Sex Education for teens......, is it advisable?

Question

The truth about this is that most parents shy away from the real thing. Some argue that exposing the under age children into sex in a way of education will increase their chances of be wayworld or sex scandals in the future while others believe that exposing the children to sex in a way of education is the only sure way to control the curtail future immorality becos according to them, the children will be well informed in the implication (Good and Bad reward) associate with sex in any level.

What is your opinion and views on this aspect as a parent or potential (future) parent. Ensure you are sincere in your contributions.

Answer 1

I think it is a great idea to be taught sex education in schools. However I do wonder what they are teaching them. I sometimes work on a nearby school farm and have got to know a few kids from the local college (16-19 years old).
One girl asked me whether you could get pregnant from giving oral sex. She was generally concerned about this. It does make you wonder how a 17 year old bright student doesn't know these things.
My partner & I plan on talking to our children about sex education, drugs and all the other factors our children face growing up. It isn't easy, but I think with enough information out there it should help.

Answer 2

Maddie! I haven't seen you around in ages, hope you're well :) I think it's taught too scientifically and not realistically enough - it seems they forget that they are talking to *teenagers* I think they need to break it down to the simple things and try and relate more to the emotional side of it. But I also think, if teens want to have sex, no matter what sex ed, parents, teachers, friends etc say, they are going to find a way of doing it. Sex ed doesn't have an impact on people's decisions most of the time. I have to add, that it does seem to be taught differently in every school and in some schools it's not even compulsory - I think it needs to become compulsory. My school had a good way of teaching it, they didn't use stupid videos from the 80's, they didn't use diagrams explaining "what's what" and they didn't preach abstinence - though I went to a catholic school. My school always made it more fun, they had the cool teachers who every loved, taking the classes, and the teachers allowed for talking, laughing, discussion in the class, which made everyone more open to talk about how they felt on the subject or what the issues were and things like that...and the teacher would go from there. Though most people took the sex ed class as an opportunity to catch up on lunch times gossip and it hasn't had much of an effect on the now 17/18 year olds, I have to say, I only know 2 teenaged mothers, neither of whom went to my school. There has not been a pregnant teen at my school in the last 7+ years. :)

Answer 3

I went to Grammar School in 1949! 10 -11 year olds.
In the first year we were introduced to the basic ideas of reproduction - birds, bees, mammals and then to us.
I remember the Science teacher asking the class if we could tell her the difference between a car and a living animal - having worked our way through things like exchange of gases (similar) we eventually reached the conclusion that you didn't come down to the garage one morning and find a baby car!
For those who didn't know already, we were told the very basic facts and how it happens.
In the 4th form, the whole thing from a biological point of view and, if you still took Biology in the V!th form, the psychology of sex, visits by the Family Planning people and info about STDs (for all VIth formers) and visits to places like a maternity hospital.
I think we were nearly all still virgins when we left school and most of us into earlier marriages than is common now; "shacking up" was definitely not on the Agenda.
As the saying went, I think my father would have "knocked me into next week" had the suggestion been mooted!
Still married to the same guy after over 48 years - no thoughts of sleeping around.
I think that early education saved us from dipping our toes too early into the water!

Answer 4

I believe it is extremely important for parents to take sex education teaching as their responsibility and not just leave it down to schools. I am very open and honest with my children 13 and 9. When talking to my 13 yr old daughter i put a lot more emphasis on all the horrible possibly life thretening diseases it is possible to get through unprotected sex. I think it is far too easy and made known for young girls to get the morning after pill or even an abortion and i personally feel this can give the message that it is ok to have unprotected sex because you can terminate a pregnancy but you cant get rid of HIV like that can you. I know some people wil disagree with me but if teens were protecting themselves against diseases then they would too from pregnancy.

Answer 5

I am a parent to three children aged 16,12, and 14. I have always answered their questions honestly. You have to be responsible about this . What you would tell a 12 year old is different to what you would tell a 6 year old. What I do know is that a 16 year old boy is less likely to ask you a question about sex than a younger boy, it is all too embarrassing at that age. As a parent we are in the best position to educate our children and can use many every day opportunities to do so. In Holland they educate children from a very early age about sex and have youth clubs that teach the kids how to use condoms. They have far fewer teenage pregnancies than the UK, so does that not tell us something ?

Answer 6

A proper sex education system is the only way forward, with free access to contraception at every sex ed class at least.

Kids are gonna be having sex with or without education and protection these days. The least we can do is make sure those who are gonna do it have as much information and support as they can get.

The few extra kids who decide that sex is going to be a good idea after getting the information (mostly the reason for people saying it's a bad idea) would be well offset by the reduction of unplanned pregnancies and sexual infections.

Answer 7

I dont think you should give any sort of sex education to children under the age of 13/14yrs old. I also dont think you should even treat them as adults until that age. These days kids, and now I am talking about girls, are treated too old. They wear underwear that is risky, good old P.E.knickers should be the norm not these flimsy bra pretending things that make the child look like a small adult. These days children are not children any more. I have a nephew who has two daughters and he will not let them play with make-up or treat them i any way other than children. His eldest is 12 and his other daughter is 6 and they are proper children wearing proper clothes.I am proud of him for it and should I have my time again I would do the same.

Answer 8

No It should be done in primary school.
I come from the uk, the highest under age pregnancy in europe (maybe the western world).
What are doing and have done is not working!
Our sex education is dire. Its all medical facts and figures, diagrams and a word of warning not to "do it".
The Dutch way does work. Let us learn from them.
They talk about different types of relationships and love in primary schools, even gay love. By the age of 11 they are aware of virtually everything there is to know.
They know Its not something to be giggled at, its a fact of life.
Experiments have been conducted with kids from the uk and it has proven to work.
Please can we get rid of our staid British attitudes as parents and address the serious issues.
I work in the field and , like many of my colleagues,and are pushing for the type of education in the UK.

I have 3 children, all of which are fully aware of the reproductive organs, different relationships, how babies are made, what condoms are for etc. I also have gay friends who mix with my kids, this just allows my kids to be more educated.

I`m not some freak of marching parade mum in jesus sandals and kaftan living on mung beans.

I`m a normal down to earth mum who has the same every day concerns as we all do.

We need change very soon for the epidemic on our hands.

Answer 9

I honestly think that sex education should start in year 6 (basic).
When teens are taught it is done in such away now that they are told what is appropriate behaviour and what is not, they are taught to respect the opposite sex, also all about STI's.
They are also made aware of the dangers of being forced to having sex and being touch inappropriately and how to deal with it if it were to happen.

My daughter has special needs and she has done sex education and she talks about it to me and I'm very impressed at how much she has learnt and understands.
You will be informed by the school when they are covering sex and you can ask for your child to be excluded from that part of the lesson.
Teens learning about sex does not make them wayward or go out and get pregnant.
Yes there is a high level of teen pregnancies but that is because they are not informed enough about the repercussions of having sex but if they had learnt this in school we wouldn't have this problem now. Not everyone will agree with me but that is how I see it.

Answer 10

I believe in not lying to my kids. Very occasionally I've said that I can't answer that just now, it's not something they need to know, but I've never said that about sex and 'where babies come from'. I answer their question in a way they can understand. When they need more information they 'll ask. In my daughter's case, she's now getting to an age where I feel she actually needs more information than she has... so I use things like books or TV to let us have a chat about some issue. I find out what she understands to be happening, for example, then put her right if she's misunderstood. Just to save anyone complaining, I'm talking about Neighbours, not porn!

I don't believe that educating kids will get them into trouble, or the reverse. But I believe in be honest at all times, in letting my kids know that I love them. They'll make mistakes in every area in life like we all do. I can't stop that from happening, I just hope they'll learn from it.