How old do you think a child should before they start learning about sexual body parts?

Question

A recent news of the wierd article was about a five year old boy who they let become a girl because she/he started saying she wanted a V***** instead of a P**** at an "early age".

Answer 1

As soon as they're interested, and start asking questions. And for goodness sake, if they ask "where do babies come from?" tell them the truth, and none of that "stork" business.

However, I do think that five years old is WAY too early to be making decisions about gender. At that age, it's just little kid curiosity.

Answer 2

They should learn as soon as they are old enough to start asking questions. They should be taught the proper words for body parts from the beginning. Teaching them wee-wee or pee-pee only adds to the shame associated with our natural body functions and natural sexuality and will harm them later in life. We should help children to develop healthy respect for and attitudes toward sexuality to become well-developed adults.

I used to go to school with a girl (25 years ago now) who had three older brothers and she wanted to be a boy like them. She told everyone that she was going to grow a penis and be a boy. She got over it when she got a little older. No harm done. And no, she isn't a lesbian to my knowledge, not that there's anything wrong with that.

Answer 3

I think kids should know the real names of everything (sun, moon, buttocks, eyes, plate, fork) right from the start. Anything else gives them mixed messages, at best.

Are you implying the kid who asked for different body parts should not have been given the vocabulary to do so? If so, I don't agree. I don't agree with such a young sex change (the poor kid must have had really strange parents), but I think people of all ages should be able to express themselves as clearly as possible.

Answer 4

Ok, the parents that would give a child a sex change should be commited.

As for sexual parts, my toddler (24 months) knows where his butt is, and we call his penis a cutsie name called "shoodek"- (it is a Polish slang word, has no meaning). When he asks what a penis is, we will tell him.

I think people are way too uptight about body parts. That is what they are, after all, God made us with ALL of them. Nothing wrong with children knowing what they are called.

Answer 5

They should know the proper names of their sexual body parts at a young age but they don't have to be told the purpose of them until they are over the age of ten.

Answer 6

I teach my kids about the body around 3 years old. It's hard not to get dress and your kids walk in wanting to know this or that. My wife and I just told them in a way a 3 year old would understand. But you should feel where you kids are at. You defiantly want them to know incase some one is poking around your kids privets. They should know that it’s not alright to have some one touch them where there underwear is.

Answer 7

Are you serious? That's crazy. My sister wanted to be a boy when she was little, only because she had 2 brothers and wanted to fit in. Now she's a TOTAL girly girl. 5 is WAY to young to make up decisions like that. Totally wrong!

Answer 8

as soon as possible and explain about sexual abuse to prevent anything from happening and if it does so the child can understand that it's wrong, and that's a sick sad story that's the parents decision and fault a 5yr old sholdn't make life decisions like that.

Answer 9

I would say 11 to 13 would be the best time to start teaching them since its also the time girls start going through their monthly issues.

Answer 10

They should learn the name for their own parts as soon as they're interested -- just like toes, ears, teeth, elbows, etc. There will be time for them to develop all sorts of hangups later without building any in when they're little...