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I feel like you misread "don't teach them until they're a little older" as "don't teach them".
How hard is it to teach that some children have a mommy and a daddy, some have step parents, some are being raised by grandparents, some are adopted, some have two moms or two dads? There is even a story book that has all different types of families.
Why is it ok to talk to them about parts of the body, but not body parts from violent crime scenes? How about radiometric dating and intelligent design?
We live in a society where some topics are simpler to understand than others. Save the more complex and controversial topics for when they're more capable/older. You're not doing your kids any favor by reading them Milton and Shakespeare before One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish.
This in no way means that teaching your kids about violence, science, or Shakespeare is wrong. Just work on the fundamentals first.
I agree with you that some topics are complex or too adult. But they aren't talking about two men having drunken anal sex or a woman using a vibrator to a video of some woman-on-woman action. They're simply talking about human relationships. Two men who love each other. Two women who love each other. A boy worm who likes dolls and makeup.
These issues are complex, but most issues are. Math is complex. But there are basic elements to it. This is why it's reasonable to teach basic addition to children. I don't think human interaction is any different. Yes, there are some complex aspects of human interactions that should not be taught. But love is not one of them. Small children can easily wrap their mind around people who love each other.
They aren't diving in to the complexity of human sexuality. Just love.
An argument could possibly be brought up against the transgender book depending on the books content, but since none of us know that, I can't imagine it's anything too complicated. As I said, probably just a book about a worm who doesn't know if it likes dolls or action figures.
It's about exposing them to the basics of a complex topic. Exactly like teaching basic math. Perhaps sex education started earlier and in a more open way will bring better results. Less rape, fewer STDs, more intimate relationships, fewer cases of porn addiction.
How hard is it to teach that some children have a mommy and a daddy, some have step parents, some are being raised by grandparents, some are adopted, some have two moms or two dads? There is even a story book that has all different types of families.
Developmentally, it's not as important at that age to distinguish between different family structures. They're not ready at that age to understand many abstract and intangible ideas anyway.
Any parent that's taught a child what a dream is could tell you that.
"It's uh, like a movie when you close your eyes."
"A movie? I want to watch one!"
"No, no... at night time when you go to bed."
"Ok, bed, then movie??"
"When you close your eyes and fall asleep first, you'll have your own movie."
"Ok, I close my eyes! Movie now?"
"Sigh. Goodnight, sweetie..."
Developmentally, it's not as important at that age to distinguish between different family structures. They're not ready at that age to understand many abstract and intangible ideas anyway.
Any parent that's taught a child what a dream is could tell you that.
"It's uh, like a movie when you close your eyes."
"A movie? I want to watch one!"
"No, no... at night time when you go to bed."
"Ok, bed, then movie??"
"When you close your eyes and fall asleep first, you'll have your own movie."
"Ok, I close my eyes! Movie now?"
"Sigh. Goodnight, sweetie..."
And seeing as how some of the students in that class may have two moms or two dads, or step parents or adoptive parents it includes all students. Do people get upset when a book mentions mom and dad? No. But have a story book that mentions other family structures and all heck breaks loose.
I agree with you that some topics are complex or too adult. But they aren't talking about two men having drunken anal sex or a woman using a vibrator to a video of some woman-on-woman action. They're simply talking about human relationships. Two men who love each other. Two women who love each other. A boy worm who likes dolls and makeup.
These issues are complex, but most issues are. Math is complex. But there are basic elements to it. This is why it's reasonable to teach basic addition to children. I don't think human interaction is any different. Yes, there are some complex aspects of human interactions that should not be taught. But love is not one of them. Small children can easily wrap their mind around people who love each other.
They aren't diving in to the complexity of human sexuality. Just love.
An argument could possibly be brought up against the transgender book depending on the books content, but since none of us know that, I can't imagine it's anything too complicated. As I said, probably just a book about a worm who doesn't know if it likes dolls or action figures.
It's about exposing them to the basics of a complex topic. Exactly like teaching basic math. Perhaps sex education started earlier and in a more open way will bring better results. Less rape, fewer STDs, more intimate relationships, fewer cases of porn addiction.
I get what you're saying, but I don't agree that they can understand what abstract concepts like "love" really mean when they're only 4 years old. They can repeat the phrase, but does the phrase "I love you" have any more meaning to them than "I blargle you", if you have the same reaction to both phrases?
I wonder if there are studies out there to research that question -- "how early does a child understand persistent emotions like love?"
If it's 4 or younger, I'd concede this point. Otherwise, it might not be a bad idea for others here to reconsider their views a little.
Some people choose to deal with life as it is, some do not.
For those that do not, I suppose homeschooling is an option.
Hey, I homeschooled my kids partially so I could teach them about how the real world actually works without all the PC BS in approved curriculums.
I just can't imagine why parents do not want their kids to have knowledge and learn about stuff that exists. The lessons, I'm sure, are not about how gay people have sex or anything graphic. It's probably "Billy and his dads Joe and Bob went to the zoo."
Gay people exist whether some people like it or not. Trying to hide this fact from kids seems ridiculously silly.
I get what you're saying, but I don't agree that they can understand what abstract concepts like "love" really mean when they're only 4 years old. They can repeat the phrase, but does the phrase "I love you" have any more meaning to them than "I blargle you", if you have the same reaction to both phrases?
I wonder if there are studies out there to research that question -- "how early does a child understand persistent emotions like love?"
If it's 4 or younger, I'd concede this point. Otherwise, it might not be a bad idea for others here to reconsider their views a little.
Quote:
Between the ages of 2 and 3, your child will understand the basic building blocks of relationships: Love and trust.
Hey, I homeschooled my kids partially so I could teach them about how the real world actually works without all the PC BS in approved curriculums.
I just can't imagine why parents do not want their kids to have knowledge and learn about stuff that exists. The lessons, I'm sure, are not about how gay people have sex or anything graphic. It's probably "Billy and his dads Joe and Bob went to the zoo."
Gay people exist whether some people like it or not. Trying to hide this fact from kids seems ridiculously silly.
Who is trying to hide the existence of gay people? I didn't get that vibe from the article.
Who is trying to hide the existence of gay people? I didn't get that vibe from the article.
The parents were upset over a story that had a same sex couple. It was probably like the other one that came up recently that had all different family structures and had one page that said Bobby has two mommies.
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