Catholic Sex Education Resource for Teens 6th-8th

[DarrenM]

I am opting-out of the public school sex education for my 6th grade son and wonder if anyone can recommend a good video series for youth and parents. I don’t want to just focus on Church teaching and viewpoints but also incorporates a critical look at the garbage the world is trying to thrust on our kids. Subject like gender identity.

Any resources you can recommend would be appreciated.

 

[QuasiCatholic]

I am opting-out of the public school sex education for my 6th grade son and wonder if anyone can recommend a good video series for youth and parents. I don’t want to just focus on Church teaching and viewpoints but also incorporates a critical look at the garbage the world is trying to thrust on our kids. Subject like gender identity.

Any resources you can recommend would be appreciated.

If you want something that also covers “the garbage the world is trying to thrust on our kids” (also known as medical science? ) why not just let her take the class at school and then discuss what she’s learning with her when she gets home. That way she’ll get both perspectives, and you’ll get a chance to address the things you disagree with that she’ll probably learn from friends anyway even if she sits out the class.

(P.S > While I wasn’t Catholic at the time, I can’t think of anything we learned or discussed in public school sex ed that would be incompatible with Catholic beliefs except for going over different forms of birth control. And honestly that’s good stuff to know even if you don’t plan to use it. But it was mostly anatomy, STDs and how to avoid abusive relationships.)

 

[DarrenM]

I normally would agree with that approach, but when one of the topics is “Analyze external influences that have an impact on one’s attitudes about gender, sexual orientation and identity,” red lights and sirens go off.

 

[Crown_of_Stars]

Sexual identity questioning is ridiculous, and only causes unnecessary confusion. It’s very simple. “Male and female He created them.” Adam, a man, Eve, a woman. There are two genders. We are what we are. End of story. I don’t have any children, never will, too late for that now, but if I did, I would choose to teach my child about sex myself, in my own way. They would be taught the values I feel are right, and I think, personally, more and more parents should do this. I think it must have been what they did in ancient times. There were no “sex classes.” The mother taught the daughters, the father taught the sons, if the families were such that it could work out this way. I still think that old-fashioned way is the best and safest way.

 

[1ke]

Ascension Press has a Theology of the Body Middle School edition. It’s pricey though. I suggest you check with your diocesan catechesis office. Our has a lending library with all sorts of great programs. They can be checked out for free.

ascensionpress.com/t/category/study-programs/teen-chastity/middle-school-edition

 

[esieffe]

I think at this age, you ask if they have questions about their bodies. This should be conducted by a parent only. You can address the role of sexuality in adulthood, depending on the maturation level of the child and what he or she has been exposed to. Boys hear it before girls, in most cases.

All families with children at any age should be using content filters on the internet period. Let your kids know that you or a Priest [only] are available for questions. I personally think that Dads should address boys and Moms the girls.

It may be old fashioned, but anything outside of the role of sexuality in marriage should wait till they are into puberty. Google Catholic resources on this subject. Don’t wait to order resources, order now. I am glad that you are preparing. You are right not to leave this to the public school system.

 

[Estevao]

I don’t know about the rest, but a good debunking of the gender agenda is done by Dale O’Leary in her book “The Gender Agenda” and in articles on the web:

daleoleary.wordpress.com/

 

[QuasiCatholic]

It may be old fashioned, but anything outside of the role of sexuality in marriage should wait till they are into puberty.

Where to begin …

1. I had a very sheltered childhood and I already was hearing about sex and sexual jokes from classmates by fourth grade. We knew all the slang words for body parts. We knew what lesbians were. We knew various sexual acts (probably better than we understood actual sex, lol). When I was older I tutored at a summer program for fourth graders and they were joking about hookers. There is no point in waiting to discuss this stuff – your kids are talking about it (or doing it) already anyway.
2. When exactly do you think puberty begins? Granted, some kids are late bloomers, but most girls are already menstruating by fourth or fifth grade. Fifth or sixth grade seems to be pretty standard for “the talk.”
3. To the other poster’s point, gender identity issues are one of those things that exist whether you believe in them or not. There are homosexuals in the world. There are transgendered people in the world. Your kids will meet them. Heck – your kids might BE them! And as I mentioned in #1, your kids probably already hear more about them then you realize. Also, the whole male/female thing doesn’t adequately explain hermaphrodites or people with odd chromosome combinations (like XXY). I don’t understand why people have trouble accepting that other odd gender identity issues could be valid given that we already know those things exist for sure.

 

[QuasiCatholic]

Where to begin …

1. I had a very sheltered childhood and I already was hearing about sex and sexual jokes from classmates by fourth grade. We knew all the slang words for body parts. We knew what lesbians were. We knew various sexual acts (probably better than we understood actual sex, lol). When I was older I tutored at a summer program for fourth graders and they were joking about hookers. There is no point in waiting to discuss this stuff – your kids are talking about it (or doing it) already anyway.
2. When exactly do you think puberty begins? Granted, some kids are late bloomers, but most girls are already menstruating by fifth grade. Fifth or sixth grade seems to be pretty standard for “the talk.”
3. To the other poster’s point, gender identity issues are one of those things that exist whether you believe in them or not. There are homosexuals in the world. There are transgendered people in the world. Your kids will meet them. Heck – your kids might BE them! And as I mentioned in #1, your kids probably already hear more about them then you realize. Also, the whole male/female thing doesn’t adequately explain hermaphrodites or people with odd chromosome combinations (like XXY). I don’t understand why people have trouble accepting that other odd gender identity issues could be valid given that we already know those things exist for sure.

 

[Regina7]

I commend you for taking your child out of the class. While your kid may hear about sex in the schoolyard, it’s much different when it’s a respected teacher speaking on gender and sex. This curriculum is not merely informative and neutral–not what most of us were exposed to-- but is quite liberal.

I agree in reaching out to your diocese. They will have something that the Catholic schools use.

God bless!

 

[peace2u2]

Theology of the Body:
thetheologyofthebody.com/information/teens

 

[SnowAngels]

I am opting-out of the public school sex education for my 6th grade son and wonder if anyone can recommend a good video series for youth and parents. I don’t want to just focus on Church teaching and viewpoints but also incorporates a critical look at the garbage the world is trying to thrust on our kids. Subject like gender identity.

Any resources you can recommend would be appreciated.

I recommend getting your hands on some Pam Stenzel tapes! She is not subtle at all, but she does get the point across. My sister and I watched her when we were younger, and we still remember everything she said.

 

[SnowAngels]

Theology of the Body:
thetheologyofthebody.com/information/teens

 

[Irishmom2]

Jason Evert is an easy to understand writer and speaker about chastity and waiting until marriage. He had a tv series on EWTN, wrote numerous books, and has DVDs.

 

[DarrenM]

Thanks to all of you and blessings for taking the time to reply.

I believe I have all I need.

 

[manualman]

If you want something that also covers “the garbage the world is trying to thrust on our kids” (also known as medical science? ) …

The assertion that using a condom turns the dangerous practice of fornication into “safe sex” is neither medical, nor scientific. Sorry. Public schools vary, of course, but our society as a whole has largely bought into the idea that anything that turns you on is fine as long as it’s consensual, nobody gets pregnant and you take minimal steps to prevent disease transmission. It’s inevitable that such a message ends up being taught to our kids as if it were ‘scientific.’

THAT, my friend, is what the world is trying to thrust on our kids.

I’d agree with you if the TRUTH about contraceptives, STDs and condoms were taught in sex ed. But they’re not. Disease transmission, unlike pregnancy, can happen at ANY time of the month. In typical use, condoms are appallingly ineffective at preventing pregnancy (high failure rate). Given that, I’m not sure why people have such confidence that they will prevent STD transmission. Seems like a literally flimsy hope.

 

[Linusthe2nd]

I am opting-out of the public school sex education for my 6th grade son and wonder if anyone can recommend a good video series for youth and parents. I don’t want to just focus on Church teaching and viewpoints but also incorporates a critical look at the garbage the world is trying to thrust on our kids. Subject like gender identity.

Any resources you can recommend would be appreciated.

Here’s a good place to start. Coleen Kelly Mast has been teaching the subject in Catholic Schools for years. sexrespect.com/main.html

I would avoid anything by Christopher West.

Pax
Linus2nd

 

[EnglishTeacher]

Where to begin …
2) When exactly do you think puberty begins? Granted, some kids are late bloomers, but most girls are already menstruating by fourth or fifth grade. Fifth or sixth grade seems to be pretty standard for “the talk.”

I’m guessing you are male? 12 is the average age of first menstruation for girls in the US. While a few may begin younger than this, 4th grade would definitely be outside the norm, and 5th grade would be younger than average as well.