But shouldn't we, as a nation, be less precious about sex education?

[tattifer]

Ok, as a nation is a horribly broad spectrum generalisation.

What I really want to know is surely if words like condom were used on a day to basis in front of our very young children they wouldn't be too nervous about talking about them, or asking us about them when they're old enough to use them?

I know, "old enough" is a dangerous one as well - and another issue. Isn't it time we stopped pretending that we as a nation have a stupidly high teenage pregnancy rate and change our obviously unsuccessful piano-leg hiding attitude to sex education?

And no, this isn't meant to turn into a teenage mum bashing session - I'd rather bash the system that didn't inform them sufficiently to make the right choices in the first place...

Phew, catch breath, hope first thread on MN goes well...

Sorry AGal, I wasn't meaning to have a dig! dh would overrule me in any case, even if I did feel the bus stop was the place. He has very laissez fair attitudes - he told me so long as they are over 15 he wouldn't bat an eyelid!

I just slightly wonder at what point it is appropriate to lower the firm boundaries of childhood I suppose. We'll have to wait and see I guess.

Oh god didn't think you were having a go In my head when my dc were young,i was a very strict parent who wouldn't have allowed it but as your dc grow up the lines have to bend and if you want your dc to speak to you,then we have to compromise.

Which for me was difficult. It's usually my way or the highway lol

With hindsight I am v aware that I took some appalling choices as a (older) teenager and in my early 20s. I was lucky both in terms of personal and sexual safety (no unwanted pregnancy, only emminently treatable STI ). And I did have all the information and had been brought up without awkwardness about our bodies.
IMO, and I only have young children, shudder to think what their teenaged years will potentially bring, we can all only give them the tools to then do with what they can. Young people are hardwired to think they are invincible and immortal and making it through to your mid 20s when sense sets in is a risky business.
However, I do not believe that that road is made safer by NOT telling them what is what and how they CAN keep themselves safe or at least safer. As somebody else posted, young people WANT to have sex, and some of them will at a very young age. Other than locking them up, I do not see how that can be prevented. But it will certainly not be better to keep them ignorant.
Oh, and I had repeated chats from my mother, about how boys only want the one thing when I was about 16, and was SOOOOO embarrassed because at that point I had not even been kissed "properly", so knew there was no danger of pregnancy etc, but that she assumed I might be doing it, cringe...

Yes, I took all my risks at university, when my parents were completely out of the picture. I guess a part of me thinks that's the right time to do it! Partly to be honest because my friends who did have sexual encounters before then were in general very disappointed, and the relationships didn't last much beyond the sex (this was of course still true for some of them later as well, but at least you are more robust in your 20s than your teens). I guess that's why I will be trying the approach of sex is great with the right person and it takes a while to make that judgement, so don't be in too much of a hurry. My mother did the whole men are obsessed line, and it just made me feel very very sorry for my father.