Educating about puberty?

Jolie, BSN · Nov 18, 2010

Spoke to 4th grade girls about menstruation.

Built upon that with 5th grade girls to "connect all the dots" from puberty to conception and pregnancy.

The boys are spoken to in 5th grade, by a male teacher.

schooldistrictnurse · Nov 18, 2010

If you're going to embark on this journey, you really should consider a comprehensive growth and development sequence starting in 4th or 5th grade and continuing on to HS. Parents should have an "opt-out" choice and information on the content annually. These components are covered by state law (in WI). The curriculum is also covered by school board policy to ensure consistent and approved content. I present some of the info, it is also taught in part by health teacher(s), guidance counselor and science teachers.

LACA, BSN, LPN, RN · Nov 18, 2010

We provide a permission slip home a couple of weeks in advance, giving parents the choice to opt out. It's written in large letters on the slip that it is NOT A SEX EDUCATION CLASS. The kids are split by gender, I take the girls and the PE teacher takes the boys. The girls are taught about periods, cleanliness, and self esteem. The boys are taught about cleanliness, self esteem, and other male issues. The kids are told up front that they are NOT allowed to discuss anything about the class with any other child at school---this prevents them from telling kids whose parents opted out and keeps them from telling younger children. They are told that if they are caught discussing it, they will be punished immediately. We have our discussion at the end of the year, on a Friday afternoon.

morte, LPN, LVN · Nov 18, 2010

We provide a permission slip home a couple of weeks in advance, giving parents the choice to opt out. It's written in large letters on the slip that it is NOT A SEX EDUCATION CLASS. The kids are split by gender, I take the girls and the PE teacher takes the boys. The girls are taught about periods, cleanliness, and self esteem. The boys are taught about cleanliness, self esteem, and other male issues. The kids are told up front that they are NOT allowed to discuss anything about the class with any other child at school---this prevents them from telling kids whose parents opted out and keeps them from telling younger children. They are told that if they are caught discussing it, they will be punished immediately. We have our discussion at the end of the year, on a Friday afternoon.

and the PTB really think this works????? and punishing children for talking about such things really sends a very bad message

Jolie, BSN · Nov 19, 2010

Forgot to mention that parents are invited to preview the presentation and/or attend. About 1/2 do so. Out of 3 schools, I can only recall one or two parents declining permission for their children to attend.

Occasionally, after the 4th grade talk, I've had a student come to me with questions about sex, pregnancy, etc. I let them know that those are important questions, but that I need to stick to the content that their parents were informed of and approved of them hearing. I let them know that I'd be happy to discuss "more advanced" information with them, if their parents give permission.

Much to my surprise, I've had a few moms come back with their 4th grade daughters and ask that I discuss sex and pregnancy. I appreciate that they value the opportunity for their daughters to learn this information from a reliable source.

Schooldistrictnurse is abslutely right that you must stick to district-approved information and time-line. It takes forever in our area to get changes approved, even something as simple as an updated film (one without 80's hair and fashion).

LACA, BSN, LPN, RN · Nov 19, 2010

They aren't necessarily punished for talking about it in general, but if a parent doesn't want their child included in the discussion, I'm sure they don't want another child replaying the discussion word for word to them. Also, it's not a good idea for them to be out and about on the playground telling younger kids all about what was discussed. And for the record, yes it does actually work and the kids understand the reasoning behind it. It wasn't my idea, but it seems to work just fine and I don't see an issue with it.

morte, LPN, LVN · Nov 19, 2010

They aren't necessarily punished for talking about it in general, but if a parent doesn't want their child included in the discussion, I'm sure they don't want another child replaying the discussion word for word to them. Also, it's not a good idea for them to be out and about on the playground telling younger kids all about what was discussed. And for the record, yes it does actually work and the kids understand the reasoning behind it. It wasn't my idea, but it seems to work just fine and I don't see an issue with it.

in retrospect, i think the younger the better.....I am old enough to be your grandparent.......the younger these things become part of life, the less problem ignorance is going to cause.

LACA, BSN, LPN, RN · Nov 19, 2010

I don't necessarily agree with that. I don't think that 5th graders need to be telling 2nd graders and younger about periods and such. Ignorance is going to be a problem regardless of what age you educate children about things. That's never really going to change.

GooeyRN, ADN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN · Nov 19, 2010

I think it is great you want to implement this with 4th graders! Not every parent has the talk with kids soon enough. I had my period in fourth grade. We didn't get the "talk" until 5th grade, towards the end of the year. (public school) I was very glad my mom had the talk with me when I was in 3rd grade, or I would have been extremely scared and embarrassed when I got my period at school in 4th grade. I can't imagine finding what seems like a large amount of blood soaking through pants and not knowing WHY it is there. I had a male teacher, it isn't like I would want him coming to the bathroom with me to see what the problem was. (we did not have a nurse for every building)

My daughter got "the talk" of very basics at 4 years old. She saw a used maxi pad in a public bathroom. She asked, I answered. I don't think it is a big deal that she knows a woman will bleed from her lady parts for a few days every month. She doesn't know it all now at 5, but she does understand that it is to prepare the womans body to carry a baby, and if the mom is pregnant, she will most likely not bleed when pregnant. I don't see how it is harmful her knowing that.

LACA, BSN, LPN, RN · Nov 19, 2010

Telling your own child is different....I will make sure that I am very upfront and honest w/ my daughter when the time comes, just like my mother was with me. However, not every parent feels that way and I'm not comfortable overstepping that boundary in a school setting. Perhaps telling the 5th graders to not discuss the lecture outside that particular discussion looks wrong to some people, and I see that POV, but I also understand that I do NOT want an irate Mama down my throat because 7 year old Susie got an education in Menustration 101 on the school bus by some 5th graders that discussed it with me. Am I only making sense to myself or does anyone else understand what I'm trying to say??

Jolie, BSN · Nov 19, 2010

LACA,

I understand and agree that receiving matter of fact information from Mom is a whole lot different than being "educated" by a newly-knowledgable 5th grader on the bus.

But I also agree it seems silly to "forbid" students from discussing any topic. In my experience, that just makes the conversations more likely to happen. When I've given talks, I have stressed that this is sensitive information, to be discussed like adults and with adults. By treating students in an adult manner, we typically get their cooperation in not discussing body functions inappropriately, as opposed to forbidding conversations that we can't really control anyway.