Can a GE program be generated for ALL prospective-parents?
Once again, I'm moving a comment made in a thread so a more focused discussion can begin. Kris recently wrote:
how do we prevent kiddos from even getting to the point they need to have placement? http://poundpuplegacy.org/node/20559#comment-4795
As a mom to four, I am learning how sex-ed "health and wellness" is being taught in my local public-shool. It begins with the science class, where the basic biologic-process of cell-reproduction is taught in the 4th grades. As the grades mature, so does the content, in terms of boy-parts and girl-parts. Health educators then send the infamous Permission-Slip that says, "yes I will let my child watch age and gender-appropriate information on the growing body." or "no, I do not want my child to watch this movie."
My oldest in starting high-school this year, and I'm sure the "abstinence and prevention" route will become the stronger sex-teaching focus. As I recall, from my own high-school daze, we were shown more movies, this time around they featured those psychadelic-party scenes, where the sex-act was replaced with "Mmm-chicka-mow-mow" music.
The ending would result in an unwanted pregnancy.
Discussion would then focus on, "How could this have been prevented, and how will these teens deal with their STD's?"
I'm wondering how her high-school sex-ed experience will differ, because I have serious doubts a public-school system will discuss "parent-planning and implementation" to the teens they are trying to keep from having sex. The way I see it, education and exposure to all the possibilities and options is what makes a curious person look and listen. How else can a teen make an "informed decision" about his/her future if all the facts are not being presented?
My version of sex-ed goes a little differently than "traditional mother-daughter conversations": we discuss pregnancy and it's long-term consequences, and we do it very openly and honestly, using a lot of media and tv! [The Spears Sisters and shows like "Reba" have helped a lot in terms of offering great opportunity and material for us to discuss in terms of "child placement" and "parental responsibility"] Regarding sexuality and dating, we use shows like Brett Michael's "Rock of Love" to discuss how people will act/react when they are feeling (or looking) desperate. Hub-man does not exactlly approve of my approach, but then, he's not a curious young girl wondering what sex and dating is going to be like.
I believe the strongest advantage I have in terms sharing sex-talks with my teen is knowing first-hand how it feels to be broken away from my first family. She has seen, and experienced in her own ways, how horrible it is to not have a natural biologic connection with others. As such, she knows if she finds herself pregnant, her mother will never make her choose which belongs in her future: school or her own child. Of course, the sick-pup in me gives her strong mental images to consider when teasing me with the idea of wanting a "teen pregnancy". I tell her: "Here's the deal, you get pregnant before you're 25, and I will breastfeed your baby. I'm a nurse, and I know how to stimulate lactation, so don't test me."
It's amazing how much that visual disgusts her!
Comments
sex-ed back then
I really had to laugh when I read this post and it brought back the memories of my own more or less non-existant sex-ed when growing up. In fact the best lessons were given in the final year of primary school, while all sex-ed in secondary education was biology only. It probably has much to do with the types of education I attended. My primary school was very liberal and indeed the few classes we had revolved mostly around birth control. My secondary school was a very strict protestant school and I don't recall any attention was given to birth control, nor was there any talk of sexuality. Parenting was not discussed in any way. Us youths were not expected to engage in sexual activity any time soon, so why the need for any education on the matter.
My parents didn't do a much better job either. I've never heard my adoptive father make any reference to the subject of sex ever, a topic he very much wanted to keep burried and though my adoptive mother told me the basics, she insisted on post poning sex as long as possible.
It's good to see you take a different course with your children and I bet they will have a better educated and more relaxed attitude towards sex than I had.