Good comments yesterday. For Billy, read this. About 90% of cervical cancer is caused by a virus that is spread through sex. Cervical cancer is a particularly bad form of cancer, and is the second most common form of cancer in women worldwide.
There is now a vaccine to prevent against the majority of the strains of the virus (causing 70% of cervical cancers). The CDC recommends that girls be vaccinated at age 11 or 12.
[Which raises an important question...I have at least two regular readers with girls that age or close...Jordan, SJM, how do you feel about this? Respond via email or IM if you would rather...same for anyone else with girls that age...]
See...this is an educational blog!
The other comments...That is more like it...people telling me that I shouldn't let Munchkin go on a date. I like to have a little discord now and again.
However, I may have oversold it by calling it a "date". And yes, you may notice that I do things like that on occasion just for the sake of being inflammatory;-) They get out of school at 3:00 on Friday, and I am meeting Munchkin at 5:00, the same time I get her every day. So the extent of their date is that they are walking about 50 feet and spending two hours together in the afternoon. If I know anything about fifth and sixth graders, there will be little girls watching them and giggling:-)
I think I am OK with them going unsupervised (I could change my mind). It is a pretty harmless situation, and I trust her to do what she says she will. She has never given me any reason to doubt her judgement, or to go somewhere and do something she doesn't tell me about...so I feel like it is OK for her to do this.
Again, I could change my mind;-) (Maybe I will send a spy from work that she doesn't know!!!)
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Science lessons
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8 comments:
Again, calling the whole thing a "date" is kinda... um.. yeah.
oh they're kids. let them have their fun. where's the harm? besides, it's so cute!
and i'm so jealous that munchkin is getting more action than me! lol.
The science lesson left me with more questions than answers. Plus, although I love it, one must realize that Wikipedia is a very, very loose source that is essentially just a compliation of what "editors"...errr anyone contributes to it.
I think if you are using disease/cancer/whatever as your main tool to keep someone a virgin or not to be a whore, you might want to re-think your strategy. Those are only slightly worse than "because I told you not too" and "the bible says so".
Just my two cents.
well Aaron.. when you're 4-5 you have play "dates" with other kids... so it's used as a broad term. Some people use the word "date" when you have an appointment. As long as he's not picking her up in a car and they are chaperoned, it's ok :-)
AM: I've heard a lot about the HPV vaccination and so far, I'm all for it. HPV is definitely the leading cause of cervical cancers and we need to get a grip on this because educating our kids over and over about unprotected sex apparently isn't doing the trick. When the hormones start flowing, the brain and cognitive thoughts seem to fly out the window.
Billy, are you going to tell us you've only been with one person all your life? Multiple partners means anything more than one... I just wouldn't want you to throw a stone at a glass house is all.
The key is protecting yourself and crossing at least one finger. :-)
woops.. I totally read that wrong. I thought Billy was scolding you or being sarcastic.. ok don't "allow" my comment. haha, that'll take care of that.
carry on!
Aaron - Um...yeah
Kate - And he is a total dreamboat:-)
Billy - Find another source, it will say the same thing... wikipedia just came up first. And you second point is spot on...no one ever said "Gee, I wanna have sex, but I might get cervical cancer." AIDS, maybe...cancer, no.
Jordan - How about I post your retraction at the same time;-)
I don't see a problem with letting Munchkin go on the "date"! It seems totally harmless and innocent, and I'm pretty sure 5th graders wouldn't even do anything more than kiss if left unsupervised...and she seems like a pretty responsible kid =]
am, I have two daughters, 16 and 14. They have both received the first two (of three) shots of the HPV vaccination. (They tell me it hurts more than other shots they've gotten, BTW.) I encourage you to take advantage of this medical breakthrough for Munchkin. Who would have thought that there would be a vaccine that could prevent a substantial percentage of cases of such a common type of cancer?! It is incomprehensible to me why a loving parent/guardian would withhold a potentially life-saving vaccine from his/her child.
I am impressed that you have been honest with Munchkin and that apparently you've modeled a serious and loving relationship as the context for sex. Yes, I hope both my daughters avoid sexual activity for a while yet. Abstinence and exclusivity are on my "wish list" for them, but I'm no fool. The numbers are against me.
My sincerest realistic hope for them is that they will be able to choose wisely and to handle the sexual part of any relationship -- and that they won't be hurt. In my long-ago past, I didn't do so well and I hope to spare them the same pain... because you always want to prevent the ones you love from being hurt. And I pray (literally and figuratively) that their health will not be compromised and that they do not have to face an unplanned pregnancy -- though I will never threaten them with disownment, as I was once threatened.
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