year 2 pshe

[chelseamarie1995]

My daughters school sent a email out last week stating what they would be learning in pshe this term, they will be naming specific body parts of men and women, the headteacher has told me its mandatory and she has to learn it, have I got any rights to withdraw her from that lesson? she's 7 she doesn't need to know that.

Why?

Why doesn’t she need to know that?

Why don't you want your child to know this?

Why don't you want your dd to learn the correct words?

because she's 7?! that's not words I would like my children to know?! she obviously knows what she has and that it's private and the basics why does she need to know anything else? maybe I'm being over the top but that seems very young to learn about this?

It's just words. It's a safeguarding thing to learn the correct terminology for body parts.

Why does not need to know the names of body parts? It’s important part of being able to care of her body. The number of women on MN who don’t know the difference between vagina and vulva is scary.

Your only option is to be off when the lessons happen.

Dont be ridiculous

Why would you not want her to know names of body parts? Do you have this attitude to other body parts? What exactly is it you are worried about if she knows the scientific names for parts of the human body?

It’s vital it is taught for safeguarding.

It is really beneficial for children to know the correct names for body parts from a young age. They’re just words, the same as arm or leg, it shouldn’t be an issue.

Yes you are being OTT. They are body parts like any other ones.

It's important for children to know the right words so that they can communicate effectively if they need to - either for health or safeguarding reasons.

If you'd call your elbow and elbow, why wouldn't you call your vulva a vulva? It's not rude, it's factual

She’s 7 it’s a totally appropriate age. Please don’t deny your daughter knowledge.

You are being utterly ridiculous

What’s going to happen when the rest of the class know, and she doesn’t? There will obviously be playground chatter that she won’t be able to be part of. Surely that will be worse? Surely she will likely get things wrong by learning that way.

I thought you were going to write about her being taught gender ideology or something. Seven is plenty old enough to learn about male and female anatomy, I don't understand how this has never come up before at home as in she must be aware that males and females have different body parts?

I don't think you can withdraw her anyway, but wouldn't you rather she learnt in a controlled classroom environment rather than being told misinformation by her classmates after the lesson?

It's the norm to teach children proper scientific names for body parts so that they are more able to verbalise it and understand what has happened to them if God forbid they were ever a victim of SA. It's basic safeguarding. No child is ever "too young" for safeguarding.

My DS is the same age as your daughter and knows what a penis, testicles, vulva and vagina are. What is wrong with him knowing this?!

They used to teach that in year 1 so year 2 seems old to me! Yabu, what's wrong with her knowing the words for body parts? I've taught my 5 year old, i think when he was 4.

We have always used basic biological terms for genitals with our kids. My eldest is about to turn 6 and so far knows vulva for herself, as well as penis, and testicles, because she has a younger brother who is still in nappies. I think your objection is odd and unusual.

There have been cases of children reporting sexual abuse but not knowing the words they needed, and so what they were saying was not understood. Whilst I'm obviously not saying that your daughter would need to know for this reason, it's important that it is taught in school so that those who do have the words.

I can't remember my password so can't get back on that account but I didn't come on here for hate! I've been bought up in a very strict background, we were pulled out of any lesson regarding these subjects, whilst I want my daughter to have knowledge about these things I just thought 7 was very young that's all! obviously I know they will learn it at some stage it just came as a shock to me that at the small age of 7 years old she will be being taught this!

@cmarie1995 they are naming body parts not doing live sex scenes! It's OK to know the names as they are normal parts of the human body.

Why is 'penis' as a label worse than 'willy'? I assume she knows boys have willies....?

Given the lack of consistent euphemisms for vulva/vagina it's even more important that girls know then correct terms. Imagine the difference between a child telling their teacher 'Daddy gave my flower a kiss' and 'Daddy gave my vagina a kiss.'

Never too early. We've been using correct terms from the start with our children. Also whether your child is there or not - her whole class will be having this lesson so she will know these terms in a few weeks. She can hear them from other children her age or from a teacher.

Legally you can't withdraw from.these sort of lessons. Higher up the school you can withdraw from a few bits, but not the biology side of it. So what your child would be missing out on would be the bits about consent etc, which in my mind would be madness not to allow.