In-school discussions of puberty for 5th graders

[Pea-n-Me]

A little funny-- when DD started to get to the puberty age and we have the period talk I told her to keep a pad with her at all times because she would not know when she would start. If it was in the middle of school she would be prepared. A couple of weeks later I saw her purse open and she had 7 or 8 tampons and about a dozen pads. I asked her why she had all those and she said she was trying to be prepared. I them explained she really only needed 1 or 2-- just enough to last until she got home.

Thanks, my DD and I both had a good chuckle about that!

 

[DisneyKT]

They just sent out the permission slips for my DD. She is in 4th. I went to the meeting. They don't show a movie. Mostly just a slide show. Basic information. I have told her mostly all of it. But in her usual fashion she has forgotten it. The fifth graders go into more discussion about intercourse.

I have a friend who is freaking out and not allowing her DD to go. I just hope she talks to her at home. Oh well.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I have a friend who is freaking out and not allowing her DD to go. I just hope she talks to her at home. Oh well.

Wow.

 

[Mrs. Chamberlain]

I'm in high school now, so it hasn't been too long since I went through this.

In 5th grade, I remember them just basically explaining puberty to us and how girls should use pads and how you should wash your face so that you don't get acne. There was NO mention of cramps or anything like that. They never even said what a tampon was. Seeing as though that was only 5 years ago, they should have at least explained it. They showed the videos to the boys AND girls in the same classroom. I was horrified.

In 6th grade, the actually explained sexual organs and things, but not too in depth. Again, boys and girls were together.

In 8th grade, the basically said "DON'T HAVE SEX UNTIL YOUR MARRIED! STAY ABSTINENT OR YOU'LL GET AIDS AND DIE!!!!!" which isn't very nice to tell an 8th grader, or even true for the most part. They said to use condoms, without even explaining what they were or what they were used for. They didn't even explain what sex was. Boys and girls were still together.

That's pretty much as far as it ever went. I learned more from what my mom told me and what television shows told me than what I learned in school. All they ever did was show us the videos, not explaining anything, and make us embarrassed. Now, things like this don't embarrass me, but they did for the longest time because of the way they were taught.

 

[ameraumi]

DS attended the same Parochial school that I attended. The "tradition" there is that a local doctor, who is also Catholic, and their spouse would come in and teach the 5th graders about puberty and a little sex ed. The classes were seperated by genders, the male taking the boys and woman taking the girls. I could not attend, but a good friend of mine did and reported back to me how the class went. I know a video was shown, as was an open discussion. I know with DS, the Dr who had the boys had them write their questions on a piece of paper so that no one would be too embarassed to ask. I really respected that decision. Now remember, this is a Catholic school so they tried their best to keep some of the answer in line with the Catholic beliefs.

Most of what DS heard was what we had already talked about. I was pregnant with DD when he was in 2nd grade so he had a lot of questions then and I tried to answer honestly yet age appropriate. He has also always been a little too open at times and has not hesitated to ask me questions.

 

[Cindy B]

My daughter had a little class in 4th grade. My son had it in 5th grade.

They are taught by either the nurse (fgirls) or gym teacher/male teacher (boys). It is an afterschool session and the parents are encouraged to attend as well.

DH took my son. I remember I had class the night of my DD's so I sort of had my own little class with books, materials and some samples.