sex education, at what age should you teach your children?

Question

do you think your children should be taught at a certain age,
leave it to the schools, or as early as possible
i know someone who taught there children when they were 6
i think this is too young, but i am sure others will disagree.

Answer 1

It depends on how mature you think your kid is... but if you are talking about teaching them in school, I would say at least by 10 years old they should know what sex is (however, I think I would like to see it done a little earlier... you never know if a child is being sexually abused,but just doesn't know how to put words to the sexual actions to tell someone), what periods and sperm are, and at least be briefly introduced to the different forms of birth control.

Answer 2

Personally I think it depends on the child ,I think starting when they are young is good. Im not talking tell them everything. But children ask questions and are very inquisitive. My eldest asked at 2.5 years how I got a baby in my tummy. I explained that it took a mummy and a daddy lots of love and a little bit of magic! Ok so this is not the whole truth and I did use the word magic instead of sex, but it satisfied the curiosity. More questions have been asked as they have got older and more detailed answers have been given, again just enough to answer the question as they are only six. There are some fantastic books out there to explain to young children if they really want to know.

edit: I agree withe what Spawnee said about sex education

Answer 3

Holland has the second lowest teenage pregnancy rate in Europe, and it also has one of the lower rates of sexually transmitted disease rates in Western Europe. Why? Because they have a very good sex education programme that is quite explicit from primary school age upwards (5+).
Strange then that in the USA and in the UK we have one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates and also increasing numbers of young people with Chlamydia, Gential Warts, and also an significant increase in the number of heterosexuals who are HIV+.
I worked in a sexual health clinic for young people, and they would often tell me that they had little or no sex education until it was "too late". The trouble with the UK is that parents can opt their children out of sex education in schools, and those that do get taught sex education are often taught by teachers ill equiped to pass on the correct information.

Answer 4

sex education in England should be taught at an early age as the sexual age is coming down and fast years ago sex was something you had when married now it is part of culture to have sex on a casual basis after a night out so they need to be taught fast and explained the consequences of falling pregnant and what hey could loose and it should not be left to schools to do it they don't know do they

Answer 5

Ages may vary according to the level of maturity a particular child may have at some point in his life before college, but...

It's generally a good idea to start talking about it with them from the age 5 through age 8 (if they don't know the birds and bees by the time they're in 4th grade...they'll seem like uneducated, poor trailer trash, and the other kids will tease them...I know I did...tease them, that is...(notice I didn' say "bully...")
When my loving mom was putting me to bed at night, I, being a extremely intelligent and naughty child, began asking profound questions on the nature of where babies come from when I was about 5 years old...she told me the truth without going into the emotional or precise mechanical details, but I understood enough to know (to this very day) that it sounded gross, and that I would never go past simply kissing a girl...(ah! (sigh) the best laid plans....)
One day when I'm ready to have kids of my own...
I'll get on my cell phone, and call 1-800-666-BABY...
And I'll be gently vague and forthright about the truth of where baby's come with my own children when they're ready...

Answer 6

Many school systems don't really address it until they are teens, however the average age at which kids are having sex is 11-13. Clearly leaving it up to the schools doesn't really work. I think it depends on the kids, the parents, and the environment. It really is an individual issue. There is no "magic" age.

Answer 7

The right way is to start answering when the child starts asking questions.Graded formal education in schools may start at the age 9 or 10.It depends on individual child.No hard and fast rules can be laid down.

Answer 8

This is a personal thing, and i dont mean the subject.

I use the same method my parents used with me.
1st and foremost ... dont lie tell the truth, do not under any circumstanses give them old wives tales and myths.

the way i do it is simple

if they are old enough to ask they are old enough to know.

i have an 8 yr old girl and 4yr old boy and as they ask these questions i answer them, honestly, and factually.
i dont make an issue out of it and i dont make it sound sordid or secretive in any way.

the way you or others bring up your children is up to you and noone else, thats the roll you took on when you became a parent. many people and so called 'experts' (some who have never had kids) will tell you how to raise your kids.

all i can do is tell you how i raise mine and how it works for us.
My parents raised me with the attitude 'old enough to ask, old enough to know' and i dont remember having been taught the facts of life, basically it feels like i always knew, i like that non shocking method.
others will dissagree, let 'em its none of their business, your priority is your children you bring them up how YOU see fit.

I hope you feel at ease in whichever method you choose to teach your kids, remember you are preparing them for what they will face in the big wide world, prepare them well and they will thank you for it.

Good luck

Answer 9

I'm not sure to be honest. My mum told me about periods when I was 9 - I think that's about the youngest a girl can have her period and my mum didn't want that to happen to me and be scared. Learned about sex. ed in school aged 11. I think that was fine. Being told at 9 it kind of all went over my head a bit.

Answer 10

Well i guess it depends on the person...... when one think its appropriate.

in my opinion one should wait for them to ask but if they dont by the age of 12 or 13 then we are the ones who have to talk to them about sex so they can be protected and know about it instead of learning of it from friends or other people who might just want to hurt them or take advantage of them.