"I have a Penis"
This week Charlie has started a unit in Sex Education courtesy of Tillamook School District 9. They have divided the boys and girls and are teaching them about reproduction and their bodies. I'm absolutely fascinated - and questioned him energetically on what he learned...
My favorite story from the curriculum so far was Charlie having to turn to the child sitting next to him and say, "I have a penis."
I asked him who it was, and found out it was a close friend of his next to him. Don't you expect he knew that already? Turns out he did. Cause he told Charlie he had one too.
They also saw a video showing some sort of erection in progress, close up. I told him my story of being a new mom when he was born not knowing that erections can happen very young, they aren't always associated with puberty. When I was changing his diaper once as an infant I was completely alarmed to find him at full attention and yelled for his father. I guess that's normal - but it completely freaked me out.
It was fun to talk to him about the class. Although we have been very open with our children about sex, it gave an opening and a comfortable fun atmosphere for me to ask him some questions about the changes his body may be experiencing and how he feels about it. He also was able to tell me how uncomfortably the teacher responded when one of the kids asked about being gay... (essentially he shut him off and said that was a topic for home).
I told him I didn't think it was an entirely bad idea to discuss those things at home either. I would hate for him to exposed to intolerance from other kids or worse yet from an educator.
I find each new chapter of parenthood, if nothing else, completely fascinating.
My favorite story from the curriculum so far was Charlie having to turn to the child sitting next to him and say, "I have a penis."
I asked him who it was, and found out it was a close friend of his next to him. Don't you expect he knew that already? Turns out he did. Cause he told Charlie he had one too.
They also saw a video showing some sort of erection in progress, close up. I told him my story of being a new mom when he was born not knowing that erections can happen very young, they aren't always associated with puberty. When I was changing his diaper once as an infant I was completely alarmed to find him at full attention and yelled for his father. I guess that's normal - but it completely freaked me out.
It was fun to talk to him about the class. Although we have been very open with our children about sex, it gave an opening and a comfortable fun atmosphere for me to ask him some questions about the changes his body may be experiencing and how he feels about it. He also was able to tell me how uncomfortably the teacher responded when one of the kids asked about being gay... (essentially he shut him off and said that was a topic for home).
I told him I didn't think it was an entirely bad idea to discuss those things at home either. I would hate for him to exposed to intolerance from other kids or worse yet from an educator.
I find each new chapter of parenthood, if nothing else, completely fascinating.
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