May 7th, 2010 | 
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Ah yes, The Birds & The Bees.
A talk most parents dread having with their children.
I am guilty.
I am one of those parents.
Last year when Zman, then just 10, had the Puberty Presentation at school, I sent his dad to join him.
For some reason I was uncomfortable discussing wet dreams and boners/erections, while listening to the chuckles and laughter from the peanut gallery of about 100 other 9, 10 and 11 year old boys.
Zman and his Dad (Sperm Donor #1) attended the presentation.
Zman received a bag containing a booklet, deodorant and I’m not quite sure what else.
That day was over and he never discussed it with me.
This brings us to yesterday.
The Drama Queen who is 9, attended the Puberty Presentation at school.
Alone.
She did not want anyone with her.
She refuses to talk about anything that was discussed in the video they watched or the pamphlets they received.
Or the fact that there was a huge diaper size maxi-pad in the bag with the deodorant she received.
For some reason, with her, it bothers me that the school presents this to the children at such a young age.
However, it didn’t bother me with Zman.
I don’t know if the thought of her going through puberty in the next few years bothers me or if I just feel that kids are learning about these things too soon in life.
To a point, I think it is both.
I had to go through the same presentation when I was her age but I didn’t go through puberty for another 3 years.
What are your thoughts?
Does your child’s school do a presentation with the kids? at what age? How do you feel about it?
How soon really is too soon??
Kiley had her presentation at school about 2 weeks ago. We did not attend. The parents had an opportunity to view the video a week prior. I feel that it is too soon for my 4th grader to watch things like that. I am not in denial or anything that she is going to develop, but she doesn’t need to see everything that is going to happen to her. kiley doesn’t even understand what ovaries and all that crap are for. We’ve talked a little about how she is going to have changes to her body, but again i think it is too soon for her to see some things.
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Girl we went through the same thing at 10 here and I didn’t go through the young girl version of the change for another 5 years.
Bobbi Janay @When did I go from a kid to a grown up?´s last blog ..WIP
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I guess they have to do it at a young age. I was in fifth grade when Aunt Flo came calling, so was Caitlin! I had the presentation in class and a week later it happened!!! Now other people I talk to it didn’t happen until High School. So it would make sense for the kids in 4th and 5th grade. I don’t remember Caitlin taking that though.
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I have some sex ed book suggestions. I blog on my Birds and Bees talk with my 10-year-old daughter at http://pragmaticmom.com
It was made easier with a good book on sex first, followed by q and a. Other moms also suggested their favorite books.
Pragmatic Mom
Type A Parenting for the Modern World
http://PragmaticMom.com
I blog on children’s lit, education and parenting.
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My kids are much younger (they aren’t in school yet) and I’m just dreading them starting. I remember going through that close but I swear is wasn’t until 7th or 8th grade, I know it wasn’t before 5th grade.
I don’t like the idea of the government choosing when its the right time to ‘educate’ my child on the subject of sex.
benwyanet´s last blog ..Top list – April
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