Comments on: How early is too early? http://karenrayne.com/2007/03/21/how-early-is-too-early/ Thu, 17 May 2012 22:23:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Alice http://karenrayne.com/2007/03/21/how-early-is-too-early/comment-page-1/#comment-30 Alice Sat, 24 Mar 2007 20:42:00 +0000 http://karenrayne.com/?p=12#comment-30 I wouldn't let a 5 year old put a condom on a banana, but I would probably let her blow it up like a balloon...and I let my 17 month old play with the packaging! I want her to feel comfortable seeing them and handling them. I wouldn’t let a 5 year old put a condom on a banana, but I would probably let her blow it up like a balloon…and I let my 17 month old play with the packaging! I want her to feel comfortable seeing them and handling them.

]]> By: Karen Rayne http://karenrayne.com/2007/03/21/how-early-is-too-early/comment-page-1/#comment-21 Karen Rayne Thu, 22 Mar 2007 15:51:00 +0000 http://karenrayne.com/?p=12#comment-21 Figuring out if and/or when to show a young person how to use a condom is so contentious! I figure a 16 year old is old enough for almost everyone, and 7 is certainly too young for anyone.<br/><br/>I think that, for most children, sometime around the beginning of high school is about right. But the only way to name an age would be along with many qualifiers! Sex education, ideally, happens just before a young person needs it. Regrettably, there's just no way to know when they will! Figuring out if and/or when to show a young person how to use a condom is so contentious! I figure a 16 year old is old enough for almost everyone, and 7 is certainly too young for anyone.

I think that, for most children, sometime around the beginning of high school is about right. But the only way to name an age would be along with many qualifiers! Sex education, ideally, happens just before a young person needs it. Regrettably, there’s just no way to know when they will!

]]> By: Dorian http://karenrayne.com/2007/03/21/how-early-is-too-early/comment-page-1/#comment-20 Dorian Thu, 22 Mar 2007 12:17:00 +0000 http://karenrayne.com/?p=12#comment-20 But, you still didn't answer the question you posed. How early is too early? Will you open a condom package with your 5 year old daughter and pull out a banana? I bet not. How about 7 years old? Still sounds too early for me. There are lots of 11 year old girls giving birth these days - shall we say every 10 year old girl needs 'the lesson'? I don't think so. I think it is something that needs to be figured out in the context of the child and the community she is living in. Are there any firm guidelines on this or suggestions by others? But, you still didn’t answer the question you posed. How early is too early? Will you open a condom package with your 5 year old daughter and pull out a banana? I bet not. How about 7 years old? Still sounds too early for me. There are lots of 11 year old girls giving birth these days - shall we say every 10 year old girl needs ‘the lesson’? I don’t think so. I think it is something that needs to be figured out in the context of the child and the community she is living in. Are there any firm guidelines on this or suggestions by others?

]]>