Sex Education in Primary Schools

[AngloDoom]

I didn't know about sex at age five. If I'd heard about it, I was the type of ridiculous child who would have tried it.

This is a terrible idea.

 

[Snork Maiden]

So what do you think folks? What is the sex-ed like where you live or went to school? Do you think that children as young as five should be taught the facts of life? Will it actually improve awareness and lower the teenage pregnacy rate or have an adverse effect? Does it really matter what age it's taught? Is it really that important to be made compulsory on the cirriculum?

You know what sex ed really needs? To be useful. Instead of naming body parts and giving a clinical description of how they interact, they should teach you stuff that you need to know; how to make a woman orgasm, how to take your clothes off without tripping over and making a fool of yourself, why certain positions are a really bad idea, and most importantly, how to talk to someone when you wake up next to them for the first time. If we learnt all this stuff at school, sex would be far less awkward and embarrassing.

We probably shouldn't teach them that at 5, though. Wait until they hit puberty, and can put the knowledge
to good use.

I dunno, I actually thought my first time was a lot of fun because neither of us really *really* knew what we were doing. Kind of hilariously awkward, and I wouldn't of had it any other way.

 

[Jonluw]

The first time I had any sex ed. was in fifth grade. Not a real lot of followthrough on that, though; we didn't get properly started with it until 8th or 9th grade.

I think at age five children won't be able to understand anything of what we are trying to say about sex, and it would only serve to confuse them.

I think it should be taught when they start to take an interest in sex, or just before. Otherwise, it will be a completely alien and unimaginable concept to them.

Pretty much this.

Edit: Also, I'll jump on the bandwagon of people saying the kids will just start trying out what they've learned in class. After all they probably won't understand why we're telling them what we're telling them.

On a side note: I am glad I grew up somewhere where the sex ed. actually taught me about contraceptives and STDs, and not somewhere sporting an "abstinence only" education as I hear they do in some states across the pond. (Although I don't know if I'm glad we googled genital warts in class)

 

[Evil the White]

We were 10/11 when we first got taught about this stuff, and then had some more detailed explanations the following year.

Mind, the link is broken so I can't see how they're planning to change it.

I've fixed the link. I hadn't left a space between the end of the website address and the end of the brackets. :-S

Thanks for that.

Pity the article doesn't mention what exactly the kids are going to be taught. Although what I think it's implying is that it will start basic and work its way up.

 

[Valksy]

I am thinking of the scene in Kindergarten Cop where the little kid stands up and says "Boys have a penis, girls have a vagina". That information is pretty harmless at 5 years old I suppose, beats kids comparing themselves and getting in to difficulties (like predatory older people "helping").

Plus telling them, without scaring the shit outta them, that those are THEIR bits and people shouldn't touch them there and who to talk to if they feel scared.

Other than that, no, 5 year olds don't need to know anything more complex than that.

 

[Brandon237]

Between 10 and 12 people, not 5 years of age, they don't even know what the hell sex is and you go giving them this whole lecture. Bad.Idea. What do you think curious 5 year olds are going to do with this information...

 

[SonicWaffle]

So what do you think folks? What is the sex-ed like where you live or went to school? Do you think that children as young as five should be taught the facts of life? Will it actually improve awareness and lower the teenage pregnacy rate or have an adverse effect? Does it really matter what age it's taught? Is it really that important to be made compulsory on the cirriculum?

You know what sex ed really needs? To be useful. Instead of naming body parts and giving a clinical description of how they interact, they should teach you stuff that you need to know; how to make a woman orgasm, how to take your clothes off without tripping over and making a fool of yourself, why certain positions are a really bad idea, and most importantly, how to talk to someone when you wake up next to them for the first time. If we learnt all this stuff at school, sex would be far less awkward and embarrassing.

We probably shouldn't teach them that at 5, though. Wait until they hit puberty, and can put the knowledge
to good use.

I dunno, I actually thought my first time was a lot of fun because neither of us really *really* knew what we were doing. Kind of hilariously awkward, and I wouldn't of had it any other way.

Mine was awkward for me, though a little less than it would have ordinarily been because I was falling-over kinda drunk. The girl, it turned out, had already slept with about 50 people by that point, so I guess she knew what she was doing.

I don't just mean the first time, though. There are all kinds of things about sex that nobody ever teaches you, and you have to find out in really embarrassing ways. They should tell kids stuff like how to react when you meet someone you know while waiting for your STD test, or how to avoid getting unpleasant wet spots on the bed.

 

[Artina89]

5 really? That's far too young. My first sex ed class was at 11, and it didn't work that well to be honest with you, 3 girls had been pregnant by the time we hit 15.

 

[vaderaider]

What!? That's way too young. When I was five I didn't even know women had genitalia, I used to think that they peed out of their ass.

 

[Cutit]

It's best when the kids are 10 or something. they're too young to actually make a baby, but old enough(ish) to understand it all.

it's easy, but not nice...have sex ed at a younger age in parts of the country where teenage pregnancies are a problem. If everyone accepted the reality, things would be a lot simpler.

Common people, kids don't learn about sex from school or parents...that's something you talk with your friends. I never had a sex talk with my parents, only one time my dad asked me if i know about sex and condoms, i said yeah and that was that.

So teach it in poor areas, where teen pregnancies are actually a problem statistically. But in areas where people are educated and have a higher degree of civilisation, you can safely teach sex around the start of highschool. And most likely it'll be a waste or time and money (lots and lots of money)


TL;DR humanity did very well for thousands of years without it...it's gay and turns kids into pussies

 

[Shycte]

What!? That's way too young. When I was five I didn't even know women had genitalia, I used to think that they peed out of their ass.

Bro fist. Also, I thought they gave birth through their asses until I was like 12.

Anyway, Five is way to young, I had the first lessons around 8 I think, and then again more detail when I was 13.

It worked well, I am yet to knock up my girlfriend, at least I think so...

>.>

<.<

 

[EeveeElectro]

I think the way they teach them now is fine, I think they teach puberty and relationships at the age of 5 now.
My only concern is young children who get sexually abused. Most of them don't know it's wrong because they haven't been taught otherwise, so that's my only reason for reducing the age to 5.

 

[Angelcraft]

Kid's more know than people give credit. They may not know the details, but they likely know mommy parts form daddy parts.

 

[JoJo]

5 year olds? Are they insane?

Sex Ed is important. Getting the kids to think further than 5 minutes ahead even more so. Anyway, sexed should start around 11-12 years of age, when puberty starts for the earliest.

Actually, puberty can start alot earlier than that, I was barely 9 when it started, and spent the next couple of years wondering why I was so "interested" in nudity, genitals etc until we finally did a sex ed. class in school. Looking back I realise it would have been much better for me if some sort of earlier sex ed. had been done, even if it hadn't been that specific... (but 5 definitely is too young!)

 

[Snow Fire]

I don't view five as too early due to what I know of child development, five through eight seems like a good range for basic sex education in my opinion.

 

[MysteriousClark]

My other half is a primary school teacher (who teaches six/seven year olds) and the scare stories the media are pumping out are not true. They touch upon sex education at that age in the sense of the differences between boys and girls and THAT IS ALL. They do not go into any more detail than that.

Please don't get caught up in all the righteous indignation on a story that is basically good copy for public outrage.

 

[LostTimeLady]

My other half is a primary school teacher (who teaches six/seven year olds) and the scare stories the media are pumping out are not true. They touch upon sex education at that age in the sense of the differences between boys and girls and THAT IS ALL. They do not go into any more detail than that.

Please don't get caught up in all the righteous indignation on a story that is basically good copy for public outrage.

Ahh, I must say that does explain a lot. Especially since the midia has been quite quiet about what exactly they would be taught at age five.
Thanks for clearing that up for us. You can understand the public outcry however, considering that the current sex-ed taught in schools seem to have done little to lower teenage pregnancy rates etc. I suspect everyone's worried they'll mess things up again.

 

[GodofDisaster]

I agree with the people above me, 5 is far too young for kids to be learning about sex.

I would say it's best to keep it the way it is now and teach the kids when they're around 11-12. That's when I learned, plus it's when puberty starts off, so at least they might show interest in the subject.

But for now, leave the kids, at that age to the easier simple stuff, like English, maths, manners etc.

 

[kurupt87]

Good idea. If the knowledge is there and accepted before any sexual urges can come about they are more likely to use their brain than their (appropriate) genitalia to decide. Teaching at and around the age when sexual thoughts naturally begin to appear only gives them ideas, I know it did me anyway. "Oh so that's why I feel like this, I don't know why - but that looks like fun, let's do it!"

One problem with it I can see is that it'll be necessary to say, "this is what adults do," at some point during the spiel; kids that wanna be "grown up" are gonna remember that bit.