Choosing the Best Way

Tonight I previewed the sixth grade sexuality program. Whew. It is a new curriculum this year. The material covers six days, which for Christopher means it will be over a three-week period because he has health two days a week. The PE coaches, health teachers and nurses teach the course.

The coursework is from Choosing the Best Way. Each segment includes a very brief video, four or five pages in a workbook and a take-home parent/child interview.

The first two segments cover making good decisions and selecting the right type of friend. During the friend segment, the material covers crushes and infatuation. Harmless enough, right?

The third and fourth are the doozies. I think they layer them in between the beginning and the end purposefully. No, I'm sure there is a sensible order to this thing. Anyway, the third is about avoiding unhealthy relationships and the fourth covers identifying the risks. OK, the third is about having sex and the impact of those decisions. It also includes a bit on rape. Ugh. I know it is something we need to discuss. It just seemed well abrupt. That's a topic we'll cover at home before Christopher hears it at school. The fourth covers getting pregnant and contracting STDs. Neither of the third and fourth segments praises or lauds having sex. In fact, it portrays everything in somewhat of a scary light, which I'm OK with at this age. One mom tonight wondered why the beauty of sex wasn't covered. Uh, they are in sixth grade. We want to scare them into not doing it!

The fifth segment covers abstinence which includes signing a pledge. The sixth is about saying no and standing up for yourself -- a big chunk is over not drinking alcohol.

I signed the permission slip for Christopher to attend the classes. In hearing how the teachers handle questions (written on pieces of paper and then answered the next day based on the teachers discretion and done with definition only) and knowing there is a very scripted presentation, I'm comfortable with him attending.

Now, this class puts it out there that the parents need to take some of the responsibility as well. That's why I attend these parent preview sessions -- I find out what will be covered so I can determine what we need to prepare Christopher for.

Oh, I want him to be little and not grow up . . . but I know this stuff is out there. So, I'd rather talk about it at home, prepare him and then let professionals help reinforce and teach.

The classes start in about two weeks. That means we have two weeks to talk to Christopher. Better do it.