| It's the parents' job, but they could use
| |
| | evil).
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| all the help they can get
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| | I’ve always believed that the best
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| Parents know and love their children more
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| | “sex education” program a Catholic
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| than anyone else ever possibly could.
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| | elementary school could have would be
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| They know when their child is ready to
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| | aimed completely at the parents. Each
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| hear about the “facts of life,” and
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| | year, a (mandatory) evening or two would
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| they can provide a safe, private setting
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| | be held for each grade’s parents. In
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| for imparting such graphic, personal
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| | these evenings parents would be taught
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| information.
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| | why the Church teaches what she does
|
| So is there a role for the parish and the
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| | about human sexuality, and how to share
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| school? I believe that there is. First of
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| | that information with their children in
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| all, many parents struggle with their
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| | an age-appropriate manner. If any
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| role as primary educator -- especially in
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| | programming were held in the classroom,
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| this area. Human sexuality is vitally
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| | it would be limited to some kind of
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| important. It goes to the core of the
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| | “virtue education” giving the
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| human person. And what’s more, it poses
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| | children the underpinnings of respect for
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| the single most serious threat to our
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| | the human person which they would need
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| children's’ souls in today’s society.
| |
| | for an adequate understanding of human
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| If we get anything right, it had better
| |
| | sexuality. No explicit sexual discussion
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| be this.
| |
| | would be held; rather the parents would
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| Unfortunately, however, most of today’s
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| | have those discussions on an individual
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| parents weren’t so well-formed on the
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| | basis as their child indicated a
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| topic themselves. Many never heard “the
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| | readiness to hear the information.
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| talk” from their parents. And many who
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| | I’m waiting for this ideal program of
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| did really heard nothing more than a
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| | mine to be written. I’m beginning to
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| rushed, embarrassed overview which raised
| |
| | get the impression, however, that since
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| as many questions as it answered.
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| | it’s my ideal program, I’m going to
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| Today’s parents are products of the
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| | have to write it myself.
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| sexual revolution. We grew up in an era
| |
| | Meanwhile, there are some other excellent
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| when all the rules were being thrown out.
| |
| | programs being held in various Catholic
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| So what are the rules these days? If
| |
| | schools and parishes. Some, for instance,
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| “free love” didn’t work and
| |
| | are holding mother/daughter and father
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| “repression” didn’t work, what’s
| |
| | son nights for parents who remain uneasy
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| left? And what does the Church really
| |
| | about discussing the “facts of life”
|
| teach, anyway? I think it’s mostly
| |
| | with their children in a one-on-one
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| “no,” isn’t it?
| |
| | setting. In these sessions, the child
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| We can’t answer questions when we
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| | attends with the same-sex parent (or, in
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| don’t know the answers ourselves. And
| |
| | single-parent families, with the
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| with an issue as important as sexuality,
| |
| | opposite-sex parent or a same-sex role
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| we want to make sure the answers are
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| | model). The discussion focuses on the
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| right.
| |
| | facts of life, presented in a positive,
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| The Catholic Church has a responsibility
| |
| | respectful context with an emphasis on
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| here to help parents. We know the
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| | the gift and the sacredness of human
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| teachings -- we need to share them. We
| |
| | sexuality. These programs are light-years
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| need to help parents impart this
| |
| | away from classroom “sex education.”
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| information to the children in the most
| |
| | For starters, the program is optional and
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| sensitive, age-appropriate way possible.
| |
| | spans several grades. The parents decide
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| We need to help them to put it into the
| |
| | when their child is ready. The discussion
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| context of faith, to avoid the twin
| |
| | takes place in a safe environment with no
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| mistakes of being too blunt (minimizing
| |
| | opposite-sex peers present. And, with the
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| the child’s sense of the sacredness of
| |
| | parents present, the door is opened to
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| human sexuality) or too harsh (giving the
| |
| | further parent-child discussion in the
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| impression that sex is somehow dirty or
| |
| | weeks and months to come.
|
