Parents divided over 'inappropriate' sex education book for young children
'Just let kids be kids'
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Your support makes all the difference.A children’s sex education book has divided parents with some criticising it as “inappropriate.”
Children are naturally curious about their bodies and answering any questions they may have can play a big role in their sex education.
However, explaining sex to young children can feel like a minefield for many parents.
Luckily, there are plenty of books out there that help provide a good basis for open and honest communication.
One of which, The Amazing True Story of How Babies Are Made, by Fiona Katauskas, that describes sexual intercourse as a “jigsaw puzzle”, is facing criticism from parents for being too graphic.
Available to buy from Kmart in Australia, the cartoon book is described as being “straightforward and honest” and doesn’t sugar-coat topics for youngsters including body parts, sexual intercourse and fertilisation.
Alongside detailed explanations, the drawings also depict everything from naked couples lying together to a diagram of the man's penis inside the woman's vagina.
In a recent post on Facebook the book divided opinion among parents with many criticising it as too explicit.
“Seriously this is inappropriate to be in a kids section,” one comment said.
Another added: “Omg really? There is time for all this c**p, just let kids be kids they don't need to know the finer details.”
Not all parents were offended by the book though with many jumping to its defence.
“Parents buy books like this for kids as a way of teaching them, if you don't want to buy it, don't buy it,” one person said.
Someone else wrote, “Nothing wrong with it. I'm going there tomorrow to buy one for my son. Better he learns the truth in a tasteful book than in the schoolyard.”
On her website, the author and cartoonist explains that she created the book when her eldest son asked where babies come from.
Out of frustration of not being able to find a good sex education book she decided to start writing her own.
Katauskas says she wanted the book to be “straightforward and honest” and to include a range of different types of families and parents.
And, well aware that the topic can be terrifying to some parents, she also wanted it to feature a “hefty dose of humour” to help alleviate embarrassment.
If you would like advice on how to talk to your child about sex, the NHS has shared important information on how much to tell and what they need to know here.
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