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Original poster

Parents anger after class of 7yo shown graphic sex cartoon

45 replies

MmeLindt · 05/03/2010 08:37

Here

According to the article, the film has been used for years and has been sold to primary schools across the country.

I found this clip and have to say that I would not be happy about my 7yo DD being shown that.

There was a prescreening for parents but the mother who complained did not attend as she trusted the school's judgement.

OP posts:

SkaterGrrrrl · 05/03/2010 11:49

Eeek - the was meant to go after "mini pole dancing kits".

Oh for an "Edit" button!

mumonthenet · 05/03/2010 11:49

There is a difference choosy, of course.

However, the Mumsnet campaign is not arguing that there is anything wrong with padded bras, or make-up, or sparkly teeshirts with slogans, simply that the age group they are being directed at is inappropriate..ie: younger and younger therefore sexualising children too early.

Equally, there is nothing wrong with SE (in fact I think it should be taught in schools), but my view is similar in this case. The target age group is inappropriate.

seeker · 05/03/2010 11:54

There is a huge distinction between innocence and ignorance.

Greensleeves · 05/03/2010 12:01

agree seeker

it's not the factual knowledge of how our bodies work that destroys innocence - my AS ds1 knows more than I and dh put together and he is one of the most innocent human beings I know

what robs children of their innocence is shame, anxiety and embarrassment around sex/bodily functions

taboos are unhealthy, as a rule

mumonthenet · 05/03/2010 12:04

Have now seen the clip - tis difficult to judge since it's such a short one, but am still mystified by the idea that this information is relevant to a 7 year old's life. I think this information is more appropriate when they are close to puberty...9 to 11 years.

There are many facets of human life and death which need to be taught to our children, but they don't all need to be thrown at the kids the minute they reach the age of reason.

gorionine · 05/03/2010 12:04

I think it is wrong to show such a video to an entire class of 7yo.

Not only do I think it is too graphic for what a child this age need to know, I think in a class context, some will probably have thought "I know all that already", some will not have understood properly and some will pobably have been quite worried about it.

I think that dfferent children need to know things at a different age and IMHO there is no way that the entire class was ready.

seeker · 05/03/2010 12:07

The facts about sex should be part of a child's mental furniture from the first time they ask questions.

Buda · 05/03/2010 12:10

Why seeker?

gorionine · 05/03/2010 12:14

Yes seeker, children should be answered when they ask question but not all DC want to know that by the age of 7. How many do you think out of that class had actually asked? How did the teacher decide it was appropriate for all the class at the very same time?

mumonthenet · 05/03/2010 12:15

And do all 7 year olds ask for the facts seeker?

Original poster

MmeLindt · 05/03/2010 12:19

I think after reading this and the other thread that the thing that bothers me most is that it is inappropriate for the age of 7yo.

I think that my 7yo DD would be horrified at that. Or bemused. Not the aim of the film.

Is the point of making a film to save the teacher having to do the embarrassing talk?

OP posts:

seeker · 05/03/2010 16:30

I would be amazed if there are many 7 year olds who have not asked at least a couple of questions about how babies come from. And they have all seen some element of sexual content on films and things - even if it's just a kiss.

And it should be so normal to them that there is no "big reveal" in teenage years - keeping them ignorant is how things become forbidden and salacious and "behind the bike-shed"

Buda · 05/03/2010 16:46

I am not sure I agree with that line of thinking seeker. In the last 10 or 15 years sex education has been more open and thought younger. All it seems to have led to is higher incidences of young girls getting pregnant and children of 12 and younger having sex. It is a nice theory that the more open we are about it the better and I would agree that we certainly don't want to go back to teh days where people go married having NO idea about sex but I really feel that children under 10 or 11 do not have the emotional maturity to process THAT level (going back to the film clip in question) of information.

I have an 8 year old son. He has of course asked where babies come from. He knows they come from mummy's tummy. He has not asked how they get there. He HAS asked how they get out and I have told him. He has not asked anything else. And to him the whole idea of kissing etc is 'gross' so I actually feel that him watching a film like the one we are talking about would put him off completely and confuse him.

If and when he asks for more detail I will of course give it to him. But I don't think he needs that information yet.

Angeliz · 05/03/2010 16:55

I looked up the film and watched at all.
I have to say i would definately NOT let my seven year old watch it. I have children aged, 3, 5, and 9 and i wouldn't even want my nine year old watching that but expecially not at seven.
If you haven't watched it, it does actually show the man pumping into the woman and then the woman on top, teaching different positions too. The whole feel of the film is icky to me too. It's two kids talking to adults. One couple are explaining to the kids why they like to have sex together.
I feel 7 is way too young, my kids ask questions and i answer them honestly but i feel this level of reality is NOT for children so young.
They say so many times in the film how nice it is, and fun, and makes you feel nice, surely the kids will think that it may be fun to try? (i'm not saying at 7 but you get my drift)
It's MY decision when to tell my young child about sex and they will certainly NOT be 7!

(Mind you i think the Mum should have not allowed her daughter to see it if she hadn't monitored it herself, but i suspect she didn't think for a moment it would be so graphic)

Also, my children have not been exposed to sex at all on t.v, hugging and kissing is a world away from telling them, 'a mans penis gets hard and the womans vagina gets wet and it's very exciting!'

gorionine · 05/03/2010 16:55

I do not think it is about keeping people ignorant but rather about how age appropriate the way to convey the information is.

Disenchanted3 · 05/03/2010 18:35

At 7 they may want to know the basic workings of how a baby is made

but theres no need to see a cartoon of a naked woman writing on top of a man!

What is the need in that? Why at 7 would they need to see that?

Angeliz · 05/03/2010 18:38

mmm, i also wouldn't be chatting to two kids at a party with dp about my sex life

Original poster

MmeLindt · 05/03/2010 19:48

Weird.

I stated earlier than my DD has never asked about where babies come from.

Today she said that they were talking about kangaroos and her teacher said that when little girls grow up they can grow babies in their tummies, but inside not outside like kangaroos.

She did not ask any more than that, but I can see that I am going to have to sit her down soon and have The Talk.

DS ask about when he came out of my body, if I could remember that. Um. Yes. Just a bit.

OP posts:

TheLadyEvenstar · 05/03/2010 22:54

IMO BUDA hit the point exactly with this comment

Buda Fri 05-Mar-10 16:46:22

so I actually feel that him watching a film like the one we are talking about would put him off completely and confuse him.

Buda · 05/03/2010 23:04

But the intention of the film is not to put children off sex. And I don't want him turned off the idea in the future by inappropriate cartoons at an inappropriate age. I thought the whole idea was to educate children and make sex familiar to them. I do agree that sex ed is vital but not such a graphic and age inappropriate film.

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