What is taught in kindergarten sex education?

Many people think that sex education in schools only begins when a child enters adolescence. In fact, some kindergartens have already implemented sex education. In the Mimi nursery school that adopts Montessori teaching, there is a complete set of work planned for children of all ages, so that children can understand sex education from work.

Human growth

Director Qiu made a self-made three-segment card to let the child know clearly how big the belly will be when the mother is pregnant for a few months. In the Montessori classroom, the way to celebrate a child’s birthday is to place a circle formed by 12 fan-shaped boards on the floor (representing the sun and twelve months in a year), light a candle in the center of the sun, and ask the child to hold it. Moving around the earth, starting from the month of birth, and walking around the sun, it means that one year has risen.

Director Qiu is not becoming a noisy way of celebrating birthdays with parties, because children cannot learn to be grateful. Therefore, on the day of the child’s birthday, the school will invite the parents of the little birthday star to participate in the birthday, and share with you the mood or story of pregnancy. If the parents can't come, the teacher will also ask them to prepare the photos when they are pregnant. The teacher will explain the hardship and expectations of the parents during pregnancy.

I like to touch you

Speaking of kindergarten, mischievous boys like their relatives and lift girls’ skirts, which always give teachers a headache. In the face of such children, what methods should adults use to guide them?

Mere warning is not enough. If the attitude and position of the adult when warning is not clear enough, the child will not figure out what is wrong with this behavior and why it is not allowed.

The naming of the organs is given by adults, and children are not discriminatory, they just continue this behavior simply because of the comfort when touching. Therefore, adults do not need to punish children for their behavior, as long as they play down their behavior.

Director Qiu once discussed with sex education experts that when a child feels pleasure in touching his own body but an adult severely criticizes it, it will make the child feel that sexual pleasure is dirty, shameful, and guilty. After becoming an adult, it is easy for them not to face their own sexual pleasure, and in the case of weak self-control, make behaviors that hurt others' bodies to satisfy themselves.

Look at gender differences naturally

In many kindergartens, the male and female toilets are in the same space. Children use the difference between the urinal and the toilet to understand the differences in the body structure of the two sexes. This is of great help to the children in constructing the concept of "the difference between men and women" .

In addition, in the Montessori classroom, whether it is work in daily life areas such as brushing, washing, and wiping, as long as the children are interested, boys and girls can freely choose the work they want to do. Director Qiu observed that in the Montessori classroom, children choose jobs. In fact, girls are also interested in repairing small objects, carpentry, carrying, and Go. Boys are interested in flower arrangement, dish washing, and embroidery. Can also do well.

"What should boys do, what girls should do, etc." These are the definitions of socialization, but in this pluralistic era, traditional and rigid gender behavior patterns are no longer in line with trends and social needs. If you can cultivate a child's part of the gender from an early age, do what you can do in daily life, and be willing to share the work of the family, isn't this also another concept of gender equality?

Recognize "self-worth"

The notion of patriarchalism in Chinese society is gradually disintegrating as the times progress. Indeed, modern women have done many things that traditional values thought "women can't do". It shows that regardless of work ability or professional skills, there is no difference between the strong and the weak between the two sexes. However, some fierce feminist activists advocate that men should do it, and women should do it too. This kind of radicalism has fallen into the trap of "second sex" thinking: because men can do more than women can do. True equality should be that everyone knows "Who am I?" and "What can I do?"

Dr. Li Kunshan further explained, for example: There is a girl who likes sports, but she does not like sports because boys are better at sports and want to compete with men. So equality is not "Who can, I can", but "I like to do it, I am willing to do it, and I have the opportunity to do it." It's like the two brothers want toys, and my father buys them a car alone, thinking that they are equal if they have the same toys. But do both brothers need cars at the same time? Or only one of them likes it?

In the family, when facing different children, parents must teach students in accordance with their aptitude and give them what they need. Parents should also know clearly where each child’s personality is different? Always remind yourself whether the abilities of each man or woman are recognized and affirmed, and give him and her opportunities. Only in this way can children gain affirmation of their own abilities from the knowledge of their own body. Through this, children will understand and identify with their own body, and respect the ideas of others.