At what age should children learn about homosexuality?

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originally posted by Lisa N
Silly me growing up in the dark ages, I had no CLUE what a homosexual was until I was in my late teens. We did know some men seemed effeminate and my gym teacher, I learned later was a homosexual. But we never thought about it. She was just the gym teacher who wasn’t married. We had lots of unmarried teachers. In those days we just didn’t obsess over everyone else’s sex life.
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Oh Lisa I can so relate! I was married with a small child and still didn’t quite get it. My husband’s brother was a homosexual but no one discussed it. Thank God! Now it’s a rush to “come out to the world with pride.” Sickening.
Children do not need to know any sexual information until they ask a pertinent question and then a simple barebones answer will do as with any childish question. They’ll “get it” soon enough since it’s shoved in everyone’s face every day through TV, movies, and the print media. And also the poor children in school who have 2 mommies or 2 daddies.
 
At whatever age they ask, but the answer should be age -appropriate. It depends on what the child’s level of understanding is about sex in general. My 5 year old asked me about it, and I said some men want to marry other men, but it’s wrong because marriage is only between a woman and a man. Then she asked if they could have children and I told her no.
I also think the schools have no business discussing sex, including homosexuality, with kids. This should be the parents’ job.
 
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m134e5:
I believe children should learn about homosexuality BY THEIR PARENTS. Since public school systems seem want to shove it down people’s throats, and there are sexual predators out there, I think they should learn about it when they are about 5 years old. They don’t need to know the details of it- they just need to know the facts of life, and they need to know that some people are attracted to people of the same sex- but that sex belongs in marriage and marriage can only be between a man and a woman.
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Maybe I’m old fashioned (doddering 26 year old) but isn’t five awfully young for the 'facts of life/?
 
I Clicked “other”. My daughter is 8 and has never questioned where babies come from so I don’t think the gay question will come up any time soon. In any event, when if does I will explain clearly what it means and what my position and the church’s position. This is my oldest and I’m guessing it may come up in the birds and the bees discussion.
 
St.Claire said:
At what age should children learn about homosexuality ?

**How exactly would you explain homosexuality to your children? **
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As soon As they are exposed to it, you should start teaching them that it is wrong and to pray for those who are victims to it.

my son is six, and I have never used the word “homosexual” in our conversation, but i am careful to gender specific ideas, and activities.[ie, i don’t let him play with dolls, and I might say that a certian thing or activitiy is “for girls” and go ‘ewwwwwwww’ 😃 ]

The other day we were at the pool and the life guard was really good looking and he says, “hey dad, im gonna call her lifeguard hot chick”…:rotfl:

when it comes time, I will be very direct and biblical with him. honesty is the best policy. I will especially teach him to “hate the sin, but Love the sinner”
 
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BlindSheep:
Maybe I’m old fashioned (doddering 26 year old) but isn’t five awfully young for the 'facts of life/?
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Depends on the child. Children are people, and all people are different. But we’ve always answered all our children’s questions honestly regardless of age. Note, though, that “honestly” does not imply “completely”.

Young Kid: “Where do babies come from?”

Parent: “They grow inside the mommy’s belly”

It’s an honest answer, though obviously incomplete. Still, for the age of the child(ren) in question it was all the info they needed at the time. And, in fact, the answered satisfied for a few years before they thought to ask “how does the baby get there?”
 
Children shouldn’t be learning about impure things at all.
 
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bapcathluth:
Why on Earth should a three-year-old know about abortion?! Do you plan on giving them nightmares or do you want them to start picketing and a letter writing campaign. My goodness, I wouldn’t let my children at that age see anything about Bin Laden, the Twin Towers, the Holocaust, etc. I think they have time enough to learn about the evils of the world, and I don’t understand why you would mar their naivete, wonder and innocence if you don’t have to.
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My children are now 13, 11, and 9. They have known about the facts of life, etc from a very early age (about 2nd grade, I’d say). They ask questions. I answer honestly. A little more information with every question asked.

As far as knowing about abortion at age 3, at that age, they knew that abortion was a mommy killing her baby. THey would go to church to help their daddy do various fundraisers for prolife organizations. They would see models of unborn babies, the plastic life size baby feet, etc. Now, as a teen, and a preteens, they are adamantly prolife (and know more about the ugly act. THey also know that IF they choose to have sexual relations with a girl who is not their wife, SHE could choose to kill HIS baby). All three of them gave up going to their hockey games (which they love and are passionate about) to instead attend a prolife activity with their godfather.

When the twin towers happened, my youngest was in first grade. We’ve had MANY discussions of evil.

They are 3 very well rounded, well informed, compassionate, fabulous young men! I couldn’t be prouder of them.
 
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Ignatius:
Never! it is not a suitable subject for children.
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Ignatius - I trust you do not have children. Kids ARE going to learn about homosexuality, if not from their parents, then from other kids, TV, books, or overheard comments. “Never” is wishful thinking; parents have to address homosexuality with their children because society only presents it as an amoral “option,” and kids will pick up on that. The issue here is how and when to do the teaching.
 
At what age should children learn about homosexuality ?

Preferably, never.

There was a good reason that the tree of which Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat was the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” They already knew good. They didn’t need to know evil. But the serpent convinced them that it was necessary.
 
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Timidity:
Depends on the child. Children are people, and all people are different. But we’ve always answered all our children’s questions honestly regardless of age. Note, though, that “honestly” does not imply “completely”.

Young Kid: “Where do babies come from?”

Parent: “They grow inside the mommy’s belly”

It’s an honest answer, though obviously incomplete. Still, for the age of the child(ren) in question it was all the info they needed at the time. And, in fact, the answered satisfied for a few years before they thought to ask “how does the baby get there?”
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Yes, this is how I answer my children’s questions as well. I thought ‘facts of life’ referred to a complete explanation.
 
I don’t see a reason to teach children about homosexuality. Should the subject come up, fine–but the ages in the poll are way too young. It’s come up once with my oldest (11-1/2), and I didn’t even have to say anything for him to know it is wrong.
 
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maendem:
Ignatius - I trust you do not have children. Kids ARE going to learn about homosexuality, if not from their parents, then from other kids, TV, books, or overheard comments. “Never” is wishful thinking; parents have to address homosexuality with their children because society only presents it as an amoral “option,” and kids will pick up on that. The issue here is how and when to do the teaching.
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We have five children and six grandchildren. You are wrong, our young children and grandchildren ARE NOT going to learn about homosexuality as children. When they reach the age in which they become sexually aware, they are of an age to understand the message of Sodom and Gomorrah and the other teachings of Scripute and the Church. Introducing the subject at too early an age is what will engender a blasé attitude. But thanks for your opinion anyway.
 
My niece asked me about homosexuality years ago. I was very open with her and explained that some people are attracted to the same sex. I don’t think it is necessary to discuss any sexual explanations until they are older or until they ask.

Karen
 
I learned at 8, but it was only because my older brother and sister told me about it.

I think homosexuality should be shown some time after heterosexuality is inforced. If homosexuality is introduced too young it may eventually become a common casual thing to the child and they may think it’s okay to act gay.
I mean, I never did, but I also never thought a girl could like a girl or a guy could like a guy at 8.
 
I’m so glad I don’t have to worry about this talk in the immediate futire –

One more reason to homeschool! My oldest is 5 and has no idea about sex – when she’s old enough (8 or 9) I’ll have a real talk about sex – clinical, nothing more – and then when she runs into it and asks OR around the time the teen years hit and friends are figuring out “who they are” I’ll explain homosexuality – I want to give her as long as I can to see a “normal” relationship before we introduce a distortion.

Although we do have gay friends around and basically never bring it up – were it to be an issue I’d describe them as “room mates” for the time being. It will become obvious later though.
 
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Naphali:
Although we do have gay friends around and basically never bring it up – were it to be an issue I’d describe them as “room mates” for the time being. It will become obvious later though.
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That’s what my parents did. We lived in a duplex and the neighbors were two homosexual males. This was back in the 60s when it wasn’t discussed. My parents simply said Bill and Joe live in the same house. Kids are NOT obsessed with matters sexual at age 8 unless someone feeds them. Believe me until I was about 11 I thought all boys had germs EWWWWWW!!! I had close girlfriends and it was not at all sexual so it never occurred to me that two men or two women living together were sexual.
Lisa N
 
  1. I will assume this tthread is asking when the PARENTS shoud intervein.
  2. At ages under 12, the parents only answer if the child has asked. And below 11 or 12 - keep the answers short and to the point. The kids will forget in a brief time. You dont teach algebra to an 8 year old. How do you explain where babies come from? It was simple-right?
3.The question said “:SHOULD learn about Homosexuality”:. The word should gives me a problem. Are you thinking it is a mandatory thing to do? I know I never heard about , as we said then-Queers, until I was 14 to 15. You can live a normal life without digging into strange sexual behavior.

I heard the homosexuals invented the word “GAY”. It sounds better than"Queer".
 
Ideally, the answer to your question is “never” unless necessary.

America is not an ideal place. It is hard to say when a child will need to receive some information about “homosexuality”. There is no telling when and where an innocent child will have this kind of muck thrown in his or her face. Respond to it at that time. Other questions will arise later and should also be dealt with.

I am a strong believer in emphasizing the disordered nature of this problem while simultaneously reminding a child that these people are human beings with souls that Jesus died for. I am not averse to telling my son that the special crimes of “active” queers cry out to God for vengeance. To the extent that these perverts are allowed to publicly defend their despiccable “lifestyle” I am not averse to adding derisive invective to my commentary. But I am always very careful to encourage my son to “hate the sin and love the sinner.”
 
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