Thoughts Please!

[Iheartdis]

My 8 year old third grader came home from school the other day and told me that they are learning about ecstasy in school. Now when I was in school I remember learning about drugs, alcohol, cigarettes etc. but I don't believe I was that young. Also, I asked her if she had learned about her period yet and she said no. I'm extremely confused by this because they are learning about ecstasy but not their period? I have friends whose kids are only a year older and their daughters already have their period. I just wondered if anyone thought it was appropriate for an 8 year old to be learning about specific drugs but not about the facts of life.

 

[Tinkh]

My 8 year old third grader came home from school the other day and told me that they are learning about ecstasy in school. Now when I was in school I remember learning about drugs, alcohol, cigarettes etc. but I don't believe I was that young. Also, I asked her if she had learned about her period yet and she said no. I'm extremely confused by this because they are learning about ecstasy but not their period? I have friends whose kids are only a year older and their daughters already have their period. I just wondered if anyone thought it was appropriate for an 8 year old to be learning about specific drugs but not about the facts of life.

I think that learning the dangers of drugs is a good thing. Teach kids not to drink from cups that have been left around etc.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I think it is appropriate that they are learning about the dangers of drugs (and yes, specific ones even).

I think it would also be appropriate if they were being taught about their bodies/periods/etc. Often sex ed type stuff (even as it relates to just knowing your own body--like learning about a period ) is highly controversial for some reason and therefore pushed into the later grades at school (and some schools just don't have it at all).

Also--I feel that schools can expect pretty much every parent to at least be able to explain to their child about a period (though not all do), but many parents simply do not know the dangers of newer drugs, how prevalent they can be in some areas, etc and are therefore truly not able to teach that subject at home.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My 8 year old third grader came home from school the other day and told me that they are learning about ecstasy in school. Now when I was in school I remember learning about drugs, alcohol, cigarettes etc. but I don't believe I was that young. Also, I asked her if she had learned about her period yet and she said no. I'm extremely confused by this because they are learning about ecstasy but not their period? I have friends whose kids are only a year older and their daughters already have their period. I just wondered if anyone thought it was appropriate for an 8 year old to be learning about specific drugs but not about the facts of life.

It is probably part of DARE program. The kids are forced to learn about drugs non stop until HS. My 8th grader had to do a paper on "Cocaine" for health. (Each kid was assigned a drug.)

Far as I can tell it helps some kids and some of the kids could care less. At least they are giving the info and can make a choice based on knowledge.

The period talk is a separate issue. Usually they get "the talk" deal in either 4th or 5th grade.

 

[U2_rocks!]

Not that I really care one way of the other, but why would the school teach about periods, bodies etc.? Don't parents do that at home?

Drugs I am good with, especially if the school has experience with younger kids getting their hands on them and they feel that starting early is better than waiting. Drugs do get passed around in schools, therefore the school has a reason to get involved. However, I would never rely on the school alone - I talk to my kids casually about drugs and alcohol all the time, and have been doing so since before they were 8.

 

[JESW]

Personally, I think that the parents should be having BOTH those kinds of talks with their kids long before the schools do! And anything the school does is just extra.

Jill

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

It may be shocking, but the earlier the better IMO.

E is pretty nasty stuff to begin with. If the kids are taught about the effects of E early - they may make better choices. That stuff puts holes in your brain.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Personally, I think that the parents should be having BOTH those kinds of talks with their kids long before the schools do! And anything the school does is just extra.

Jill

Totally agree there. My dd already knew about periods. The school thing was just an added thing.

 

[cruisnfamily]

It is probably part of DARE program. The kids are forced to learn about drugs non stop until HS. My 8th grader had to do a paper on "Cocaine" for health. (Each kid was assigned a drug.)

Far as I can tell it helps some kids and some of the kids could care less. At least they are giving the info and can make a choice based on knowledge.

The period talk is a separate issue. Usually they get "the talk" deal in either 4th or 5th grade.

I agree!

 

[NHdisneylover]

Not that I really care one way of the other, but why would the school teach about periods, bodies etc.? Don't parents do that at home?
.

Hopefully parents do do that at home. It is a health topic though and very legitimately should be covered as such (I truly would like to see it taught as just "normal" at the same times that kids are learning about the circulatory system, nutrition and its affects on the body and all of the other human body related health topics).

Personally, I think that the parents should be having BOTH those kinds of talks with their kids long before the schools do! And anything the school does is just extra.

Jill

I agree

 

[Iheartdis]

Thanks for the opinions so far. I have already taught my daughter about her period so she knows all about that. I think it's good that they teach them about drugs and the dangers, I just thought they would teach them about that time of month before they would teach them about drugs. I would hope any 8 year old would not be doing drugs.

 

[luvmy3]

I don't think my kid's school went into specific drugs until middle school (I can't remember if it was 5th or 6th) health class, they covered drug use and used that to bridge to a lesson on AIDS. Ironically they don't have sex ed until 8th We did get a letter home that we had to sign if we did not want our child to participate in either lesson.
I wouldn't have a problem with an 8 year old learning about specific drugs, especially when they are easily accesible to kids at a younger age. We learned about alcohol and cigarettes because thats what kids were doing when we were younger, now its drugs like E.

 

[Jeafl]

The school I teach at covers both issues as part of their health class. The kids are taught about drugs starting in first grade. Of course the material covered is appropriate for the age at the time, and changes every year. I believe the facts of life unit isn't covered in full until 5th grade though. Most kids already know it all by then (or at least think they do!)

 

[Donaldswife]

Thanks for the opinions so far. I have already taught my daughter about her period so she knows all about that. I think it's good that they teach them about drugs and the dangers, I just thought they would teach them about that time of month before they would teach them about drugs. I would hope any 8 year old would not be doing drugs.

Unfortunately there are some instances of 8 year olds doing drugs, though not always intentionally. If they are informed and know how to protect themselves that is a good thing.
Many of these children may have older siblings that have drugs, and not know that it is something wrong. I am all for educating my DD9 about drugs, sex, peer pressure, cliques, everything so that she can make the best decisions possible with the all the knowledge available to her. While we do talk about these, I know some parents just cannot get over their own discomfort. Hopefully some basic information from the school can help when the child is faced a tough situation in the future.

 

[bgirldeb]

A kid in my 5th grade DS's class brought a small bottle of Captain Morgan to school in his backpack to show off to his friends, so no, I don't think it's too early to teach elementary age kids about drugs, cigarettes and alcohol, and agree that it should reinforce what has already been discussed at home.

To me it makes more sense to have that discussion at school (in addition to the home), because there is a lot of peer pressure about those sort of things, and it creates a dialogue already throughout the school that it is wrong, and encourages kids to stick together in 'saying no'. The sex-ed stuff is more private and lends itself better to more private parental discussion so the kids aren't embarrassed.

 

[Tinkermommy]

I wouldn't bother me. My daughter is 9 and we have had a lot of discussion about drugs. There are a series of commercials on the radio about meth. I use those instances to explain to her how drugs can destroy your health, relationships, etc.

We have already discussed her changing body (breast development, periods, etc). She told me a week ago that they will have a class on this in 5th grade. Apparently it's going on now and the word is out.

My husband and I want to be the ones to talk to our kids about these things so we can control the message, but I have no problem allowing them to learn about them in the classroom.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

Thanks for the opinions so far. I have already taught my daughter about her period so she knows all about that. I think it's good that they teach them about drugs and the dangers, I just thought they would teach them about that time of month before they would teach them about drugs. I would hope any 8 year old would not be doing drugs.

In our school system (k-12) they have the DARE program, and as far as I know they start this at a very young age, and I am all for it.

As for the girls learning about the time of the month, I think 8 is a little young. That's in the 2nd or 3rd grade right? I think it's something that the parents should teach at any age, but I wouldn't expect the schools to do this at that age. Our school has a gym class with girls only when they are in the 5th or 6th grade. They talk about everything with them. The boys have a Boys only class about the changes that they will be going through. Not to many girls start before 6th, 7th or even 8th grade, so I think 5th or 6th grade is early enough.

 

[Ember]

I would hope any 8 year old would not be doing drugs.

Sadly, this is exactly the reason they are tackling this issue so early. It's not just stereotypical instances either, such as in more transient neighborhoods, where it happens. (The "it's not in my backyard" mentality.) Thanks to older siblings and aggressive selling tactics by dealers to hook kids early, drugs are more common at a younger age - even in elementary school, across all walks of life.

They tackle individual drugs, because it's important to know what each is called and what it can do. This prevents the lies of, "It's just _______, it won't hurt you!"

It's a scary world out there sometimes, and I think it's great that they are trying to arm children with the knowledge to keep themselves safe. (But I can totally understand how 8 could seem far too young to have to know about this stuff, that must have been disconcerting for you.)

 

[Donaldswife]

In our school system (k-12) they have the DARE program, and as far as I know they start this at a very young age, and I am all for it.

As for the girls learning about the time of the month, I think 8 is a little young. That's in the 2nd or 3rd grade right? I think it's something that the parents should teach at any age, but I wouldn't expect the schools to do this at that age. Our school has a gym class with girls only when they are in the 5th or 6th grade. They talk about everything with them. The boys have a Boys only class about the changes that they will be going through. Not to many girls start before 6th, 7th or even 8th grade, so I think 5th or 6th grade is early enough.

Actually, My DD9 is in third grade and two girls in her class have already started their periods (I think they are both 10), so I don't think 3rd grade is too young. They could see it and hear about it even if they don't teach it. I would much rather her hear the factual information about her body than hearsay from a classmate or one of the fourth graders that has their period already. My MIL and both SIL's started around 10 as well. It is on the early side, but it is not unheard of!

 

[mjkacmom]

In our school system (k-12) they have the DARE program, and as far as I know they start this at a very young age, and I am all for it.

As for the girls learning about the time of the month, I think 8 is a little young. That's in the 2nd or 3rd grade right? I think it's something that the parents should teach at any age, but I wouldn't expect the schools to do this at that age. Our school has a gym class with girls only when they are in the 5th or 6th grade. They talk about everything with them. The boys have a Boys only class about the changes that they will be going through. Not to many girls start before 6th, 7th or even 8th grade, so I think 5th or 6th grade is early enough.

Dd14 had a couple of girls start in 4th, a few in 5th, and she started a month before her 12th birthday (in spite of being a skinny minny). She had no idea until I gave her the American Girl book when she turned 10, and was SO MAD at me for not telling her sooner (learned my lesson - all of my kids know that girls get their period).