I'm so pleased to see that nobody has started a hysterical 'they're teaching my 5yr old about sex' thread

[myredcardigan]

That's it really.
I saw the news and groaned thinking MN would have 200 posts from parents whipped into a frenzy by inaccurate media representation.

Glad to see that most parents on here understand that it's the 'relationship' part of sex & relationship education that we teach to young children.
1)Interaction with peers
2)Family dynamics and relationships with parents and siblings.
3)People who help us.

As they move through primary school they look at
1)Body part and their functions
2)Keeping healthy
3)Keeping clean

Then when its more age appropriate

1)Menstuation
2)Sex and masturbation (last term of Y6)

This is all very age appropriate and sex is taught as being within the context of a loving,secure adult relationship. The concept of casual sex is covered later at secondary school.
Importantly, they learn that with these 'rights' come responsibilities.

Also, respect (for themselves and each other) is at the very core of the entire programme.

Why is it so shocking to learn that that the comfy bed that babies lie on is led go by your body if a baby doesn't happen? Serious question.

My dd is 5 in nov and knows about periods as she follows me everywhere...

When I was pregnant she asked why 'my pinky was not bleeding' and I said it was helping make her little brother.

Shes going to have periods for about 35 years so I figure best to get used to idea now so less shocking when they arrive

I cant say that I will be as open about them with my son whos currently 10 mth.My dd still bathes with me (we have a massive bath) but I cant see my son bathing with me when hes 5

its all about whats appropriate and age appropriate

Why not CP ds is 4 andstill showers with me ? He knows everything purely because he has asked and i dont belive in lying.He will be giving sex education. He told a heavily pregnant freind as we left her house "don't worry the baby won't come if you do a poo it's a different kind of pushing [hmmm]

I think its a really good idea.

My mum told me about sex in terms I could understand aged 5,when I asked how babies got in mums tummy.She was always open about menstruation etc.

DS, 4 follows me into the bathroom and there is no room for lying,so the why are you bleeding,Mummy? Question came quite early.

Perhaps the funniest story I have is when one of my brothers friends was round,we all used to play together most days anyhow he was about 5 and asked Mum the babies thing so mum rang his mum to ask if it was OK she talked to him (His mum was a SP and had a very responsible job with long hours so mum often looked after him if she was working)So anyhow mum went through the sex thing explaining that the daddy put his "seeds"(She felt this was the easiest way for a 5 year old to understand the concept of sperm) into the mummy and the mummy had a tiny egg inside her and one seed went into the egg and a baby began to be made and grew in the mummys tummy until it grew big enough to be ready to come out".Anyway,she was pretty chuffed with the explanation,until our friend,obviously contemplating this deeply,looked at her and said "But Aunty xxxxx,why don't the seeds blow away?"

Both DS (nearly 5) and DD (3) know about periods. They have a basic idea about how babies are made - I answer questions as they are asked.

lol wrinkly

Yesterday in Asda DS1 (aged 3) run around us shouting, Daddy, put a seed in Mummy's tummy I want more babies!

I was taught facts of life v young, always with the - and it's much bettter when you love someone added on. ANd I think out of my friends, though I lost my virginity at 15 it was with a boy I loved (and was with for years), on my suggestion! - with literally months of planning,

The younger the better in my book.

I read Babette Cole's 'Mummy Laid An Egg' with my DD (2) which she loves - I found it a real help to choose age-appropriate terms for explaining things in a clear and simple way.

As for menstruation - when we're in the bathroom and she sees the Mooncup come out she asks me 'Mummy, have you got your pyramid?' !!!
I don't want to correct her just yet, as she asks it quite loudly when we're in public toilets too!

I think thte idea of Y1 children not understanding menustration (or the concept of it) is a bit difficult to argue. My children knew about it at this age but it was taught from the point of view of something that they knew was happening to me so had a context. I cannot imagine being able to explain to a class of 5/6yo (some of whom will have no idea at all) that mummies bleed but it is ok because .... without any real context. I would have thought that it may well lead to a group of slightly hysterical children!

When I caught the news it was almost portrayed that a bunch of 5 yr olds discussing boobies etc was sex education.. urr that's biology not sex ed, the main differences between men and women.

I am quite happy to have school or myself work alongside each other when it comes to sex education, I don't think my 5 yr old needs to worry about contraception issues yet as an example! I can't bear the thought of my children who are confused or ill informed on the basic facts of life, so am all for age appropriate teaching and yes I do think relationships are part of it.

I used the Mummy Laid an Egg for my 4yr old when I was pregnant.

Other European countries have their legal age of sex lower than ours and manage to have lower std/pregnancy rates, so to me this just says a lot about mentality too (infact just living overseas in the past in Sweden it was very noticeable the attitudes when it came to children and things like sex/nudity etc.)