At What Age Should Sex Education Start?

[Sunstone]

At what age should you begin to educate your children about their sexuality?

I'm for starting young -- say, about Kindergarten. My first wife was taught about sex at that age by her father and mother, who were both medical doctors. It seems to have left her with no ill effects. Moreover, she was always comfortable discussing sex with her parents, and she did not feel she had to hide anything from them.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

As soon as they start asking questions.
If they are not interested don't push it.
But no fairy stories....

 

[Renji]

The government here in my country proposes that it should start by 11 years old. I don't know what's their reference for this, but I guess it's because it's the start of the teenage years where one usually begins on exploring things. Just my opinion though.

 

[Tarheeler]

As soon as they start asking questions.
If they are not interested don't push it.
But no fairy stories....

This is pretty much how we handle it. We've got four kids, and the oldest two started asking questions in the 11-12 year range. That's when we sat down and explained it. Our youngest two have asked a few questions about babies and such, and we give them honest answers. And all the kids are encouraged to talk to us.

 

[lunakilo]

At what age should you begin to educate your children about their sexuality?

Do you mean by the school or by the parents?

I'm for starting young -- say, about Kindergarten. My first wife was taught about sex at that age by her father and mother, who were both medical doctors. It seems to have left her with no ill effects. Moreover, she was always comfortable discussing sex with her parents, and she did not feel she had to hide anything from them.

I would say that the school should probably start no later than when the first children starte reaching puberty.

Parents should start when the children ask questions.
Possibly earlier if they find it appropriate.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I'd say that basic stuff ("boys have penises, girls have vaginas" and "good touches" vs. "Bad touches") should start very early - like maybe kindergarten. Beyond that, I think the kids should know the facts before they might need it in practice, so the question there is what the age is where we can be sure that a kid won't start fooling around. Personally, I'd lean toward an earlier age than a later one.

 

[Zoe Doidge]

It's tempting to say the parents should be responsible for it but then I've met parents. Some of them might be good enough but most would be completely unable to be unbiased given the topic.

So I'll go for 9 in schools at the latest, probably 8 to be safe. Just a matter of matching the information given with the age, and making it standard.

Also really need to get rid of the ability of parents to pull their kids from sex education lessons. Don't know what it's like in the rest of the world but here in the UK they can actually do that.

 

[Renji]

This is pretty much how we handle it. We've got four kids, and the oldest two started asking questions in the 11-12 year range. That's when we sat down and explained it. Our youngest two have asked a few questions about babies and such, and we give them honest answers. And all the kids are encouraged to talk to us.

As they say, the parents are the best teachers in terms of this thing.

In my personal experience, I started asking questions to my mom, like "What did you and dad do to have a baby?" when I was 5. Mom explained to me scientifically (union of egg cell and sperm cell). Of course I still don't understand that. She just said that I still wouldn't understand that because I'm still young and that I would understand it on the right time. True enough, when I encountered this lesson on our science class, that's the time I understood what it means. The concept of sex just followed later.

 

[swamplizard]

As soon as they start asking questions.
If they are not interested don't push it.
But no fairy stories....

Agreed.

best,
swampy

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

The first thing to be taught is that Sex Education is not "how to have sex". Lessons on human anatomy and biology can start very young.

 

[Reverend Rick]

Do you mean by the school or by the parents?


I would say that the school should probably start no later than when the first children starte reaching puberty.

Parents should start when the children ask questions.
Possibly earlier if they find it appropriate.

That is the perfect answer. You should talk to young children that they should let you know if anyone tries to touch them in certain places however.

 

[ChristineES]

Ideally, I would say about 13 or so and by the parents- but this world is not ideal. So, I say about 11 and just basic stuff. And let them know that girls can get pregnant the first time and every time so BE CAREFUL!

 

[Storm]

I'd say that basic stuff ("boys have penises, girls have vaginas" and "good touches" vs. "Bad touches") should start very early - like maybe kindergarten. Beyond that, I think the kids should know the facts before they might need it in practice, so the question there is what the age is where we can be sure that a kid won't start fooling around. Personally, I'd lean toward an earlier age than a later one.

This.

 

[Me Myself]

I plan to tell them from where do babies com from as soon as they ask me

 

[ChristineES]

I plan to tell them from where do babies com from as soon as they ask me

That's what I did, but I didn't get graphic.

 

[Penumbra]

At what age should you begin to educate your children about their sexuality?

I'm for starting young -- say, about Kindergarten. My first wife was taught about sex at that age by her father and mother, who were both medical doctors. It seems to have left her with no ill effects. Moreover, she was always comfortable discussing sex with her parents, and she did not feel she had to hide anything from them.

I think schools should teach sex education before puberty occurs.

At home, I think it should start when the child asks about it (avoiding the question or describing a fairy tale seems to be the wrong move to me), or earlier. I don't see a reason to keep it a secret. And I agree with what some members said about the basics of males/females and good/bad touches being taught early on.

 

[beenie]

I think schools should teach sex education before puberty occurs.

At home, I think it should start when the child asks about it (avoiding the question or describing a fairy tale seems to be the wrong move to me), or earlier. I don't see a reason to keep it a secret. And I agree with what some members said about the basics of males/females and good/bad touches being taught early on.

Agree with all of this.
It helped that my older daughters got to see me pregnant several times as well. I got to tell them straightforward information...makes it all easier.

 

[Kathryn]

When should sex education begin?

At birth.

From infancy on, children should be allowed and encouraged to accept and love and respect their own space and their own bodies. They should be taught to respect others' space and bodies. They should be allowed privacy, but not so they can HIDE things - if they are encouraged by positive responses to be very honest and open, they will be, sometimes TOO much so (but more is better than less).

Their curiosity should be encouraged, but balanced with respect for others, and the concept that certain things about themselves, others, and their bodies are precious and private.

I believe they should be taught that sexuality is best in the context of deep and committed love between two people.

I believe that this lays the groundwork for open dialogue about sexuality when their open and honest questions are asked. I believe we should give them direct answers, and in the younger ages - under 10 - unless there is some unusual circumstance, those answers should be short, to the point, and not overloaded with scientific detail.

I believe they should be encouraged to participate in sex ed classes at school. However, as a parent, I would like to see the curriculum first. If I didn't agree with the curriculum, I would still allow them to attend the class, but I would clarify where I disagreed with the class, and why.

I believe sex education in school should begin in about the fifth grade.

Just my personal opinions as the mother of five grown kids who seem to have a healthy perspective on sex and love and relationships.

 

[JacobEzra.]

I technically started learning about Sex around 6 or 7?

Officially, in school as a class, we had one quick briefing about changes due to puberty in 5 grade, so around 10? Then in 7 grade we learned much much more.

 

[Me Myself]

That's what I did, but I didn't get graphic.

How did you?