Q: What is sex education?
A: Is the process of acquiring information and forming attitudes and beliefs about sex, sexual identity, relationships and intimacy.
Preparing and Coping for the future when in a couple of years time you are ready for the physical, mental and emotional changes and trials of entering your teenage years from the age of 13.
However, we need to be aware before our 7th birthday we have rights conserning our privacy.
Touching – when we use our hands to feel textures and shapes we instantly recognise what are smooth and rough surfaces. Sexual activities is simular where hands and eyes become very sensative. You maybe aware that touching parts of other peoples bodies
Before your 7th birthday you should know certain things about sex education. From 5 to 7 years of age you should understand the following:
1) NEW IDEAS FROM OUTSIDE THE FAMILY – Children at school or those we play with after school or during the weekends may briefly reference the subject of sex and bring new ideas. It is important to understand that not all these ideas are true or right. You may have asked your parents questions on what others are telling you, and your parents may have corrected any wrong information you have received. Your school should also be keeping you informed so that anything said in the playground can be confirmed by your parents or school teacher as either true or false. You do need to understand that we learn more about sex when we are not supervised with our peers (Friends). Our parents and school have a responsibility to you to make sure you learn the differences between what is right and what is wrong. Before your 7 birthday you should realise that we cannot trust what everyone says. Even our parents and teachers can make mistakes but they are important people you should listen and learn from. Other children will talk to you and you may learn things that are wrong. The subject of sex easily gets hidden and usually distorted.
2) Things you do alone is called PRIVACY – Having a shower or bath alone after 7 years of age becomes more important to you. You dont want others to watch over you when its your time for privacy. Some are lucky to have their own bedroom for privacy. Getting changed at school for sports or having a communal shower may make you feel uncomfortable. But since every one in your class is in the same situation and may or not feel the same. Privacy as you get older will become a very important sign that we seek. We can become very sensitive and shy to the subject of nakedness.
3) Swearing or bad language – We know that swearing at people is wrong, children will often increase their use of bad language to test peoples reactions or mainly for other children to accept them. You will also undertand that it maybe to attack others verbally or may slip out when unsupervised, The majority of swear words relate to sex. I remember as a child of eight a neighbour pulled me up for calling her son a ‘bastard’ she asked ‘do you really know what that word means? if you knew you would not be using it.’ She had a point to make. We are very rarely going to swear at our parents but more likely with our peers. But swear words are used to test our parents reaction. Therefore since these swear words have subject references to sex, you can see how important the subject of sex can touch our lives even if we have no interest or are ready to take part in such activities.
4) Male & Female identity – What makes a women a women and a man a man! By the age of seven you should know what physical differences there are between males and females. There will be interest in what it means to be male or female. sex organs, known as genitalia: in males the penis, in females the clitoris and vulva maybe new biological names to learn.
5) Wanting to marry Mam or Dad – This maybe a strange idea but this is what a child by the five to seven age would relate and say. Adults can ask some very strange and stupid questions and expect them to relate to them. So who are you going marry when you are older? Someone that you are close to.
6) Asking questions about sex to your parents becomes less important after you reach 7 years of age they prefer to asking questions with their own age groups or sometimes with a school teacher or family member.
7) Playing with one self is called masturbation and common place up until your 7th year. There is nothing wrong with this as long as you keep it private.
Sex education can be in it’s simple form from what are the physical differences between males and females to what is regarded as right or wrong touching.
Playing with our own genitals in private is right but touch others is wrong your father and mother can put their arms around you to give you comfort or a hug but a teacher can only place their hand on your shoulder. Unless there is a reason to help you. No one is allowed to touch your genitals (e.g. penis, vagina, bottom or chest) unless your parents or doctor are trying to help. A game of doctors and nurses is common with children however, there must be clear guidlines on what is right or wrong touching. Children will touch each other in play quite innocently. This also helps us to know when establishing what is wrong or right.
