. I love everything about the ocean and find it... View profile
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10 Comments
Post a CommentWhen I was in fifth grade about six years ago I also thought we were learning this stuff way to early. I was actually thinking about this the other day. But I've come to the conclusion that fifth/sixth grade is the perfect time to learn about this stuff. Children need to know this stuff, and many many people begin puberty at 10 or 11.
I know friends that began masturbating in fourth grade and girls that began shaving their legs and getting periods in fifth grade.
The school teaches this at an early-ish age for a reason.
girls inparticular need sex education by 10 -11 years so they understand menstration before it begins.
I beleive the way alot of parents are thinking 10 and 11 is to young for girls to be taught in school about sex and these sex education classes show them everything
Great read.
I think it depends on he maturity level of the child as to when he or she should be taught sexual education. Some children can learn it sooner than others, but its really a job for the parents, not just the schools
I have to say that I have conflicted emotions on this subject. On the one hand I agree that parents should be involved in every step of sex ed and body awareness. But unfortunatly to many parents are slaking in "the talk" department. Wether its due to fear of confronting their child, or they want to keep kids innocent. The problem is our schools have to pick up this slack, so when is a good time, when does a child begin to think of sex? they are all completly different, hormones in our food cause our children to develope faster and now we have to take that into account. Its a tough choice to make, and, yes, it should be that parents choice to make.
Great article. I work in an elementary school and while we don't offer "sex education" to the full extent, they do have "the talk" with the boys and the girls separately about the changes their bodies may be experiencing and things like that in 5th grade. The parents are informed about the process and allowed to participate themselves or to decline to have their children participate. I think that parents should be involved in teaching their children about sex. It's unfortunate that these things are being discussed at such a young age. Unfortunately, if the kids don't hear it from the adults, they will hear it somewhere else (TV/friends/etc.).
Hey Bobi-An, the previous comment was actually posted by me, Shannon. I forgot to get out of Mom's page. Great article, though.
I agree with you, Bobi-An. I think parents should be more involoved with their children and as far as sexual education, I agree it should be taught more towards the 7th and 8th grade years. I also think that if a child does have a question about sex, puberty, where do babies come from, etc. that there is an appropiate answer for their age. Sexual Education should not be taught in 5th grade. Awareness of their bodies and changes, yes.
On the contrary, the fact that we have less good sex education than most of the rest of the developed world is directly responsible for why we have the highest teen STD and teen pregnancy rates.