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'It's freaking awesome': This mom welcomes the new CSE lesson plans

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Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash
Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

Debate is raging among parents and teachers about the new sex-ed curriculum, as many object to the "graphically explicit" updated Comprehensive Sexuality Education content the Department of Basic Education has provided to teachers as lesson plans for 2020. 

So many, in fact, that under two weeks, over 64 000 people have already joined a Facebook group called #LeaveOurKidsAlone, calling for a total stop to CSE in schools. 

Also read: #LeaveOurKidsAlone: Leader of anti sex ed group says they'll bring the country to a standstill

We also received hundreds of emails, messages and social media comments from worried parents.  

But not all see the idea of school-led sex education as a bad thing. 

In response to a question about whether or not it's necessary for a young boy to know what genitals look like, this mother of two boys shared her personal views on the issue, on Facebook and her post is going viral.

She gave Parent24 permission to share it with our readers. 

Read her story here:

" I remember being summoned to a day-care when my son was 3 years old, because he said to another little boy "Your penis is bigger than mine". 

The main concern for the teachers was that my son had mentioned the word "penis" a term used for genitalia he has.

To my son, saying "Your penis is bigger than mine" to this other little boy was like saying "your hands are bigger than mine" or "You have smaller eyes than mine". It was simply an organ which is part of his body.

The teachers told me the children are too small to know such words, they teach them that their genitalia is a private part.

I told the day-care principal in my house my son will know all his body parts and their functions, he will also know that there is genitalia called a vagina because when he asked me why I don't have a penis and he was confused how I urinate because all he's ever been exposed to was his own genitalia and how he urinates I had to explain.

I told her at his age the function of his penis is simple, to pee and he knows the function of his bum is to poo.

I told her, I will not teach my child that his penis is a private part or use some nickname, I refuse, reason being, I don't teach him that his hand is a holding part.Or his mouth is a talking part

I went on to tell her, as a single mother, living with my son, I felt comfortable my son knowing his penis because while teaching him what it is and making him repeat what its function is allowed me to also teach him that if anyone touches it or his bum he should be able to tell me.

I also need my son to not be confused about the functions of his genitalia so that if they do anything out of the ordinary we can address that, or if any child or adult says they perform any other function at his age we address that too, thoroughly so. 

The problem with our society is that we force children to live in our world instead of accommodating both theirs and ours without conflicting the two

What I mean by this is that we have sexualized genitalia even for children which is disgusting because at any age before puberty, they cannot simply relate to such and we shouldn't have them relate to such either because of their cognitive development which relates very much to their bodily development.

A penis cannot be sexual to a child even if they see it on an adult unless that is what you are teaching them and neither can a vagina.

To my child, my vagina pees, and most recently it delivers babies. That's about it, when the time comes he will learn about sex.

For now, any touching of his genitals that does not resemble what I have shown him when I bath him which exactly that bath him must be reported to me and there are only a few people who are allowed to bath him and each day-care he attends has to call me before they decide to give him bath if he ever needed one.

I have no idea what the problem with LO's new sex-ed curriculum is, you want my five-year-old son to teach 11-year-olds what a penis is because why? 

Why should an 11-year-old be saying "Private part" to serve what purpose? Since we kiss with our mouth during sex and use our hands and tongues and all during sex, let's call those private parts too.

You want to march against one of the most revolutionary acts of this basic education yet you protect the uncles and aunts in your homes that touch the same private parts inappropriately and traumatize children.

We became adults who are uncomfortable with our bodies and in our own skin because touching or talking about our genitalia was taboo. 

Some call me a hippie or mock me and say "you woke parenting" look I don't give a dam, it has given me a very confident little boy who is inquisitive and is not afraid to ask.

The department of basic education will be teaching our children Consent.

Do you actually comprehend this? Do you?

It's freaking awesome." 

Find the original post here:

Are you for or against the new lesson plans?

See them for yourself: The Comprehensive Sexuality Education curriculum is here

Compiled for Parent24 by Sinaye Mvumbi

Chat back:

Share your story with us and we could publish it. Anonymous contributions are welcome.

WhatsApp: Send messages and voicenotes to 066 010 0325

Email: Share your story with us via email at chatback @ parent24.com

Read more:

'CSE does not sexualise children': DBE addresses specific concerns raised on new CSE lessons

Want to opt out of sex ed classes? Private or home school are your only options, it seems

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