Family Learning

In early May, at pick-up, I asked one of the other moms if they remembered the kids doing their family learning unit.  No one seemed to remember, but we all figured it was lost in the detritus of our lives. We lamented missing the teachable moments and the chance to let our kids know it is ok to talk to us about sex and what is going on with their bodies.

When I quizzed Mac on the topic he seemed to think they weren't doing family learning this year.  Budget cuts and all. The school board axed family learning in favor of keeping some other program.  That didn't really seem realistic, but the kids had not seen the movie and the days were ticking away.

Friday, in the backpacks we got the letter.   With only 4 1/2 days of school left they decide to do the family learning unit.  Bob finally has to have the discussion with his son about what happens with his body as he matures.  He finally has to discuss where babies come from.  Due to his total lack of willingness to do this, I have had some initial conversations with Mac about it.  Because face it, if I left it to Bob, Mac would have to find out about all this on the internet.

I would like to go on record as saying that the girl movie is WAY more traumatic than the boy movie.  Seriously, they talk about where you are going to get hair on your body in the boy movie. 

Tuesday, Mac saw the movies and was in his words, scared for life.  We had a good conversation about what he saw and I think that he felt comfortable discussing sex and his body with us.  Score one for good parenting.  Then on Wednesday, they had a little Q/A session.  I wish I could have been a fly on the wall to watch the teachers deal with the questions.  I will share a few with you, but please note that this might be a bit graphic in nature.  If you are faint of heart, I would stop reading now.  You have been warned.

One question asked was, "What are testicles?"  The answer given by one of the kids was, "it is a bag for your sperm, sort of like a penis purse."  Can you imagine not cracking up at that answer?  But the teachers have to stay totally calm and collected.  I would have had to bite my cheek not to crack up.

The next question was about how babies were made.  So the teachers talk about how the sperm and egg join together the make the baby.  Most kids know that the baby is in the mother's body, so one kid asks, how did my Dad's sperm get into my Mom?  The answer was, that is one question you will have to ask your parents about.  Mac had wanted to know if he would see that on the movie.  I told him no, I mean really, are they showing porn at school these days?  So there is stands, there is a big question about how the sperm actually makes it to the egg. 

I asked Mac after hearing a bit about the questions his classmates asked, if he found that more or less traumatic than the movies.  He said that the movie was the worst.  Porn and penis purses, and he is scared by seeing a drawing of a naked woman?  Well, at least family learning didn't get axed in the most recent set of budget reductions.