To start - I am not in favour of my 9 year old being forced
to consider issues of sexuality, self-pleasure and sexting in the grade 4. I’m
very much not in support of having a teacher (who is somewhat arbitrarily
assigned to teach her) be responsible for the nature in which this material is
taught.
At the same time, she has friends with gay parents and is
exposed to media that frequently discusses sexuality. Un-informed kids talk all
kinds of crazy nonsense about what “sex” is as has always been the case, and those
schoolyard rumours start to shape our kids understanding of their sexuality. While
she currently has highly supervised access to email and texts, not all her
friends will have the same level of supervision and I’m well prepared for her
to be exposed to ideas/images and stuff while she is too young. Actually I wish
she would never have to be exposed to sexually inappropriate images, music,
movies etc. Those kinds of things mess us all up regardless of what age we are.
Canada is a highly “liberal” (pun intended) nation and I
don’t agree with all of our prevailing ethics. The prevalence of the attitude
of tolerance in our modern world means that each person’s individual views are
free to be expressed. As a Christian, these are tricky waters to navigate. I
believe that there are very specific guidelines of the kind of sexuality that
honours God (sex between one man and one woman who are partners for life, all
within a marriage relationship). I’m
glad I am free to believe and practice this openly here in Canada. But my faith
puts me in the minority. What’s more, my faith is modelled after the life of
Jesus, who came so that anyone and everyone would know that God loves them, and
thinks they are important. Sexuality has no bearing on whether or not God loves
a person, or whether you are important to Him… or to me. That’s hard enough for
us as adults to get right, let alone for my 9 year old.
So what do I do as a parent?
Some parents choose private school where these sexual habits
that are outside of Christian values aren’t taught as viable life choices. I
have many close friends that are involved in leading private schools which I
would recommend wholeheartedly. I fully understand why their enrolment numbers
are steadily increasing.
At the same time, we all know that Canada is not a Christian
community, and all of our kids will eventually enter into a world where they
will be trying to live to a standard not supported by their peers. Their challenge
will be to embody love for everyone and function in a society that has a very
oppositional mindset to that of their own.
I guess I feel that it’s not the schools job to teach my kid
morals. That’s my job.
My place is to build a faith foundation deep enough that she
understands that not everything she hears at school or on TV will affirm her
faith. And that’s OK. It doesn’t make them right or something she needs to
accept.
It’s my role to model how to live a life based on Christian
morals, in harmony with a world that lives differently. She needs to hear me
talking about how we have family and friends that have sexual habits that don’t
honour God. We love them... and at the same time… we disagree that God is “OK”
with how they live.
It’s a challenge to the current idea of tolerance. I can
still accept and love people, without having to say their lifestyle honours
God.
I don’t agree with what you believe… and… we can still be
friends.
I feel that you’re wrong that sexual freedom is good and
right… and… we’re still OK to share schools, communities and life together.
This isn’t a conversation that just starts at a certain age.
It’s a lifestyle and attitude that needs to be perpetually lived out and
modelled.
So no - I am not happy that the sex-ed curriculum is
changing.
But in the end, my job as a parent is the same. Model God
honouring morality that exists in harmony with love for people who believe
differently.
Parenting is super tough.
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