How young is too young?

Bells

Bells

Staff member
I must admit, there are several facets to this story that range from amusing to being downright disturbing.

A parent in Tasmania (Australia) has complained about her 5 year old daughter being taught "sex education" in kindergarten. Now here is the amusing part of this story:

The parent, who did not want to be named, said her kindergarten child had come home and "said the word vagina".

"I was shocked," she said.

"They were taught what a penis and a vagina was, which I don't think they should in kinder.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23071533-2,00.html
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My first thought upon reading this was basically 'come on lady!. It would appear the child's class had had a protective behaviour class in kindergarten, where children are taught about their bodies and about improper touching and when they should tell someone if someone has touched them inappropriately. Fair enough I thought. In that, they are correct, children should be taught about such things from a very young age. Her complaint stems, in part, from the fact the school had not sought the consent of the parents. And there she is correct. The school should have gotten the consent of the parents and even had them in the class during the lecture. Complaints had been received by the group holding the classes in various schools, that upon arriving at the schools, they had discovered that the schools had not received parental consent.

Ms Ritchie said she had also heard complaints from people delivering the course, who had turned up to a school in the North-West only to find parental consent had not been sought.

She said the children were part of a protective behaviours course.

The complaint parent said her six-year-old and nine-year-old children had all been put through the course.

"I never knew it was happening until they all came home and said," she said.

"I don't think they should do it at that age, maybe Grade 6 or Grade 7, not kinder and prep.

"But the principal said the Government said it was compulsory for kids to learn about their bodies at that age.

"They told me that it was Family Planning, they came in to talk to the kids about their bodies, who could touch them and who could not."
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Aside from her shock that her daughter learnt that she had a vagina, she also appears to believe that children from year 7 onwards (eg in highschool) should be taught such things, but not any younger. But does she have a point? How young is too young? As a parent of a 2 year old and a 9 month old, I must admit I too am concerned about giving them the inappropriate touching talk. I have started with my 2 year old, especially since he started going to daycare 2 days a week (because lets face it, kids do need to play with other kids their own age). To that end, he knows what a penis is and after having explained that part of his anatomy to him, he did go through a stage of telling everyone that it was "wee wee that comes out of my willy".. it was apparently very funny to him.

This story does take a disturbing turn however. It would appear after the class had the talk about inappropriate touching and teaching them the names of their sexual organs, the little girl apparently had 2 male classmates stick their hands down her pants.

The parent said her child told her about the alleged assault when she put her to bed that night.

"That's when she told me that two boys in her class had put their hands down her pants, and she said she bashed them," the mother said.

"She said it happened in the dolly corner.

"There were three adults in the room and 16 kids and no one saw it. She said she did tell the teacher, but the teacher seems to think she did not tell."

Pembroke Labor MLC Allison Ritchie said the allegation would be investigated.
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As a parent, I'll admit that my first line of thought upon reading those lines was basically.. 'is this really getting too far'.. Are we getting paranoid? After all, kids will be kids and there has always been that notion of 'I'll show you mine if you show me yours'. Should we be concerned that a 5 year old child put his hands down a classmate's pants after being taught about what is down there? But then I began to think about if she were my little girl, I would be disturbed that some boys had touched her inappropriately. Scratch that, I'd be mad as hell. Maybe I am paranoid. But then I think, they're just 5 years old. Am I really that paranoid?.. Is it inappropriate for 5 year olds to be curious? My rational mind says no, of course not. But my irrational 'fear the possible inappropriate behaviour towards my child' mind says yes, it could very well be.

I am curious as to how this would be investigated. And if the boys did indeed put their hands down her pants, what kind of punishment could be meted out to these kids. After all, after being taught about what is down there, 5 year olds are curious little buggers and will want to check. So is it inappropriate? Are kids just being kids when they look at a classmate's penis or vagina? Or are we now so fearful that we are becoming irrational?
 
Its irrational. The boys did do something wrong, but that amounts to a severe talking to, (maybe tell their parents to do that) Not any form of disciplinary action.
Some parents tell their kids earlier than others, and the kids that don't know are bound to find it out earlier from them. I'd rather have a child taught by a teacher than another student.
However, kindergarten does seem a bit early. maybe wait till year 3. But definitely teach it in 6/7.
 
well human society is going by rules of society and not what is best biologically...for example allowance of gay/lesbians to exist, healing of sick who have gene problems and allowing them to reproduce, not allowing sex in some countries with girls who are well mature of their body, as well as other problems...
 
I doesn't matter whether they teach it or not kids still do that all of the time because they are never allowed to see it so they may not entirely believe that its true. Just like when you tell not to touch the stove, and they don't believe you when you tell them its hot so they touch it anyway and burn themselves. Every body learns best by experience and exploration. Touching each other is what kids do, but if it made the little girl uncomfortable she should know that its okay to tell someone so that it doesn't happen again. Kids should know if they have a penis or vagina before they are 11 years old. Please. Oh and always teach the appropriate word to small children first and nicknames after they have grasped an understanding of the body part. Nicknames taught to soon can lead to some very embarrassing situations...VERY EMBARRASSING.
 
Seriously, then ....

Okay, to be honest, it's not the most relevant thing on the planet. But it's the first thing that came to mind as I read through the topic, and it won't leave me alone.

Of course, neither is it wholly irrelevant. There's some aspect of a flip-side involved. After all, sex-ed could be this puerile:

Do you always find yourself tongue-tied when rapists are around? Me too! Annoying. Luckily, while waiting for a friend to finish urinating at a scenic I-90 rest stop, I overheard a vanload of pre-teen girls chant the following ditty:
No! Don’t touch me there!
That is my no-no square!
I ain’t got no action there!
R - A - P - E
Rape!
Get away from me!​
Because nothing deters a rapist like a darling mnemonic device. Keep this one handy, ladies! Your no-no square will thank you!

(West)
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I want to know what my kids are being taught. If they are taught Sex Ed I want to know. I'm very particular about what a Sex Ed class teaches them. When they start teaching it a schedule comes home of what they will be covering each week. If you want your child to sit out a certain week, they can.
 
I dissagree compleatly with orleander

I think sex ed should be MORE compulsery than subjects like maths and english. The last thing we want is America where the only form of sex Ed a kid learns is "abstanace"

Parents should have no say in wether sex ED is taught, in fact i am almost tempted to suggest that MORE classes be given to kids whos parents refuse. There is no other area of curiculam where the parents get a say and nore should there be

As an example i know a 16 year old girl who when i met her had no idea about sex. She thought that kissing got you pregnant, that as long as a guy pulled out she was safe from pregnancy, had no idea what the morning after pill was. She has had 5 sexual partners in the last 2 years and she has NEVER used a condom or any form of protection. This includes for the guy she just met and screwed.

Put it this way Bell. Say there is a kid in the class who IS being abused by there parent. That parent gets a permission form to sign on a lecture (or whatever you want to call it) on sexual abuses. What do you think that parent is going to do? you think they will let that child take the class? HELL NO

Of all the topics taught at school sex ED is the MOST important
 
Asguard said:
I dissagree compleatly with orleander

I think sex ed should be MORE compulsery than subjects like maths and english. The last thing we want is America where the only form of sex Ed a kid learns is "abstanace"

Parents should have no say in wether sex ED is taught, in fact i am almost tempted to suggest that MORE classes be given to kids whos parents refuse. There is no other area of curiculam where the parents get a say and nore should there be

As an example i know a 16 year old girl who when i met her had no idea about sex. She thought that kissing got you pregnant, that as long as a guy pulled out she was safe from pregnancy, had no idea what the morning after pill was. She has had 5 sexual partners in the last 2 years and she has NEVER used a condom or any form of protection. This includes for the guy she just met and screwed.

Put it this way Bell. Say there is a kid in the class who IS being abused by there parent. That parent gets a permission form to sign on a lecture (or whatever you want to call it) on sexual abuses. What do you think that parent is going to do? you think they will let that child take the class? HELL NO

Of all the topics taught at school sex ED is the MOST important
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I believe it is, but the question was , when is it too young, I am reminded of the south park episode, where they start teaching pre schoolers about sexual positions...
 
There is no age that is too young as long as the content is able to be understood. There is no magical age at which a child is at risk. They used to teach stranger danger until it was realised that most pedifiles are known to the child. there is no point teaching 16 year olds how to protect themselves from pedifiles, that need to be taught YOUNG as well as who the child can go to (ie a teacher, police officer, medical worker, polition, lawyer ect)
 
thats why i belive in a system where things like this are decided between the education department, the child wealfare departments and the health department.

I dont belive parents should have ANY input, but they are welcome to knock on doors and be ignored
 
When it comes to Sex Ed...the sooner the better!

But schools teach a bunch of technical garbage compared to the study of tantra. I think that technical stuff is good at an early age, but the Tantra should probobly wait until High School.

At such an early age...keep it to the technical stuff. They don't need to know how to have a 8 hour orgasm or too much about what an orgasm is- but they should know about their bodies as soon as possible. That other stuff should come later!!!

8-10 hour long Orgasms can really expand your consciousness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Please ignore the sick freak

nope i dont care if you want to know what they are taught, I dissagree that you have any right to remove the child from the class if you dont LIKE what is being taught.
 
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They teach my kid that homosexuality is unnatural, I'm removing them from class.
Some parents feel the opposite.

Here its Sex Education, they teach about sex. Its not Health and Biology class where they teach about the body. They teach how to protect yourself against AIDS and homosexuality comes up. Abstinance comes up. These topics are moral issues.
 
Orleander so? Thats what it should be,

You start young with stranger danger and protecting yourself from harm and basic A&P
as it goes through it works through issus such as homosexuality and homophobia, STD's, etc

Thats as it should be and you dont have the right to stop your child learning about them.
If parents refuse to teach there kids enough to protect themselves from AID's STD's and unwanted pregnancy as well as what the hell sex is the state MUST.

Look up sHine
http://www.shinesa.org.au/

For starters this is a public health issue and the state has a strong responcability when it comes to public health

Edit to add: to be fair i dont live in a country where the religious right has infected goverment departments
 
would you like to qualify your statement?
For starters who are THEY?
Secondly where are you?
Thirdly what did they teach?
 
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