Primary Schoolers Sex

Primary Schoolers Sex

• Preschoolers and children up to the age of seven tend to think that babies come from some place in the mother's stomach, heaven or even the cabbage patch. Babies are just there all the time.
• Around seven years of age children can think babies are made from materials rather like the ingredients in a recipe. This makes it hard for babies to get into the mother's womb! Some seven year olds think babies grow from seeds or eggs, and all the mother has to do is eat them. Others believe that what the mother eats will be turned into the baby.
• Children between the ages of nine and 11 generally understand that babies result from a sexual joining but aren't sure how. By 13 most children will understand that sexual intercourse produces babies but are often unclear about the role of sperm and egg. In fact, most 15 year olds are still unclear about how babies are actually made!
• Talking about sexual intercourse can be embarrassing. Often children are told about sex with confusing words.
• Children can understand about sex from five onwards.
• They need to know about babies and sex because:
  • children need to be treated honestly in all matters
  • it is easy for them to get wrong ideas which means they may behave in ways that are not acceptable
  • it provides a way for children to explore ideas and talk about family issues.
• Parents need to give information that's appropriate to the child's age.
• The more comfortable a parent is when talking about sex, the more comfortable a child will be with asking questions.

Parenting tips & parenting articles copyright & courtesy
Department for Community Devlp, Australia.

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