Having been hugely encouraged to openly discuss sex education with my children, the reality of the situation didn’t quite meet my expectations. The counsellor simply said all you had to do was to open up dialogue and without judging ask opening questions, “how do you feel about that?” , “what would you do in this situation” and when they reply say “oh how interesting, but don’t you think you should consider this, this and this?”.
So last night as the children and I sat down for our evening meal, I had a go:-
I casually mention that wasn’t it interesting to note how young girls hit puberty these days. I then noticed my 7 year old’s hands and sent him off to sink. I then casually mention that most teenagers find their first sexual experience regrettable because they are at a party and possibly have been drinking too much alcohol. “OMIGOD” shouts my 7 year old “WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?’. We all stop talking and look at him washing his hands. “I have just asked you why I have to wash my hands and you have just told me that it’s because I have been drinking too much alcohol – I HAVEN’T HAD ANY ALCOHOL”.
“So far so good”, I think to myself.
Moving on, I try again. I say to my teenage son “would you agree with the counsellor that boys are just as interested in a relationship, rather than casual sex, as girls?”. He vaguely smiles as if I’ve said something almost funny, snorts and nods. “Well, what does that mean?” I ask. He looks at me blankly for some time and then says “sorry mum, I completely wasn’t listening, can you repeat the question, I was just hoping that you would stop attempting to talk to us about sex and I totally blocked you out”.
I repeat the question. “Umm no, girls are definitely more interested in a relationship. It’s not that boys are more interested in casual sex, it’s just that boys don’t really want a relationship”. My daughter agreed.
Then instead we discuss pancakes, Youtube and my 7 year old’s maths homework. We talked about whether it was OK for him to hand in his homework as follows:
“What rule can you make up to help you to remember when to double the final consonant?”
His answer? “Had a go, couldn’t do it”.
I left it. Pick your battles – and anyway, I didn’t know the answer either.
Expatmum
February 6, 2008Tee hee. Aggh – how embarrassing. Fortunately at my kids’ school they have the whole sex thing in 5th grade (Year 6) (the education I mean), and then again and again. I haven’t yet started talking about the relationship side as they’re a bit young and/or not going to parties at the moment. I will be back here for advice when I do though.
Thanks for visiting my blog – I’ll be back!
A Mother's Place is in the Wrong
February 7, 2008Hi Lulu, here goes with trying to get pics etc on your Blog:
Go to Dashboard
Click on Add a Page Element.
Then choose which you want to add, i.e. a picture or whatever and click on that.
Then click in the little circle (if it’s from your computer or whichever) and then click “Browse”. It should then bring up the stuff which is in your pictures file. Click on the image you want and then type in the title of the picture (i.e.jpg 100) and it should move the pic to your Blog.
Then you have the chance to give the picture a name (which appears at the top) and a caption, which will appear at the bottom (not compulsory).
Don’t forget to then click “Save Changes”
I hope this works for you!! M xx