5th grade Family Life

[littlesista06]

Ugh. I never look forward to these coming around.
Dd has Family Life next week and there are 3 lessons:
Growth & Development
Human Reproduction
Immune System - HIV/AIDS

We don't have too much problem with the first two, but dh feels pretty strongly that we should opt her out of the third and I'm trying to make up my mind.

I agree 10 years old is too young to know about AIDS/HIV (as well as abortion, homosexuality, etc). BUT, if we opt her out, she'll ask why and we'll end up telling her about it anyway.

I'm wresting with telling her beforehand and letting her in the class or opting out and dealing with it our way.

We didn't get notice of this in time to review/preview the material unfortunately.

Any thoughts?

[AnnW]

What about the topic does he object to?

[littlesista06]

He says 10 is too young to know about AIDS/HIV. Kids have to grow up too quickly these days and I agree they don't need to know everything adult while they are still so young.

And I'm fairly certain they'll tell them you can contract AIDS/HIV by homosexual acts and we are not ready to get into that with her at this age.

[Mickey]

He says 10 is too young to know about AIDS/HIV. Kids have to grow up too quickly these days and I agree they don't need to know everything adult while they are still so young.

And I'm fairly certain they'll tell them you can contract AIDS/HIV by homosexual acts and we are not ready to get into that with her at this age.

I agree that it's young to get into some adult things (and kids do seem to grow up fast nowadays), but can you ask the instructor if you can see the syllabus/outline of the class and ask specifically what will be covered?

I have talked to ds (also 10) about how you can catch life-threatening diseases by exchanging bodily fluids--not only during sex, but how being "blood brothers" is something that you can NEVER EVER do (in My Girl, there's a scene where they become "blood brothers", so that's how that conversation came up).

While I want to be the one to tell my ds about things like this, if he were in school, I'm sure he'd be hearing bits and pieces from the other kids who attended the classes and he'd be hearing distorted versions of the information out of context. So, if I were to keep him from attending the program--I'd go over the subject matter with him myself during the class days.

[AnnW]

He says 10 is too young to know about AIDS/HIV. Kids have to grow up too quickly these days and I agree they don't need to know everything adult while they are still so young.

And I'm fairly certain they'll tell them you can contract AIDS/HIV by homosexual acts and we are not ready to get into that with her at this age.


I think I would find out from the teacher exactly what they say first. When dd had this in 5th grade, they did not talk about homosexuality. The nurse said that HIV/AIDS was a result of unprotected sex, contaminated blood and drug use. This led into a wonderful discussion at home about the consequences of all of these, and why not only was sex outside of marriage against God's plan, you could die. It also reinforced why doing drugs was dangerous.
I know for dd's program, there was absolutely no talk about the mechanics of intercourse. It's was more the mechanics of their changing bodies and reproduction. ie: sperm meets the egg and is fertilized, not man inserts ***** into woman's vagina.
they also seperated the boys and the girls. girls always ask tons of questions, boys sit staring at their feet! LOL

[RCT]

I know for dd's program, there was absolutely no talk about the mechanics of intercourse. It's was more the mechanics of their changing bodies and reproduction. ie: sperm meets the egg and is fertilized, not man inserts ***** into woman's vagina.
they also seperated the boys and the girls. girls always ask tons of questions, boys sit staring at their feet! LOL

DS went throught his last year as well, and I believe they followed the same plan, NO Homosexuality was discussed, and I don't believe AIDs was singled out more than any other STD. ds came home with lots of questions for me and his father. I agree Jen, call the school and see exactly what they are going to talk about. I can't believe how much kids already know at this age.

[Amy]

Well dd got an eye full at my brother's wedding 2 1/2 years ago. The best man was gay and the bridesmaids were lesbian partners. Half the wedding was gay. We explained to dd that sometimes men fall in love with men and woman fall in love with woman. We told her it is not the norm, but is also not for us to judge. We never felt it was necessary for us to go on about HIV. Heck, I don't even want to explain sex to her yet. Then she will be more aware why Mommy and Daddy take naps in the daytime. :rolleyes:

[Mickey]

...Heck, I don't even want to explain sex to her yet. Then she will be more aware why Mommy and Daddy take naps in the daytime. :rolleyes:

:lol: You're just very, very sleepy! ;)

Ds knows about sex (the biology and the mechanics of it). A couple of days after we told him we were having a baby, out of nowhere he said, "HEY! You and Dad had sex, DIDN'T you?!?!" (I thought about talking about immaculate conceptions at that point, but decided against it! ;))

[Amy]

:lol: You're just very, very sleepy! ;)

Ds knows about sex (the biology and the mechanics of it). A couple of days after we told him we were having a baby, out of nowhere he said, "HEY! You and Dad had sex, DIDN'T you?!?!" (I thought about talking about immaculate conceptions at that point, but decided against it! ;))


LMAO!!! There is something disturbing to me about them knowing you have sex. I have never visualized my parents (thank the freaking lord) and I don't want that for my dd either. LOL

[Diane]

LMAO!!! There is something disturbing to me about them knowing you have sex. I have never visualized my parents (thank the freaking lord) and I don't want that for my dd either. LOL

LOL... I remember when I first found out about "sex" I remember saying to the person who told me all about it that... "My mom and dad would NEVER do that!" :biglaugh: :biglaugh: LOL..... guess they did.

[Mickey]

LMAO!!! There is something disturbing to me about them knowing you have sex. I have never visualized my parents (thank the freaking lord) and I don't want that for my dd either. LOL
I know! It's just creepy!

A long time ago (before he knew about the birds and the bees), he asked me (again, out of nowhere), "Have you ever had sex?" "Uh...what exactly IS that?" "You know! When you put on a bikini and dance around!" Uh, no, I can honestly say I have NEVER done that! ;)

[littlesista06]

Thanks for the input ya'll.
Unfortuantely I can't call and find out what's what. The county has a "protocol" as I understand it that you call and make an appt. to review the classes and I'm outside my window of opportunity to do that since the letter came home yesterday and the clases begin Monday (there is a 5 day advance notice of opting out). :rolleyes:

I've emailed friends whose dds have been through it and they are just more open than I am at this point and do state the obvious: "she'll be in middle school next year and will hear about it all then anyway".
Yeah, ok. That's next year when she's closer to turning 12! :rolleyes:

I don't know that I'd ever find a good time to have converstations about such adult issues... but it just seems sad to me that our kids are growing up so fast and knowing and handling info that they don't need to, and at younger and younger ages. imo

Dh and I are open with her - I hope I haven't painted a picture of the two of us like ostriches with our heads in the sand. lol And we'll just do the best we can with the info she's given and answer whatever questions she may have.

Dh cracked me up today. He goes "can't we just tell her to avoid the ding-a-ling altogether? Don't touch it, suck it or let it touch you?!" Sure honey, go for it.

[AnnW]

LOL!
sista, i really doubt that they talk about homosexuality. did your friends say they did?
Our Sex, God & Me program at our church starts in 7th grade here and is every other year, talks alot about SDT's. In fact, it's coming up this year and ds said 'do i gotta go again? i've been two years already and i know all about the human pappo virus thing!' LOL
good luck with your decision! i have found, even if they are exposed to it, they 'hear' what they are ready to hear.

[littlesista06]

LOL!
sista, i really doubt that they talk about homosexuality. did your friends say they did?
Our Sex, God & Me program at our church starts in 7th grade here and is every other year, talks alot about SDT's. In fact, it's coming up this year and ds said 'do i gotta go again? i've been two years already and i know all about the human pappo virus thing!' LOL
good luck with your decision! i have found, even if they are exposed to it, they 'hear' what they are ready to hear.

I'll see a couple of moms at dance tonight and I'll ask. They may just say it can come from unprotected sex.

We have a human sexuality workshop at church too that is one weekend and kids and parents both attend - dd isn't old enough to go until next year.

[KarlaB]

Mick and Amy - I am ROFL!!!

[AnnW]

I'll see a couple of moms at dance tonight and I'll ask. They may just say it can come from unprotected sex.

We have a human sexuality workshop at church too that is one weekend and kids and parents both attend - dd isn't old enough to go until next year.

all ours said was that it can come from unprotected sex, blood transfuisions or tainted needles. that was it.

ours is a 4 night program (on Sunday nights) everyone starts off in the same room for the main speaker, then boys by grade go into small groups, same with the girls and the parents stay together in a group flipping out, taking deep breaths and wishing they were 2 again! last night is usually a worship service where the kids sign commitment cards to remain a virgin till married.
it's a great program and very realistic. They address the old excuse of 'it's just hard to say no. And rather than just telling the kids 'don't do it' they talk about how having sex outside of God's plan is really so much harder than abstaining. (you can get pregnant, an STD, die, get an STD that you may not find out about until you are grownup and want to have kids of your own and can't). That in the long run not having sex is just plain easier.
It's interesting. DS wasn't really ready for the program when he first started, but each year as he has gotten older, he had 'heard' different aspects of the information.

[vea29]

I'll see a couple of moms at dance tonight and I'll ask. They may just say it can come from unprotected sex.


I would think that would be the detail of what they say....I also would rather my child hear the facts from the adult...rather then the mixed up facts from friends later that day!

That's just me and of couse I don't have children to this is all just my opinions.

[RCT]

Dh cracked me up today. He goes "can't we just tell her to avoid the ding-a-ling altogether? Don't touch it, suck it or let it touch you?!" Sure honey, go for it.


LOL....my brothers 1st wife told my nephew (who is 17 now) when he was about 11 that if you had sex with the wrong person it could just fall off....LOL...OMG...my poor nephew....he talked with my brother and his other older cousins, and I believe this kids is still pure...and really wants to remain that way until marriage...but You never know....he sure got a scare....LOL....

[RCT]

Well dd got an eye full at my brother's wedding 2 1/2 years ago. The best man was gay and the bridesmaids were lesbian partners. Half the wedding was gay. We explained to dd that sometimes men fall in love with men and woman fall in love with woman. We told her it is not the norm, but is also not for us to judge. We never felt it was necessary for us to go on about HIV. Heck, I don't even want to explain sex to her yet. Then she will be more aware why Mommy and Daddy take naps in the daytime. :rolleyes:

LOL...TOO FUNNY.....we were something on BRAVO the other day, and dd was like...mommy can a guy be a bridezilla? OMG I wasn't ready for that conversation....they had a comercial for two men getting married....yikes

[littlesista06]

And that's one MORE reason we don't have cable TV! :lol:

Dd has been asking lots of questions b/c in VA we have the marriage act to vote on and she's obsessed with how I'm going to vote and what it exactly means. Every time she sees a bumper sticker or billboard, she's like "now what does that mean? A man and a man or a woman and a woman?" She's got her own opinion and keeps asking if/how I'm going to vote on it. :tinysmile

Ann, I like the sound of how saying 'no' was presented to your ds. It's true, saying no can be the easy part.