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.

It's much better if a child knows the correct terms for their genitalia, rather than a general "privates" type thing. "He touched me on my privates" can mean a lot of things. "He touched me on my vulva" is a lot clearer and very different.

At some point, your child will also do reproduction in biology, which is part of the national curriculum and you can't withdraw from it. I think it's much better to hear these things from a teacher than learn about them from friends (especially as what the friends tell her may not be correct/may be exaggerated).

Kids talk so even of you were able to withdraw her they would share their newfound vocabulary in the playground. Better she learns it in a controlled way alongside them.

It’s science not sexualisation. They’ll be learning names of body parts not what adults choose to do with them. It’s very unusual for parents to object to this OP so you are really overreacting.

My daughter is 4 and knows what a vagina and penis is. Why on earth would that be wrong?

My mum was weird about things like this and I hated it, she made me so embarrassed about normal body parts and bodily functions.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with a 7 year old knowing that a woman has a vagina and a man has a penis. As someone else said, why is willy or foof more acceptable?

Knowing the proper names was very important when a fellow pupil flashed my DD5.

I do understand why and I suppose she knows them as other terms so it would be no different, I've just always been taught that those are dirty words(don't come for me) it's how I was bought up! but I'm starting to realise it's actually normal! like I said I didn't come on here for hate! I just always thought kids shouldn't know them words but obviously I was wrong!

I don't think anyone is being unpleasant @cmarie1995 tbh. They are just a bit surprised at your views, that's all. Penis is not a dirty word. A child of seven should know the correct terms. That's all anyone is saying.

Have you told your DD about periods? Because if not, please do so in a child-friendly way). Some girls start their periods at age 8 or 9, so that might be her or her friends in the next couple of years, and she needs to know that it's normal and not shameful in any way.

If you are not sure how to approach it, there are lots of useful books.

I'm a Y2 teacher and we teach this in PSHE. We usually have a few giggles but then the children just accept it. It's no different to calling an arm an arm!

no one is being hateful Just pointing out that penis and vagina/vulva are normal words, they're not dirty FGS. How would you ask your GP about a cyst on your vulva you were worried about?

I taught my daughter the correct terminology for her body parts since she was about 2 and asked about them. Makes me cringe when parents teach their children names like ‘flower’ etc instead. If you take her out the lesson you’ll just be teaching her what you were taught - that it’s shameful/dirty etc which you know is wrong.
Also, any professional will tell you it’s better they know the proper names for safeguarding.

My 9 year old son is learning about periods and condoms in school at the moment. Actually pretty hilarious with the questions he comes out with at the moment but totally innocent. He's always known what periods were to some extent as I want my 2 boys to be respectful and knowledgeable if the time ever came. It was even funnier when we was walking along the street the other week and he saw a (unused) tampon on the floor and he knew what it was 🤣 I think it's a good starting point to teach them in an age appropriate way about these things and I like that he hasks questions. Very important for them to learn this.

Our school sent the PowerPoint and lesson materials for parents to check. Then had an assembly for parents to attend to ask any questions.

It's literally a bunch of words.
I don't understand why the word 'penis' 'vulva' etc are worse than knowing the words 'arm' leg' etc.

We are teaching this across key stage 1 this half term.
It's one lesson in one week during the half term.
They get an outline of a girl and boy body, and together they talk about what those body parts are called, from head and face to foot and toe, and the all the stuff in between.

And there is also a very serious meaning behind it all too.

Some children NEED the proper words to help them stay safe, but also so that children can accurately explain themselves to others, such as medics, when in pain or have hurt themselves.

If she knows what she has then surely she can use names to label those body parts. Why are the fake names you've chosen to use better than the real names?

Why is 'twinkle' 'fufu' 'tuppence' 'front bottom' 'flower' etc better than knowing 'vulva' and 'vagina', for example?