Age Appropriate Content

[InbetweenDreams]

So I have come across some crap, literal crap, on YouTube. Not going to name the video, not going to name the channel (but you may PM me for that) because I don't think the apparent concern of the video is the real intent and caters to those who are bigots. I think posting the video would diminish what I think is a valid question which I am going to expand on...

When is it appropriate to teach children about sex, sexuality, LGBTQ+ concepts and so forth?

I don't have kids, but kids are naturally curious and not stupid. Likewise, there is a point where kids need to learn about these things. I do think we should teach kids about tolerance to others and being inclusive, including that there are some kids that might have two moms, two dads, live with relatives and so on. However, I do think there are some caveats. That is, I think there is a point where it is not appropriate for a cartoon that is aimed for young kids to go into great detail such as this cartoon which is supposedly aimed for first graders (which is around the 5-6 year old range).



Do you think the video is age appropriate? I'll leave it there, not going to dissect it and tell everyone what I think is ok or not ok. I do think parents should ultimately decide when they think it is appropriate to discuss this stuff with their kid and not something on YouTube kids. I also feel there isn't "one" answer to this, every kid is different and every parent is different.

[Bhp91126]

Oohhkay. I thought the video was pretty good and age appropriate. Very matter of fact and NOT scary.

My rule of thumb with kids is, when they’re old enough to ask the question, they’re old enough for the answer.

[InbetweenDreams]

My rule of thumb with kids is, when they’re old enough to ask the question, they’re old enough for the answer.

Makes you wonder why adults (of a certain variety) react negatively when it comes to things like this video or more recently the Pride Parade song on Blues Clues. While I think a lot of it is rooted in ignorance and homophobia/transphobia I think there's something else at play. It does seem like an overplayed hand, "what about the kids." I think it is more that some parents don't want to answer the questions their kid asks them. I guess that's how we wound up with shit like the Stork and the Tooth fairy. At least with the tooth fairy I got money.

I guess what I'm wonder is IS there any validity to the "what about the kids" card and should parents do the talking to instead of the programming...does it even matter? Frankly, I remember watching shit like Up In Smoke, Terminator and Porky's at a pretty young age. Ah that's right, all of it is taboo to these people.

[Karl Rand]

I have no problem with relating the ”˜facts of life’ to children IF their parents approve.
However, I can’t bring myself to answer the kind of questions thrown at me recently last year by an intelligent three year old.
“Why are the grown ups tryin to kill us all with atom bombs and germs”?
Coward that I am I handed that one back you his parents, a gay couple now living in Hong Kong who tell me the questions they’re getting these days are even harder to answer.
Their two sons are fully armed with the ”˜facts of life’ . No mystery there. Their birth mother, whom they see often, answered all those efficiently along with answering ”˜Why do some people have two fathers and some a mother and a farther’?.

[InbetweenDreams]

I can pretty well assume if a kid asked me why does my friend have two dads, that giving a watered down answer will probably result in more questions. I do wonder why the subject of sex, sexuality and so forth seems to be taboo when it comes to discussing it with children and why the right seems to weaponize this idea they have that the LGBTQ+ community is out to "groom" their kids and destroy society (as they put it). I think we want to blame conservative Christians for it and sure, it's no question as to what demographic to look at. However, I feel that this sort of thinking, this irrational fear that people have about discussing things like sex and LGBT stuff to their kids because they're going to ask at some point or find out one way or the other is deeper rooted. Like why does it feel weird to address the questions, why do some feel that video I posted above is not appropriate for a 1st grader?

Consider the questions.... Why are some people racist, xenophobic, transphobic or find these things taboo. All those behaviors didn't come from a bible verse, although they'll likely point to one or find some reason to justify their reasons why.

It seems like a behavioral trait, perhaps cult mentality or fear of something they're not familiar with? I know when it comes to chuches there is pack mentality or cult mentality where people just assume a belief, or an opinion....not having thought about it on their own. I mean you can easily spot these people, just read comments on a youtube video and you can see how cold and callice some people are you know they never put any effort into any thought about whatever the subject matter (usually political, or hot button issues).

That being said, I don't care what people tell their kids. I'm more curious about what others think about it and why, for a moment, it seems awkward or inappropriate to discuss certain topics with kids who are asking questions, or why some people feel that a cartoon show talking about pride month is somehow bad.

[ChadCoxRox]

I always see this scenario as a way to strike up conversation about questioning and how it relates to making and respecting boundaries, both for the good and the bad.

[Cridders88]

I wish more people talked to me about being gay as a kid. Would have made things a lot easier and for me to feel comfortable with being so a lot earlier in life than I ended up doing. I like Bernd's sentiment, if they are old enough to be asking the question then we shouldn't be "shielding" them from the answer. 

Of course, the homophobes love to use the "poor children" as an excuse for their behaviour. Sadly, that probably won't change.

[InbetweenDreams]

I wish more people talked to me about being gay as a kid. Would have made things a lot easier and for me to feel comfortable with being so a lot earlier in life than I ended up doing. I like Bernd's sentiment, if they are old enough to be asking the question then we shouldn't be "shielding" them from the answer. 

Exactly. Unfortunately, I learned quite a bit watching "There's Something About Mary." I mean I wish that was a lie. Sex in general is a taboo subject and I think it explains much of the sentiment towards LGBTQ+ from straight people. Because sex is already taboo in nature (shhh, we don't talk about that in public), I think it becomes even more so when we're talking about gay sex.

But getting back to if kids are ready to have answers to the questions they ask. I think that is probably true in most instances, you can answer questions now, or they can find out from friends, the internet, watching "There's Something About Mary" or whatever. In the case for say a 3 year old asking tough questions, such as questions about war and nukes, well that is interesting. In one hand we don't want to turn a 3 year old into cynic, but also don't want to lie telling them everything is sunshine and rainbows either. You can get away with things like the tooth fairy or Santa Claus (Father Christmas in the UK, I just learned that not long ago) probably.

The other thing is should TV programs do the work of the parents, if so, to what extent? Since some people are all shook up about Blues Clues and some of the programming on YouTube.

[Bhp91126]

No doubt, parents doing sex Ed with their kids (openly, truthfully) is the ideal situation. However, there’s no relying on parents due to religion, upbringing etc., so schools stepped in to provide the basics. The barest of basics, so I’m pretty ok if there are videos on YouTube providing information beyond the basics.

[InbetweenDreams]

I remember learning what vas deferens were...or supposedly I did.

Another thing that took place not to far back was that SpongeBob was "confirmed" to be gay. Now, I don't care personally one way or the other, SpongeBob is a cartoon character. It apparently got a bit of media attention (I apparently haven't been paying enough attention) and of course some people took exception to it. Ranging from "who cares, it's a cartoon" to (again) they're trying to groom our kids and "promote" homosexuality. Which in my opinions revisits the whole theory that as far as I know has been shot down that people "choose" to be gay. The idea that if a cartoon character is gay and kids watch it they'll more than likely be gay. We know this to be bullshit of course.

Another remark I heard was concerning sperm counts being lower. Now, I don't know if people who cite this bothered to do any research but could it be environmental factors like all the hormones, pesticides and other crap in foods and not because your kids are watching Blues Clues or SpongeBob? Frankly the idea that sperm count has anything to do with what cartoons a kid watches is insane. It's the same kind of thinking about all the supposed harm that "5G" causes which are all a myth, all these supposed theories just play on your own ignorance. Afterall, how many of you know how 5G works on a technical level?