Sex Education for Children?

Teen-age pregnancies have risen to a confounding number recently. This upsetting upward trend has alarmed those who are so concerned with the well-being of the youth. Why is this so? Evidently something has to be done to control this.

It is obvious that the conservative attitudes of the Filipino women have radically given way to the modern, aggressive traits of the women in the western and the European regions. With the craze of working outside the country or visiting other places in the world, the cool thing is to be up to date in the global affairs. That is to be open to the fashionable things that the other youth groups in the popular places outside our country do. So the passion of our young ones to emulate the ‘chic fashion’ – from the style of dressing, the lingo, points of view, manners and  even the way of handling growing up pressures and difficulties are closely observed and followed.

The young ones apparently learn it through their readings or from the idiot box (we call TV) they so cherish in their living rooms. Children almost always fall victim to these things. The telenovelas they follow show how teens openly display affection wherever or whenever they wanted to. More often it is without regard to ethical behavior and decency. Extramarital and incestuous relationships are dignified by the writers of these stories; condoned by the producers and liked by the viewers. Advertisements show how feminine sexuality attracts and how masculinity is proven by having strings of women screwed in a little time. Even teen magazines that are supposedly wholesome and enlightening give information that are really instructional but to the detriment of the values of our youth. Why do they publish it, air it or dramatize these junks? Come on, it is innate in men to be curious about what two people do in private. So they give it to the public. Other teens are more inclined to experiment as several of them do not even have the knowledge of the gravity of its actual consequences. Worse, female teens are easy prey to the adventurous males of their age.

It’s been repeatedly alluded in the pulpits, told to parents and taught to the young that there is never something passé in the moral values of man; however, the truth remains that there is that changing of the individual’s outlook and attitude relative to his education, environment, and  life experiences. The biggest factors though in his/her behavior is his or her family and home atmosphere.

The legislators and the Department of Education expressly find it best to make human sexuality part of the whole curriculum so that the youth will learn the human sexual reproduction system and process without malicious connotations in it. Very good! We remind them then that the readiness of the younger ones in the elementary years to learn about sex or sexuality varies even as they belong to the same grade level or section. It is not just like saying, “Boys have a penis, and girls have a vagina.” There’s more to it that every hands-on parent can attest when the child begins a tirade of queries. Therefore, utmost care in introducing the matter to them is a must. Otherwise it will be a counterproductive effort on the part of the adults again. So, how do we know that children are ready to learn about something?

The rule is, when children begin to ask questions about anything; then they’ll be receptive to the knowledge taught pertaining to it.
Question: Need we be alarmed about the teens getting pregnant? Yes, regardless of how modern and updated we may be in science and technology. That is, of course, for the main reason that a child cannot be so responsible for the security of another child that might come out of an illicit and immature union.
Should we leave it to the hands of the mentors alone? No. Parents, especially mothers, should be responsible in teaching the gender of children at home and inculcating in them the values of self-respect so that they’ll know what responsibility they have of their sexuality that comes with accountability to themselves, their family, and the community. On top of all these, lay down a good spiritual foundation to make them strong. Why? A God-fearing person is more likely to be steadfast amidst peer pressures.

Again, sex is a delicate matter to discuss with children so that proper care in handling the questions is advised. Now tell me, who is better able to give a sound counsel to the young ones?  Of course, YOU, who love them with no conditions plus those who are genuinely concerned with the way they live. Talk to your children. Reach out to them with love, affection and compassion. Be their friend, Teach them and bid them to love and respect themselves… or would you rather want them to learn from their peers who are just as confused as they are… or worse, the kanto?