Too Much or Too Little?

Most people at some point in there lives feel they need to shape up and lose weight. I became aware of my weight in my mid teens, and talking to friends this seems to have been the same for most of us. I remember reading a magazine about a girl who controlled her weight by being bulimic, I didn’t really understand what it was as such or that it was even an illness. All I understood it to be was a lifestyle choice that was there if I ever needed to lose weight, stabilize my weight or feel better about myself as explained in the magazine. A few years later, when I was fifteen and started dating (and started being hurt by boys) I remembered this girl’s word, “it makes me feel better”. So without a thought I gave it ago, I binged on all the foods I loved, everything from chips to chocolate. I have to say I wasn’t very successful at inducing vomiting so I never tried again, and I can honestly say that its not until now, seven after giving vomiting ago, I truly understand how devastating the effects of what might have happened had I not been such a wimp and decided never to do it again.

I don’t know whether reading this article was the main trigger for me making the choice as to make myself vomit, however if I’d have known what I know now I surly wouldn’t have even tried it. Was it the lack of knowledge, the lack of life experience or even too much information to young?

We come across this at every point in our lives. School children are now having sex education earlier and earlier much to the dismay of their parents, but what is the evidence this has a positive effect on our society and on our children. Are children really and truly able to make informed decisions about sex or even comprehended what it means? And does teaching children about sex delay actual sexual activity?

Until fairly recently sex education whether by parents or school has been rushed and seen as unnecessary and even embarrassing, however now primary school children are being taught the very basics. 

In Britain it is believed that poor education – including sex education is the cause for most teenage pregnancies, however in Holland young people are carefully warned about both the attractions and dangers of sex. As a result, the rate of teen births is one sixth what it is in Britain. 

In reality sex education isn’t something we can bombard our children with, knowledge is power, however childrens home lives vary so much and what one child can comprehend may go straight over another’s head.

Surly instead of assuming all children can fully understand what sex is about its best to teach each child as individuals and answer questions as and when they arrive, whether that’s age four or age twelve?