Okay, in the Abortion topic, GIP and I had this little exchange, and I figured it'd be interesting to see other people's opinions on this. Do you think that kids are taught about sex and drugs too early? Do you think they should be allowed to be children for longer? Do kids get enough information?

Here in the UK, we're taught about all forms of contraception, their effectiveness, where we can go to get contraception, STIs and their symptoms and cures, drugs and their effects, the different types of drugs, which drugs fall under which class, what we can expect to happen to our bodies during puberty, e.t.c. Is it different in other places? I've heard that some places teach abstinence only. (Which I think is extremely foolish - come on, if you tell a teenager not to do something, chances are that they'll do it first chance they get, at least if they know about contraception, there's less chance of them getting an STI or having an unplanned pregnancy.)

I was given sex/drug education formally for the first time when I was in 6th grade (about 12 years old). It wasn't very in depth, and most of it dealt with puberty. In 10th grade, I had to take health. That taught us about all the different types of contraceptives, how to use them, where to get them, what STDs they do or do not protect against, and how effective they are. We learned all the different STDs including symptoms, treatments, and how they're transferred. We studied all the different drugs and they're long and short term effects. And we were all given a keychain that has the number of a free and confidential live counseling line and another keychain with the phone number and address of the nearest planned parenthood. We were not taught abstinence except that it's the best way to avoid pregnancy and prevent STDs.

Honestly, I don't think I learned about these things too young. My mom actually told me what sex was at a VERY young age. I might've been seven. I don't believe that knowledge is corrupting. Knowledge can only enlighten. And these days, you never know what ages people will start getting into things like oral sex and god knows what else. People were doing that when I was in middle school. So I actually think it's best to teach these things at an early age so they can at least be educated in how to protect themselves.

We first learned about sex in primary 6. Now, I think that is about age 10, but don't quote me on that. As you can imagine, a lot of people weren't paying attention, there were lots of giggles, no one took it seriously etc.

But in secondary school, when we occasionally get it, we have experts in telling us about drugs, or sex, and showing us measures to prevent STIs and pregnancy. And we have saw videos about the bad effects of drugs/sex etc.

Personally, I don't think we were too young. As has been mentioned, puberty starts about 11/12 so it's a good idea to be prepared, or at least know what is going to happen. If "things" start happening on your body and you've not been taught, you're gonna be asking your parents a lot of awkward questions...

Still, I don't think it's necceassary, because you'll find out one way or another (through friends, movies (though in a bad way)), it is definetly an advantage to know things.

I think children are taught about sex at a little too young of age. I mean, I wasn't actually "aware and informed" until about 7th grade. Which is the age that you actually start to wonder, and be curious about it. True, without being informed about sex, you could just have sex unaware, and be infected with a sexually transmitted disease. Even though its still at a very young age, shouldn't the child know just NOT to have sex? Shouldn't they know sex isn't something not to toy around with?

At 5th grade I learned about drugs. I think I was a bit too young to actually understand the concept that drugs are dangerous, and that you shouldn't do them. But, you know? Most teens in school do drugs anyways.
Its just not possible for children theses days NOT to know about sex and drugs. Its in music, books, magazines, movies.... everything. Their's just really no escape. :no:

I agree with it being taught at a younger age. Why? Cause our society is freaking messed up. Kids these days are coming to school drunk or with hangovers as young as 8 years old. Kids can't escape it because it is everywhere, that's why it needs to be taught when they are younger.

Also its peer pressure, especially around the time of puberty. Its the "cool" image that most kids want and they will try anything to get it so its good for them to know the side affects of these.

Like this year in Scotland, a girl aged 11 gave birth to a child this year. Thinking she couldn't get pregnant at her young age but she did, plus the fact she was 10 when she got pregnant and was absolutely pissed out of her head. Hence why we need to teach kids all about this stuff to warn them.

I was taught when I was in 4th Grade :ermm: I was really surprized about it, but we learn about Sex and Drugs in differant Classes, cause my schools like Elementry and Middle are like High School we have courses :lol: anywho. I think we should learn around 6th Grade, cause I was 6 in the 4th Grade..so yes I was like really suprized when they were showing nude pictures and stuff >_< so I think around Ages 11 or 13 when we should learn about it. ^_^


And plus I think learning about it at an early age like that make children wanna do it. :lol: don't you think?

Can someone please tell me the American school systems because I don't understand what age kids are during whatever grade.

Well, in my state you learn around 4th or 5th Grade, I learned in 4th Grade :lmao: :whistle:

Argh! Again! You didn't read my post properly! I'm still like "Okay, what frigging age were you!?"

I don't mind that schools start teaching kids about sex and all that jazz at elementary. In fact, I think it's greatly needed to inform kids about all the dangers of sex, drugs, and alcohol when they're young.

I was formally taught about sex when I was in 7th grade(I think I was 12 at the time), but I knew about sex wayyyy younger than that. Kids these days know more than we think they do. Let's all be honest, our society is screwed up. There is sex everywhere: TV, radio, magazines, books, ads, games, the internet, etc. There are kids as young as 10 doing drugs, having sex, doing a whole bunch of stuff they aren't suppose to be doing. That's why we have to inform them while they're young. If they're gonna try anything, at least them them know of the consequences of their actions before hand instead of leaving them ignorant of the truth. Maybe if they know of these consequences, it can help prevent them from happening.

Kindergarten- 5 to 6
1st Grade- 6 to 7
2nd Grade- 7 to 8
3rd Grade- 8 to 9
4th Grade- 9 to 10
5th Grade- 10 to 11
6th Grade- 11 to 12
7th Grade- 12 to 13
8th Grade- 13 to 14
9th Grade- 14 to 15
10th Grade- 15 to 16
11th Grade- 16 to 17
12th Grade- 17 to 18

Well R_E listed them for you ^_^ and sorry I didn't read it right :lmao:

OMG! Kindergarten is 6 to 7?! :blink: must have changed since than, cause I started at 3 :whistle:

YOU STARTED KINDERGARTEN AT 3!? xD

I was reading before preschool. :)


Anyway, I think it's a good thing to get sex ed. at a young age, otherwise you'll find out in other....unreliable means. xD

I do believe that it's a good thing that you learn it at an early age as well because then you won't get laughed at later on for not knowing.

I've "known" since I was about five. I'm a curious kitty. xP

You started Kindergarten at 3?! :o So, you're like two years ahead? Wow! Smart cookie.

Me too! My mom was crazy about drilling my brothers and I as soon as we could talk. We had to have a lesson in basic math, reading, and Spanish before we could watch TV (and she'd only allow us to watch educational shows about biology, basic physics, nutrition, and other boring crap) as far back as I can remember. Oh God, how I resent her for it. :lmao:

Sorry, back to topic. xD

I basically just want to add a little to my post from before. I mentioned how I don't believe that knowledge is corrupting, so I thought I'd elaborate. I think that the only reason any information or curriculum shouldn't be taught to kids of young ages is if they wouldn't be able to understand it. Otherwise, I'm a firm believer that ignorance can do nothing but soften the minds of kids into mush.

When I was ten years old, my Dad showed me the movie Schindler's List. If you don't know what it's about (doubtful but just in case), it's not exactly the ideal family movie. There's A LOT of violence, nudity, adult language, sex, you name it. But he showed me it because I was learning about the Holocaust in school, and he wanted me to really understand the suffering that people went through. Even though this movie had a well-deserved R rating, I don't feel like I was corrupted by it at all. If anything, it gave me a deeper ability to empathsize with the victims of genocide. In that way, it enlightened me. Hence, I don't believe that knowledge can corrupt.

Now, I'm not saying that you shouldn't be afraid to show a five year old Sin City and Pulp Fiction. What am I saying is, if educating children in something "corrupted" can help them be safe and better people-- for example, teaching them early on the effects of drugs so it is engrained in the memory or in my case, learning about the Holocaust so as to grow empathy-- then it shouldn't be held back. We shouldn't patronize children into believing the world is perfect because no matter what, the only thing that can prevent them from growing up and eventually being "corrupted" by these things is death.

Actually, you can only be in pre-school at three. Or Pre-k--whichever. I think they invented that grade so that it'd be like daycare.

In any case, I don't think they teach it well enough--I think the need to teach it every year, a little more indepth each year, starting at age 8. When a 10-year-old gets knocked up, it's time to start educating sooner. And educating better--there are still too many idiots running around who can't keep their junk in their pants because they were 'curious' and mommy and daddy weren't home to supervise them.

Frankly, it's pitiful.

Haha! But look how intellectual we turned out? xD

/sorry for off-topicness :sweat:


And, I agree with Inuyatta....Those are some good points. Kids are pretty.....Scary nowadays.

*shouldn't be talking 'cause she's 13 xD*

Yes, I was cause my mom didn't know when to start me :lmao: and I really didn't care for reading I was doing Math really good before preschool though :lol:

Around puberty and perhaps a few other times after that. It doesn't seem to me that there's any use to teaching children about sex when their minds won't naturally drift to the subject.

well...considering that a ten-year old got knocked up around here, I'd say it varies as to when kids start getting curious. :ermm:

Actually, if any of you here know about Freud's work, you should know that there really is no "when children become curious." To put it bluntly, we're all born as sexual beings.

Summing up a lot of psychology as best I can in a short space, we go through five stages of psychosexual development: the oral stage, the anal stage, the phallic stage, latency period and genital stage.

The oral and anal stages are pretty much what they sound like-pleasure through oral or anal means (for example how young kids love to put things in their mouths, etc, and for anal the beginning of toilet training.) These stages last from birth until the kid is about three years old.

The phallic stage is probably the most important, where the child becomes very aware of its own, and other's, genitals as an erogenous zone, and the stage often comes with a dose of Oedipus Complex (Electra for girls).

Latency is where... kids becomes kids (five or so) and put sexaul desires to the back of their minds.

When the genital stage comes along, around puberty, is when the child begins to take interest in sexual relationships once more.

In short--sex is natural, we're born that way. If you have younger siblings or children yourself, you've probably witnessed boys still in nappies getting erections and the like. I can't remember the exact figure off the top of my head, but most children have their first sexual experience at a very young age (and interestingly enough, with a relative.)

Uhh, but back on topic!

I honestly think the sex education system here, and in America is terrible. I can't speak for most of Europe, however. Kids should be taught about sex from a very young age, for several reasons.

Firstly, it's nice to know what our own bodies are for, and what they do, and why they do things.

And secondly, protection. Paedophilia (and ephebophilia, to a lesser extent) does happen, sadly, and kids need to know what's happening--what's right and wrong.

As for teens, well, the education's still bad.

Teaching abstinence is a terrible idea, as it only leaves you naive. Anyone who thinks that this is a good idea--whether they like the idea of sex or not--should not be allowed to teach it. Honestly, sex can't be hidden from kids forever. ;P

Still, just teaching about technical details and about STDs isn't really enough either. Sure, that's more than vital, but it doesn't really prepare you.

I wish when I was in school someone had sat down with us and said, "Now ladies, this is going to hurt like Hell, and it probably won't even work!"

In short: kids should be taught sex education as soon as they start school, so they can worm into the topic gradually. =]

Freudian psychology, specifically the stages of development, has long been abandoned in contemporary times. Mostly, he's looked at in reverence as the first mainstream psychologist. Psychoanalysis is where the remnants of his work can still be found in mainstream psychology today, but even that only follows the very basics of Freud's original work.

I'm not sure what you want from sex ed for teens in America. I thought I got a great sex education. We were all given the address and phone number of planned parenthood, shown the proper way to put on a condom, and about how sex can change a romantic relationship by helping it grow or even hindering it. In fact, I thought the sex ed in my school was pretty practical.

I'm not sure what you want from sex ed for teens in America.

Uh, not an American here.

I was replying to that statement.

Fair play. Just got confused what with you discussing Freud.

lets see they told us about puberty in 4th grade, and again in 6th grade. Then in 7th they taught us abstinence without really telling us what it is. Then more in depth in 9th grade what stds are and drugs and all that stuff.

I dont know my parents told me everything i wanted to know, and i knew it all in about 7th grade. They said i could do wahtever and they wouldnt care...so i guess i never really cared about drugs drinking or sex cause it didnt really matter to me.

Uh, you guys are lucky. (I think? :lol: )

I've never been taught sex education from where I came from. It's pretty much considered a taboo thing. The only form of education that came slightly close to being considered 'sex education' was when the female teachers gathered all the female students in a lecture hall and handed out free sanitary pads. :lmao: That's about it. Not very sexual at all, no. So we mostly got all our sex ed from magazines or the internetzzz.

But anyways, I do agree that kids should be taught from a young age. It could really increase awareness and teach them all the facts. The mentality seems to be that, 'if you don't talk about it, it won't happen' - but that's not true. Like 012607 said, humans are sexual beings. Sooner or later people will want to explore and that's when you get into trouble if you don't know a single thing. I once knew a girl who got herself pregnant multiple times because she thought mass orgies were safe. O____O

Sex Ed = Important.

Ok, well in 3rd grade we went on a field trip to something or other health museum, they explained the whole inside of your body thing and then they took the girls into a seperate room and taught us about periods and crap for like 2 hours and talked about the sperm and eggs and tissue and all that which I'm not going into detail with. but what kind of 3rd grader is going to go have sex?
In third grade there were still kids running around telling me boys had cuties
(I was friends with mostly guys)

I mean, we need to know eventually but I think that's more of a 7-8th grade field trip, definatly not 3rd. they did change this within the past few years, I think they take 4-5th graders now...

ugh it's so wierd though..it's not like a 3-5th grade girl is going to be like "oh, my friend <boy name> is the best friend ever, I'm going to get naked in my bed so we can play around" I mean seriously...and what are the third grade boys thinking "look at <girl name>'s boobs..ugh i wanna touch them" ...I think not. It's just so funny how they teach us these things so early...better too early then late I guess though, don't want some girl getting her period at school and go around asking why she's bleeding from there...