Quizzes & Puzzles0 min ago
The birds and the bees
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No best answer has yet been selected by enigma . Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.
For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.Enigma, my children are just toddlers, so I have not faced this. But I can share what I recall of my own experience. When I was about 8, I had already had pets and knew there was some sort of cycle of life and death. I certainly did not have a clear understanding.
Also around that age, I noticed a naughty word written in many of the boys' restrooms (this was a church school, I should add!). I thought it must have been somebody's name, as it rhymed with Chuck, and so I asked my mum. She deferred to my father who that evening explained what the word meant and that I was not to use it, and he explained the birds and the bees. I recall having a general idea, but not being overly obsessed with it. That is, it did not shock me or bother me. It was just information that I absorbed.
By age 10 or 11, I was quite curious, as I was beginning to develop, and all of us boys were talking and comparing and trying to understand all this.
At age 13, we received education on the matter in school, but by then, we already had a good idea, some of the information from the parents and a bit of legend from my peers.
To me, then, the beginning of the ability to understand this is occuring right about your daughter's age, and the clear understanding of this will happen over the next few years.
If the majority of the other children are getting this information, you might want to make sure your child is included in that class. To leave her out might cause more troubles in the explanation process, and perhaps even teasing. You might also want to introduce the matter to her properly and privately before this class, so that she starts from your perspective.
I am glad to be a few years away still!
Good luck.
I would prefer my children are not taught sex ed until they are just about going to secondary school. There is no need before hand bar those who hit puberty early.
The thing is, others in your childs class will probably get the whole fertilisation lecture. So talk in the playground being what it, you may as well let them learn the whole caboodle from the teacher than the version that is embelished by over active imagination.
I would let the school deal with any questions though, afterall they are the ones who introduced the subject.
I did this recently at my sons school as his teacher announced she was pregnant and he came home with the inevitable 'where do babies come from?'. I told her she introduced the subject so she can explain it. I don't think she likes me anymore. LOL
I think it is easier to tell them when younger, I bought a book and sat with my children and explained it in my own way. The thing is ... as papigo says ... they don't ask for intricate details until they are old enough to wonder, and are quite happy to accept it in simple terms. Better to have the opportunity of doing that than having an abrupt education via the net or some older child who may have all sorts other inappropriate ways of telling them. There is a difference between being 'sexually aware' and knowledge about reproduction. I understand your concerns and respect them, but children of eight very often are 'sexually aware' by experimenting with their own bodies, they just don't know why yet !
Your eight year old may be the oldest but she's doubtlessly mixing with others who are the youngest in their families.
Younger siblings can get an education of this sort from their older brothers and sisters and pass it on.
I can recommend "mummy laid an egg" by Babette Cole I thinkmy kids were abuot 8 when they read this.
Have a look at it at your local bookshop and see if you think it would be suitable for your daughter.
I guess the most important thing to tell would be that if they were uncomfortable with another person who is misappropriating his actions towards her, then she should tell an adult she trusts about it and not keep quite about it because it makes her feel ashamed of herself. You'd be surprised with what your children has to tell you once you start the topic.
I don't mean to scare you regarding this but pls do not think that I am asking you to let go of your daughter's innocence. I am merely asking you to help her protect it.
I did sexual education at junior school and I think it was quite a good idea as, of course, we knew it all already, but everything we knew was rubbish! I can understand parents not being happy about this, although no parent complained at the time.
I think the fact that girls start their periods so early now means sex. ed. has to be taught early. There were a few girls who started their periods between 9-11 years old so obviously it would have been too late to leave it to secondary school. I also see a lot of 8+ girls walking around now with quite developed figures.
I think one of the big problems is that lots of parents don't tell their children about this sort of stuff. Loads of people in my class had never had a chat with their parents. I know a few girls who had to deal with their periods starting without their mothers help.
The fact that children are so sexualised now is a problem. I see so many little girls walking around dressed like slappers that it seems foolish to keep them innocent in their minds!
You have been given the right to withdraw your consent if you object.
If you feel so strongly on this issue - use this right.
Why not ask the teacher for more information on what the lesson consists of? this will give you some idea of whether the information is aimed appropriately at your child as an individual, something you may be more aware of than your child's teacher.