Here I am, innocently browsing through the Huffington Post, and I come across this:
WTF?!?!?! I'm pretty sure that was the only thing in my head for a solid minute. Finally, I caught up to myself and decided to figure out what exactly was going on here.
Turns out the answer is simple. Some schools in Shanghai are using anatomically graphic dolls to teach kindergarteners sexual education. WTF?!?!?! Again, my brain freaked out on me and refused to conform to any standard, logical thought process. Then I saw this picture:
I'm glad to see we are teaching kindergarteners the hairy difference between boys and men. But seriously folks, I can definitely see the need to increase sex ed in China. According to the article, "while two-thirds of adolescents and young adults in China "had very limited levels of sexual reproductive health knowledge," they were also open to premarital sex." Twenty-two percent had already had sex, and only 50% of them used any form of birth control. ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME? They know nothing, use nothing, and are still doing it. Surprisingly, "a 2009 survey of American high schoolers by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control found 46 percent of students had had sex and 85 percent used contraceptives during their most recent sexual activity." Go America!
I'm pretty sure these dollies aren't going to solve the problem. A cultural shift towards the use of birth control would make a huge difference. Preventing sex is just not a good plan. Sex is fun. Teenagers like it. They are going to do it. Accept it (even begrudgingly) and move on.
Our best bet is to give them all the info they need on STDs, self-esteem, pregnancy, and contraception. So unless they are putting condoms on those dolly naughty bits, I'm not sure this is a good idea.
Plus, it's just sort of freaking me out. Anyone else have thoughts?
For the full article, go
here.
I'm of two minds about this. On the one hand, kids are naturally curious about each other's bodies, so I can see the value in satisfying that curiosity in a safe, controlled environment. At the same time, establishing an open attitude towards sexuality early on could potentially prevent the shame and embarassment that lead to so many problems in the teenage years.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, how much (beyond the simple concept of gender) can kids that age really understand? Teaching a kindergarten class about sex is like teaching them about automobile engine repair - it's not exactly a concept they can readily put into practice. Not to mention (and I hate that this has to be a consideration), in this day and age you really have to worry about some adult taking advantage of the situation.
I don't know. Maybe making kids more comfortable and aware of their bodies will eventually make the subject less taboo in older kids/adults, which will open up to ideas about birth control and sex. I think it's a step in the right direction, but I'm not sure kindergarten is the best time to introduce the info about sex. I don't know - maybe if they're just talking to the differences in bodies and then lead to later things in later years? I know all of my kids got curious about sex (or "how are babies made?") right around 7 years old or 2nd grade. But I also know parents who are adament that they don't want to talk to their kids about sex until they're 12+...I know some who still think their 15 year old high school sophomores are ignorant about sex, but they're just deluding themselves.
ReplyDeleteThis is strange and disturbing, and I don't know what to make of it. I have teenage kids and I am pretty open with them about sex, but doing this at such a young age seems like it could only land you in hot water. Why do kids this age need to see this? I don't think they are mentally even able to deal with this stuff at that age, so it seems like a bad idea for them to be playing with these dolls. Maybe I am being a prude, I don't know, but I think there is a right time and this doesn't seem like it.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Heather. Too freaky for me!
ReplyDeleteI'll just tag along with Jill and Heather. Inside my home, when my kids were young, they knew the difference between boys and girls and we didn't act like any of that was dirty or secret, but really. I think this is over the top.
ReplyDeleteOh, good heavens. I'll add that my delicate sensibilities are offended by that doll! And I don't fancy myself a prude, but wow.
ReplyDeleteOh wow, I'm just not sure about that doll. That's a little freaky that they would use dolls like that with such young kids. I'm just not sure it's appropriate!
ReplyDeleteMy thought was: "uhhhhhh...what is this on Trisha's blog???: for about a minute before I stopped staring, baffled, at the pictures and decided to read your post. I'm not so sure about this approach. I will be curious to see if future statistics improve.
ReplyDeleteThese kids seems so young for sex ed. Very creepy dolls!
ReplyDeleteI'm all for sex education but yeah … this kind of freaked me out a bit.
ReplyDelete