Sensitive Objectives
If you're new here, you may want to get updates for FREE by Email or RSS. Thanks for visiting!
In my inbox the other day comes a gem from POE, DW’s ex-husband. It was actually copied to both of us. I nearly fell out of my chair laughing.
You see, SD1 is about to embark on a course of study to close out the school year called “Sensitive Objectives.” You, like us, may be wondering what in hell that means exactly. Perhaps you already know that it’s the new, nice-nice name for SEX EDUCATION! *cue sinister music* It’s probably more along the lines of an early sex-ed, I mean, it’s only 3rd-grade here, and is likely focused on the functions of certain body parts in addition to all of the rest.
The school sent a letter home which looked curiously like a warning letter. We could only laugh at “sensitive objectives” over and over again. Toss in a high level of comfortability on the part of DW and I and a little girl who “doesn’t like to say the word penis” - we (see: I) made sure to use the word a lot during the ensuing conversations. It was quite funny.
Anyway… the email - the kind of email you get when you have a normal, friendly relationship with an ex-spouse, in this case, DW’s ex-husband:
LM & DW,
So we are sitting at breakfast and SD1 says, “Hey dad I have health class today.”
“Uh okay.”
“LM said I should tell you that it’s about sex and that we will talk about penises so you will be prepared and not faint.”
“Uh…”
So is she really having the sex talk at school today and I have no idea about it until after they started to talk about it? Email me at work and let me know…this should be a fun week.
~POE
She makes me laugh with her frankness. That is exactly what I said to her, if only so that she had to hear the word “penis” and “vagina” again. These words don’t seem to bother any of the boys, all SS1 could do is laugh at all of the penis and vagina talk.
My take is that it is more about the functionality of the parts more than it is a full blown (no pun intended) sex-education series of discussions. I guess we’ll see when the reports come in… after all… IT’S POE’S WEEK! *whew*
We essentially told them (both, even though SD1 is the one getting this education) to be prepared for what is to be discussed and be comfortable asking us any questions that they may have.
Too funny.
June 5th, 2008 at 11:46 am
We just went through this too with DD2 my autistic child. Wee HOOOOO! I didn’t even tell PB that one because I didn’t want to deal with the crap.
Sensitive objectives are funky to begin with. They are even more so funky to discuss, at least for me and PB’s “adultery and fornication” propaganda campaign he’s spewed at the kids about me.
I have been very honest with the kids all along though, and had read them some books years ago as part of a health unit during our homeschooling days.
I remember very vividly sitting around the table after we’d just told them all they DH and I were expecting a baby and asked if they had any questions. DD 3 matter of factly aks me, “Does this have to do anything with that pe### thing?”
DH spit out his drink and was like, that’s my cue to exit ladies.
Now, whenever we have those inevitable “mars/venus” conflicts, either DH or I will say, “Wait a minute, I think this has to do with that pe### thing, doesn’t it?”
June 5th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
VAMomma… it’s also okay to type “PENIS.”
June 5th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
One never knows…..sensitive objectives…..
LOL.
June 6th, 2008 at 5:12 am
Oh, too funny. In our (all-female) household, such topics have been openly discussed without hesitation.
Imagine hearing your 12-year old daughter ask you if you think she’s going to “turn gay” because her father abused her and someone had told her that abuse is the cause of homosexuality. That was a great conversation.
The best one, however, was when one daughter (age 4) took a bath with her male cousin (age 4) and she saw a penis for the first time. She pulled me aside all concerned and said “Mama, I’m really worried about [Cousin]. A little piece of his bottom has broken off and it’s hanging down.”
As for what the kids learn in school… well, my tactic was always to “beat ‘em to the punch.”