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No more birds and bees? Sex education for 4-year-olds


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Children as young as four should be given compulsory sex education in order to reduce abortion rates and sexually transmitted infections amongst teenagers.

The Family Planning Association and Brook, two leading sexual health charities, are pushing for an earlier and more gradual and thorough introduction of sex education in British schools. At the age of four, children would be taught about the name of body parts and basic ideas about different relationships. The charities claim that the government is not providing enough information about sex and relationships to young people, leaving many teenagers with unrealistic expectations about sex and insufficient knowledge of how to protect themselves against STIs and unwanted pregnancies.

Brook chief executive Simon Blake said: "All the evidence shows that if you start sex and relationships education early - before children start puberty, before they feel sexual attraction - they start having sex later. They are much more likely to use contraception and practise safe sex."
JanaPokana

34 responses // No more birds and bees? Sex education for 4-year-olds

  • As long as it is done in an appropriate manner, I think it is a good idea. Children have to know what is going on so that they can make the right decisions later in life.
    dadapapa
  • It works for Sweden......
    SilenceNoMore
  • people are always panicked that they don't want their kids growing old to quickly. but children learn about sex anyway, often misguidedly, and if it helps cut down teenage pregnancy and STIs in teenagers then it can only be a good thing.
    recommended by  saverio
    Ben_Traffic_UK
  • http://www.amazon.com/Where-Did-Come-Peter-Mayle/dp/081...
    Sex is a basic, primary human function, like eating, breathing and sleeping and by far one of the most beautiful. There's nothing 'wrong' with it and nothing wrong with children learning where they came from.
    dearmat23
  • Not only do children have sexual feelings even at a very young age, but they also grow up in a sexualised society and culture. If sex is everywhere, children need to learn how to talk about it and how to deal with it so that they are prepared, know what to expect and, most importantly, are able to make their own decisions when the time comes.
    JanaPokana
  • Are 4 year olds going to understand what they're talking about? Surely any sexual feelings are that age are subconscious. But if people think it can be done, it can't do any harm.
    cassius
    1 response to this
  • If gradually accumulating kids to the idea of sex will reduce teen pregnancies and STDs, then by all means try it. You can't tell if something will help or harm until you try it.
    prismproductions
  • I learned about sex from my cousins when i was like 6 and some of the information was faulty at best lol. I think children need to know about the risks related to having sex. I had my kid at 18 so i know all to well the struggle it was to be a young father.
    clayjj05
  • YES! Ignorance is NOT a virtue.
    cadsuch
  • Much better to talk openly about such issues than mystify them through furtive glances and hushing up. Good on them!
    purplefox
  • I think this is a good idea. It could help get rid of the societal stigma around talking about sex.
    drymama
    1 response to this
  • http://www.brook.org.uk/
    And how can you argue with the Brook's chief executive's statement that "All the evidence shows that if you start sex and relationships education early - before children start puberty, before they feel sexual attraction - they start having sex later. They are much more likely to use contraception and practise safe sex." Nope. Can't argue with that.

    Brook is a charity which provides sexual health services and advice for under 25s. They want every primary and secondary school to be legally required to provide sex and relationships education and secondary schools to ensure that young people have access to free confidential contraceptive and sexual health services.

    The organization is currently conducting a public vote asking the question,

    Do you agree that Government must ensure that all children and young people get education about puberty, relationships and sex at primary and secondary school?

    To vote go to www.brook.org.uk.
    mischabarrett
    2 responses to this
  • No more C is for cookie what a shame.
    powerup
  • means more prostitutes on the streets

    means less respect in the familys


    it should be the parents job not the goverment but these days what is the term parents?
    pos_nir
    1 response to this
  • yeah go progression .... .the earlier the better.. scientifically proven that the more you expose to a baby or a toddler the more he/she can handle throughout their whole lives
    kewal91
  • that is to young of a age to be talking about the birds and the bees to kids. Wait till they are at least 11 or 13. when they are more likely to understand the meaning of sex. We as a society should not force the information upon the youth america, nor should we feed them miss information of sexual acts. That especially means not sending out fear tactics about sex and all the scary diseases out there. But also stating the benefits of it. It's all about harmonious balance. the truth good and bad, but at the right age...
    DefiantCulture
    1 response to this
  • It would be a long time to implement this. I wouldn't trust ANYONE but myself talking to MY kids about sex.

    It just has too much room for abuse.
    handshakeheartbreak
  • I agree with DefiantCulture, we should not force any information upon a 4yr old who still thinks the opposite sex has cooties! Picking a more appropriate age where the schools and parents can work together in order for the child to understand should be considered.
    Azucena
  • Hey don't think that they aren't already telling our kids about sex education at a young age...my 6 year old comes home with a level of information about sex and sex education that makes me very uncomfortable...but even when speaking to the headmistress (a harriden at the best of times who views the parents as nothing more than a pest in her daily life) the sneering attitude is given out that they are doing nothing wrong and that we should shut up and grateful that they are *bothering* to educate our kids for us.

    Sadly there is no "opt out"... once the teachers decide to tell your kids there's nothing you can do or say to prevent them "teaching" them without a HUGE drawn out fight about it ...and who wants that? Sadly once a child's innocence is taken away that's it - it's gone forever and a parent's view - it would seem - is inconsequencial.

    www.freyasykes.com
    FreyaS
  • They earlier kids know about it the better. They stork story is kind of played out now.
    Ice_cream_Man
  • It makes me so sad that the government and other organizations have to take control of a child's sex education. Whatever happened to responsible parents?
    teenelizabeth
  • What in the world is this?
    aaronklong
  • This can really go one of two ways. People unfamiliar with their sexuality might fell the need to experiment early in life, but then again, if you feel like you know all the ropes, pros and cons of sex, won't you hop right on just as young, only with a sense of security?
    JillianMaris
  • wouldn't that knid of make children want to have sex earlier in lifesince they learn about it earlier
    knightlynight200
  • Ohhh C is for Condom,
    that's good enough for me,
    Ohhh C is for Condom,
    that's good enough for me,
    Ohhh condom, condom, condom, starts with C.
    tomofnorthcal
  • wow, sex ed for 4 year olds?!? that's just a bit rediculous. sure kids are pretty smart now-a-days, but personally i wouldn't approve of my 4 year-old being taught any of this, not at such a young age. maybe between the ages of 8-10, but definately not before they can even read.
    mightymami
  • An average four year old doesn't have the attention span to really understand and pay attention to what your saying.

    I would say about 7+ at the youngest.
    BigAl109
  • I agree that kids should be sexually educated at an early age but not by the government.

    I dont think they have the right to tell my kinds where everything goes. Thats the parents job.
    squidteeth

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