Recently I had the opportunity to go with my two Jr. Highers to a presentation at school about STD's and making healthy sexual choices. I must commend Concord Community Schools for providing this program to the students and their caregivers. I'm very happy that they are willing to talk about these things.
Overall I was somewhat pleased with the information presented. But I did leave disappointed in what was NOT presented. I found out later, after communicating with the school ,that the presentation was a part of the current curriculum which encourages abstinence and monogamy. The purpose of the presentation was to encourage additional communication on these subjects once the kids got home. It definitely did do that for me. I was disturbed by the absence of so much important information. I wondered how many parents could even talk intelligently about these things. Here are some points that I think every child/parent should discuss:
Overall I was somewhat pleased with the information presented. But I did leave disappointed in what was NOT presented. I found out later, after communicating with the school ,that the presentation was a part of the current curriculum which encourages abstinence and monogamy. The purpose of the presentation was to encourage additional communication on these subjects once the kids got home. It definitely did do that for me. I was disturbed by the absence of so much important information. I wondered how many parents could even talk intelligently about these things. Here are some points that I think every child/parent should discuss:
- what constitutes sexual activity?
- Can you get STD's from just physical touch?
- Once you get an STD is it safe to have sex with someone else with the same STD?
- What can and cannot a condom do?
- What does birth control protect you from?
- How do you know if your partner has been abstinent or monogamous?
- What about oral sex? is it safer for the receiver than the giver?
- What about homosexuality? What sexual activities are associated with homosexuality?
and the list goes on.......
2 comments:
That's very disappointing about what the school is being directed to omit.... but your kids are lucky to have a father willing to talk about the stuff they want to know.
As for abstinence, that makes me laugh, as though all 15-year-olds are sitting around considering the long-term implications of everything they do. And hasn't the government heard of hormones? Those are pretty powerful substances. Kids need answers to the questions they have in a guilt-free context. And they need access to birth control. Period.
My parents didn't really come right out and talk about sex. I learned some things by asking my siblings questions. The rest I learned on my own. This is why I have taught my two girls from a early age about there bodies and and little by little about sex. I myself don't understand why more parents didn't or don't talk to there kids more about these things. It is a fact of life!
Post a Comment