Jeggo I cringe every time I see that trailer - I am so glad we didn't have anything like that in my day too.

The wee boy who hides his head in his jacket looks like he is about to burst into tears

Channel 4 again and that same woman presenter, and yet another excuse to titillate in the name of "education".
We are not fooled.

Phew - so glad I`m not the only one.

I don't agree with these programmes. Talking about sex should be natural, not forced onto children if they don't yet want to know about it. I used to go along with my children's questions, answer those and stop if they didn't ask another question. Stood us in good stead over the years. They were well informed without being gratuitous.

Who's forcing them?  :s  As far as I know, participation or viewing is not compulsory.

What gets me is that its being presented as a `should` as if its something 14 yr olds should be doing.  Now that`s bad.

Teenagers really do not like it when adults pretend to be cool......

Exactly as it should be. I applaud that

It was "Living and Growing" in my day and that was bad enough.

This particular programme isn't forced on anybody, but sex education in school is and it's starting too early and is too explicit when children only have the capacity to take in a certain amount and are more inclined to ask because they heard something and want it explained rather than want to practice it.

OMG - Living and Growing - on programmes for schools. I remember that so well.

It's etched in my memory Isadora

I can't imagine what schoolchildren have to go through now - well actually I have heard some stories from my friends who have children at that age - would make your hair curl what they have to listen to now

I wouldn't know really as I'm only 12,I suppose by the grand old age of 14 I'd be up to a million.

I just cringe when it comes on, I'm broad minded and can talk to my daughters about anything I think my daughters have grown up with no hang ups and no embarrassment, they can openly talk about anything to me and I didn't find the need to sit them down and watch something like that ...but it's channel 4 *shrugs*

Sorry,but the world is going crazy,They'll be teaching it as soon as they go to nursery next.

I completely agree DA.

When I was young we couldn't get enough of knowledge about sex.  And most of that knowledge was got from jazz mags in the beginning.  Hardly ideal.

Should have asked your mum or dad.

When the trailer first came on, my 16 year old son looked mortified, i looked at him and he looked at me and not a word was spoken! I think somethings should be left unsaid. Although i speak openly to my son about sex and condoms etc etc, i am not sure , really if these programmes are useful

I like these programs. I don't think we are open enough about sex. When I was at school we got section 6 in science at about 13 the basics of reproduction. then in 5th year age 16/17 we got the emotional side and were taught about sex love and VD and aids (a bit)  and of course babies.

The problem was you could leave in 4th year and very few of the girls who stayed on fell pregnant. class or no class. Sex education should be taught at school kids are sexual even if there parents don't like it. It helps if they can discuss there feeling with people who have been trained to help them. Especially if there parents don't want to know.

I love them.


I answer my kids' questions, whenever they ask them, but I also don't mind them learning from programmes like these.
Breaking down the embarrassment makes it easier for them to ask me whatever they want to.

My Dad taught my Mum everything about sex.  Don`t know where he learnt it though !

My point isn`t about condemning sex education - its the fact that they`re making the assumption that all kids should be masturbating at 14 as if there is a norm and that`s it.

The boy asks that question. Did they give a set answer??

I would imagine it would be something along the lines of. as much or as little as you want that doesn't interfere (hehehee) with you life. what ever you do is normal.

I did but there was less photos of tits and fannies when they ran through things. 

laughing at this thread as my sister's teenage son is off on his first holiday away alone with his mates.  She went to give him some condoms and he had boxes of the buggers already

But just to be on the safe side she put me on the phone to him to descibe in great detail the horrors of cock rot, boils and willy warts to him

I think he should be safe now

That must have been so disappointing.

It was. 

I am more concerned with the girl asking if you can have sex on a period.................

Why?  Seems a reasonable question for someone to ask. 

Bateman - you`re just perverse for the sake of it

As per jeggo.

Actually, I'm not.

I can imagine asking that question as a callow youth.  Perhaps you can't.  *shrug*

I have to agree with Bateman - it's not a very unusual question for a youngster to ask, really.

Me to standard question. Also I remember wondering the penis snapping one myself 

I won't embarass myself by revealing the questions I used to have
Living and Growing didn't answer them all

I think they are all standard questions, there are no questions that are wrong to ask.
God the ones i wanted to know


I do think  they left it late and were badly advised years ago, but as having young ones myself, the jury is out as to whether i would want them knowing before the age of 6 or 7 as suggested. I would prefer to tell them but i do realise that not all parents will or can do this.

 @ miss b