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9/10 year olds and sex education

2 replies

Winecurestiredness · 22/07/2021 23:16

Hi. My firstborn is 9 and in year 4 at school. He was extremely preterm-born child so is on the autism spectrum and has always been a bit behind developmentally. As I have no older children (my other son is just 5, in year R) I'm very confused about explaining certain things to him. This year the school decided to introduce some sex education topics to the year 4s. My son hadn't really said anything about it, other than its his favourite lesson! But i have talked to other mums and it seems that my sons classmates are starting to do things like watching love island with their mums, commenting on people's bodies, and some of the girls already know that a woman has to have sex to make a baby. I was shocked if I'm honest. It worries me that my son perhaps would be better off in a SEN school because although he is a clever boy, emotionally he is very young. His teachers keep telling me to prepare for year 5 when we will need to get him ready for senior school. They want him to go to mainstream as he is academically doing very well, but its just my gut feeling that all this is too rushed for him?!

OP posts:
BunnyRuddington · 23/07/2021 06:52

There are lots of reasons to consider a Special School over a Mainstream School with good SEN support but I'm not sure that having sex education at school is the right reason Smile

Perhaps you might be better posting in the SN Section, you might get a few more replies.

LemonRoses · 23/07/2021 07:37

They have sex education, obsess about boyfriends and girlfriends and get acne in special schools too.

The problem is not the education. No children should really get to nine and not have been having conversations as part of everyday life about their bodies, adulthood, safety, consent and sex.

The problem is that you (perfectly reasonably) are a bit over protective because he has special needs. You need to let him grow up alongside his peers, learning the things they learn. In fact, because he is autistic he may well need more input around bodily changes and appropriate behaviours.

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