KAYANG KAYA BASTA SAMA SAMA
Sex education: When is too early too late?
On a visit to my sons’ pediatrician last summer, the doctor told me about eight of her patients all eleven years old and who at that very tender age were already parents. The doctor turned back to my sons and told them to engage in sports and keep themselves busy and turned to me again and without expecting any answer asked me: “What were those children doing?”
Fast forward to last week of August. One of my technicians came in complaining from lack of sleep because he had to attend to the needs of her 16 year old niece who gave birth at dawn. The girl’s “husband” (they live separately) is 23 years old and does not hold a regular job.
Then there’s this college student I know of who dropped out of school more than five years ago to give birth and raise a daughter and who came back this school year to finish her studies. And she admits she was not prepared at all to become a mother in her teens.
So the question that begs to be answered is: When is the best time to teach sex education? Should it be in basic education or in high school as is the current practice? And when do we as parents introduce the concept to our kids?
I must admit even I don’t know the answer to the last question. But I have given up on referring to their genitals as “birds” when they began to refer to them in the lingo, which they picked up in school.
In fact, I don’t even know the answers to all the questions I posed. On the other hand, this is what I know:
Teachers and curriculum planners should not stop at merely discussing the physiology of sex but should include the social, economic, moral, and psychological impact of sex and do it creatively;
Sex education is a very important subject matter that should not be left to TV shows (like those teen shows that have the “kilig” factor) and to peer group members who do not know any better; and
Sex education begins when the kids start to ask questions like “How come they kiss and have babies when they’re not even married?” (My son asked me this question).
As for me, sex education classes during the intermediate grades, in high school biology class, and religion classes were not enough. I had to read books on the subject and had to watch adult films (Don't tell me you didn't even take a peek?). But it took my mom to threaten me that she'll stop sending me to school and exile me to the province and plant camote if I didn't stop dating. I'm glad I took her threat seriously because the guy I was dating got married before he could graduate from college and it could have been me he ended up with. Parents are in the best position to determine when to introduce sex education to their children. Talk to your kids often and listen for clues. Let's start early before it gets too late.
Do not hesitate to get in touch with me at openingpagemb@yahoo.com or drop by my website and leave a comment or message at http://techiepeachy.blogspot.com.
hi...
First of all, I'd like to thank you for facing up to the challenge. I have
always wanted this forum to be a place where we could have a lively
discussion, even a healthy, intelligent debate, mind you, for this to blog
to be more fruitful.
Oh, I forgot to sign in. That was me. Tito Rolly
Tito Rolly,
Teacher Sol,
What a thought-provoking BB entry.
best time to teach your child sex education: when you've prepared
yourself, and when your child is ready for it -- hence 2 requirements: 1)
prepare yourself so there are no surprises, and 2) know your child well
(both easier said than done). sex education is the parents'
responsibility. PERIOD. the only time i would prefer sex educ in school
is if the parents won't take the time or the energy to get involved and
talk to their kids, which sadly is prob. the majority of public school kids
in the US. we parents should not shy away from talking with our kids about
sex, it is our God-given DUTY and PRIVILEGE. the thing is, "sex educ" does
not mean giving your child every little detail -- age and prior knowledge
are factors as well. for a toddler who asks where did i come from, you
could still say God sent you from heaven or from mommy's tummy. the same
answer is obviously not suitable for a 14-year-old, though both are still
true, and if he heard those as a child all you need to do is expand on
those in language he will now better appreciate.
LOL, i guess i don't know how to trackback: the rest of my reply here:
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