7 and 8 year olds taught about drugs today

[Plinkyplankplonk]

My son came off the bus today and told me all about their pshe lesson today - they were asked to imagine a bag of drugs and what would be in it, to see what words they knew, then they were told how some people take drugs, so my son has informed me about needles etc.
It was a bit close to home for us as my husbands sister died last year from an overdose, we've had some sort of frank conversations with our son about what happened to her - that the school told me were too much for his age, then this today in their own lesson?!

I thought they didnt learn about things like this yet? I'm sure I didn't learn about things like this til I was 11/12

AIBU to think this is a bit much for his age?

I know multiple people who started on pills at 9 or 10 so before that is the best time. People are definatly smoking and vaping under 10

Oh gosh thats scary, I was worried maybe I was being a bit naive about it!

I’m not sure what the issue is. Surely it’s a good thing that children are taught about these dangers? There’s no point trying to hide or pretend that these don’t exist.

I just thought maybe it was a bit much for their age to be honest, but then I think they're taught about sex a lot younger than my generation was now too

Tbh I think teaching about such things can make kids curious and more likely to seek out and try them. I’d be pissed off too

He wasn't taught about drugs, though. He was asked what he already knows. This is excellent teaching and I am sure the teacher will be speaking in an age appropriate way about medicines, drugs and how we keep safe. You can ask for the curriculum plan if you have concerns.

That's sort of what I was feeling, just made me feel a wee bit weird that kids were being told people inject things.

They need to be taught before they encounter them in real life, so 7/8 sounds about right to me. I have an almost 7 year old and I'd be fine with him learning about them, he knows about alcohol and associated problems already (my cousin died of alcoholism). He swears he's never going to drink alcohol! 😂

I don't think you can stop them learning about the darker side of life, children talk and pick up all sorts of odd ideas from older children. Better that they know the facts.

Not sure how old you are (I am 40) but this subject was covered at my daughter's school in the same year that it was for me. They do learn about their own bodies and some information about relationships earlier but nothing inappropriate.

Re: drugs I think it can be helpful for kids to have age appropriate info but appreciate it may have been a shock given your family's context. Sorry to hear you got a hard time from the school, you have to handle these hard things at the time your family faces them and it's not easy

I don't i think its usually enough to scare the shit out of Most kids

I wish it was too early but sadly don't think it is. I think the school could have advised you this was being discussed so you and indeed other parents of the children in your DCs class could have been prepared, and indeed supportive of the school.

You’ll get people who are pro teaching kids everything from the age of 2 telling you you’re unreasonable, i remember hearing DARE (anti drug education in American schools) made kids more likely to try drugs so googled

Scientific studies from the 1990s and 2000s found that the original D.A.R.E. program was
ineffective at reducing drug use and that D.A.R.E. students were in some cases more likely to use drugs than their non-D.A.R.E. peers.
Several theories suggest why the program may have inadvertently increased drug use:

• Increased Awareness and Curiosity: By introducing young children (often fifth graders) to the names, appearances, and street terms for a variety of drugs they might never have otherwise known about, the program sparked curiosity that some acted on as they got older.

YABU.

They are teaching something that is reflective of the world as it is. Many children walk by drug users everyday as they are more visible than they were, say, thirty years ago. Best to educate children about what they're seeing and it doesn't sound like they are doing anything radical. They are simply pointing out that some people use drugs and making children aware.

This reminds me of that one Black Mirror episode where the mum has a filter embedded into her daughter's brain so she can't see "bad" things, like a barking dog or someone smoking. That episode doesn't end well and I think it hit the nail on the head!

They used to show anti teen pregnancy videos when I was in school didn’t stop me getting pregnant at 15 and keeping the baby 🤷🏼‍♀️

In an ideal world children would have no idea of these things. We don’t live in an ideal world though and it’s better to have open conversations about these things from a young age and children to understand.

Sadly the chances are at least one child in that class has been exposed to drug use through parents or others in their lives and without someone like you to have the discussions about them with them.

I talk about drugs with my 8 year old sometimes. i showed him a news clip the other day of a late teen talking about how ketamine use had made them incontinent.

They have to learn about drugs before the age they are likely to be exposed. The lore where I live is that at year 6 they are usually allowed to be in the park alone, and leaving school alone with permission. As soon as this happens, sadly even sooner, drugs will be a risk.

Dealers get children under 10 involved in couriering drugs because they are too young to be stopped and searched, and are too young to face criminal charges if caught. The kids may not understand exactly what they are being asked to do (or what they are getting themselves into). We’ve also found drug paraphernalia in the local playground, regularly smell weed on the streets, etc. Some kids will have drugs laying around the house, people using in the house, etc.

8-9 seems like a great age to discuss it.

It's about keeping children safe, it is an incredibly important lesson.

You can talk to the teacher if you are concerned but are you sure he was talking about illegal drugs? I teach the year below your DC and we teach about drugs as medicine, which can also involve needles. The furthest we would delve into illegal drugs is telling them not to eat anything if they don't know what it is. There are usually at least a couple of children who will pipe up with a concerning level of knowledge about illegal drugs though, even at that age.

Do you know what was actually discussed? I believe the lessons usually start with what children know about drugs and that medicine is also drugs. People taking drugs via needle can be insulin.
It's important that children understand that too much medicine can also make them unwell so this is explicitly taught.

Yes it sounds very similar to one of the Jigsaw PSHE lessons.

It has now become a statutory part of the RSHE curriculum to teach children from primary to the end of secondary about drugs and alcohol - in a progressive, age appropriate way.

Drugs are everywhere and a huge issue. The sooner kids can grasp how dangerous they are the better. Hooefully it will prevent them from ever trying them and ruining their lives. The school would have explained the dangers in a very age appropriate way.

I was going to say the same thing. The children are taught that medicines are drugs and how they need to be used safely. Even coffee and cigarettes etc. Plenty of medicines have to be injected.