Is "woke" confusing kids

[Alph]

So hoping to avoid twitter like "get woke/go broke" Vs "You're all homophobic" arguments where there's no chance of an agreement. 

So there's a strong push through media and social media and various what some call stunts and others call diversity to open everyone's mind. Netflix are doing it, twitter is talking about it, Hollywood is obsessed with it.... and that's just that. 

But a few months back my daughter (11) came home to say she had a girlfriend. We were a bit surprised as she obviously had a crush on a boy. So after giving her a chat about how it's fine and we are glad she was fine to tell us some things didn't make sense to me and the wife. So after a conversation that was very hard to navigate so as not to twist her mind or whatever, she came back a few days later saying that she doesn't like girls in the same way she likes boys. (We did say you can like both). 

She said that she wasn't sure because she does like girls in much the same way that her girlfriend does. Add to this her girlfriend is now identifying as a boy. 

(Kids being kids they have now "stopped dating")

Then Ofsted came to the school and as my daughter is the student president she was interviewed. (Coincidentally the teachers have been extra nice lately). 

She then came home to tell us she'd been asked about any boys approaching her or being inappropriate to her or anyone else? Does she know what transexual is? Bisexual? Pansexual? Transgender? (She knows it all but I didn't know that she knew)

Now she's 11 and she's probably more naive than some of her friends who's parents seem to have no rules. But it seems to me that being 11 is a billion times harder and more complicated now. 

When I grew up, a lad couldn't just be gay. Not without abuse. I mean, it wasn't always ok to have different skin! I certainly don't want to go back to that.

But are we overloading them with information here? I'm not trying to spark an argument or anything. But she's a smart kid and I don't want to start shielding her from being able to make decisions. At the same time it feels everything is designed to make her question her gender and sexuality. In theory that's great. She can see the choices and be who she wants. I don't want to remove all the access her friends have and protect her from something she perhaps doesn't need protection from.

But is there not a danger that she follows trends and goes on someone else's journey? Case in point the girlfriend that's not her girlfriend but if she was then it would be her boyfriend? 

Does it even do any harm? 

I feel like identity politics is in everything now and it's pushed in the media to create outrage and arguments to get more clicks on Twitter and likes on TikTok. BLM was hijacked. COVID panic paid the bills. This seems to be the current thing to get the mob infighting. 

If anyone has any advice I'd appreciate it. I don't care what she is so long as she's what she wants to be. I dunno if I have a right to be annoyed that inspectors chose to go into school to put this all on kids? It's bloody adults that create any barriers! Initially it's made me angry that they approached her with this stuff in Year 6. 

[Srg]

Seems a bit young to me to be putting all this on them, especially when you label it.

Have to say, I don't envy those growing up now. It's very difficult, whether it's stuff like this or the fact that bullying doesn't stop when you go home due to every kid having a phone these days.

I have a very young daughter myself, who's not even nursery age yet, and I haven't really got the foggiest how to approach all this when it gets to the time other than being open and understanding.

[Alph]

That is also a major worry. That bullying doesn't stop. Great point. 

Kids now aren't like us. The internet isn't a choice. It's so much of their existence. They don't play with toys or go on bike rides. Nobody has built a treehouse or den since 1995. 

They meet on Roblox. TikTok trends and crazes sweep schools. It's the digital age and you can say "when I was a kid" but if I took away the internet and gave em Barbie dolls then they'd be left behind socially. I mean they kick and scream when I make them go on walks and bike rides. 

They just can't switch off. 

[TomBustler1884]

My son is 3. Nowhere near any of this yet, but I am already talking to family members about this sort of stuff. As long as he feels supported and loved by those he is closest to I hope he will have the mental freedom to choose the path that suits him best. It might not be one I or others understand, but like you say, times have changed.

I agree, I don't want my son to feel pressured into being someone he isn't. But I do want him to understand the consequences of choices he makes. 11 year old girls identifying as boys is incomprehensible to my generation, let alone those older than me, but as long as there is a level of thought and maturity around why, how, etc, I suppose as a parent the only option is to support your kid?

It sounds insane for OFSTED to be questioning Y6 students on gender identity though. That is intense.

[Wolfie]

17 minutes ago, Alpha said:

So hoping to avoid twitter like "get woke/go broke" Vs "You're all homophobic" arguments where there's no chance of an agreement. 

So there's a strong push through media and social media and various what some call stunts and others call diversity to open everyone's mind. Netflix are doing it, twitter is talking about it, Hollywood is obsessed with it.... and that's just that. 

But a few months back my daughter (11) came home to say she had a girlfriend. We were a bit surprised as she obviously had a crush on a boy. So after giving her a chat about how it's fine and we are glad she was fine to tell us some things didn't make sense to me and the wife. So after a conversation that was very hard to navigate so as not to twist her mind or whatever, she came back a few days later saying that she doesn't like girls in the same way she likes boys. (We did say you can like both). 

She said that she wasn't sure because she does like girls in much the same way that her girlfriend does. Add to this her girlfriend is now identifying as a boy. 

(Kids being kids they have now "stopped dating")

Then Ofsted came to the school and as my daughter is the student president she was interviewed. (Coincidentally the teachers have been extra nice lately). 

She then came home to tell us she'd been asked about any boys approaching her or being inappropriate to her or anyone else? Does she know what transexual is? Bisexual? Pansexual? Transgender? (She knows it all but I didn't know that she knew)

Now she's 11 and she's probably more naive than some of her friends who's parents seem to have no rules. But it seems to me that being 11 is a billion times harder and more complicated now. 

When I grew up, a lad couldn't just be gay. Not without abuse. I mean, it wasn't always ok to have different skin! I certainly don't want to go back to that.

But are we overloading them with information here? I'm not trying to spark an argument or anything. But she's a smart kid and I don't want to start shielding her from being able to make decisions. At the same time it feels everything is designed to make her question her gender and sexuality. In theory that's great. She can see the choices and be who she wants. I don't want to remove all the access her friends have and protect her from something she perhaps doesn't need protection from.

But is there not a danger that she follows trends and goes on someone else's journey? Case in point the girlfriend that's not her girlfriend but if she was then it would be her boyfriend? 

Does it even do any harm? 

I feel like identity politics is in everything now and it's pushed in the media to create outrage and arguments to get more clicks on Twitter and likes on TikTok. BLM was hijacked. COVID panic paid the bills. This seems to be the current thing to get the mob infighting. 

If anyone has any advice I'd appreciate it. I don't care what she is so long as she's what she wants to be. I dunno if I have a right to be annoyed that inspectors chose to go into school to put this all on kids? It's bloody adults that create any barriers! Initially it's made me angry that they approached her with this stuff in Year 6. 

I can't offer any answers but the proud father of a smart 10 year old girl, I'm increasingly asking myself exactly the same questions as you.

[Scott129]

I'll preface this by saying that I don't have kids, but I do have younger relatives who often tell me stories from their school.

What you've said is very common and I think a lot of it is just kids going through phases. In fact, I think it's almost 'trendy' to not identify as heterosexual and cisgender, probably due to the prevalence of identity issues in today's media. I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing as kids will push boundaries and explore different ideas - it's just different to what we experienced in childhood. Back in my day, for example, it was listening to Slipknot and painting your fingernails black ?

The Ofsted interview thing is a bit weird - perhaps it is a lot to put on an 11 year old - but it's such a huge thing for schools nowadays. I know a very well-renowned school in Derbyshire recently got a poor Ofsted report, and a large part of why was because it didn't address diversity and inclusion enough. So I think they're just making sure all of the boxes are ticked, so to speak.

And, just as an aside, I hate the term 'woke' with a passion. Just a dog whistle used by the GB News brigade, which seems to have now become mainstream.

Edited January 26, 2023 by Scott129

[TigerTedd]

19 minutes ago, Scott129 said:

I'll preface this by saying that I don't have kids, but I do have younger relatives who often tell me stories from their school.

What you've said is very common and I think a lot of it is just kids going through phases. In fact, I think it's almost 'trendy' to not identify as heterosexual and cisgender, probably due to the prevalence of identity issues in today's media. I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing as kids will push boundaries and explore different ideas - it's just different to what we experienced in childhood. Back in my day, for example, it was listening to Slipknot and painting your fingernails black ?

The Ofsted interview thing is a bit weird - perhaps it is a lot to put on an 11 year old - but it's such a huge thing for schools nowadays. I know a very well-renowned school in Derbyshire recently got a poor Ofsted report, and a large part of why was because it didn't address diversity and inclusion enough. So I think they're just making sure all of the boxes are ticked, so to speak.

And, just as an aside, I hate the term 'woke' with a passion. Just a dog whistle used by the GB News brigade, which seems to have now become mainstream.

I think you’ve got a point shiny it being almost trendy. You had mods, and then punk, and then goth, and then emo, and this generation you’ve got trans as the edgy alternative lifestyle. 

I’ve got a fair amount of experience of this in our family. On niece identified herself a while ago on Facebook as a panromantic asexual. Happy to have a romantic relationship with anyone, but not particularly interested in sex. She goes by a boys name now, and has a perfectly straight as an arrow boyfriend. It’s a whole new world, and to be honest, it’s taken a lot for the family to get their heads around call her by her new name, or using her preferred pronouns (which is he, so I’ve already messed up several times). The problem in her case is that you could see this happening in university as more of being steered in an unnatural direction by her group of friends, and she clearly had a few other issues.

Her parents are social workers and work with non binary kids all the time, and you can absolutely tell in some kids, so they know what they’re looking out for, and they refuse to use her new name or pronouns as they’re convinced that it’s not the real thing, and they don’t want to further encourage it, and are worried what happens if she goes too far down this path. Will she go full trans? But she’s happy, so does it matter? She’s in her late 20s now, so it’s been going on for a good 10 years now. Hard to just call it a phase at this stage. 

On the other hand, another niece is lesbian. She’s been clearly less Ian since she was about 3 years old, and officially came out a couple of years ago, to no one’s surprise (I think she was a bit disappointed we weren’t all more shocked). She is as stereotypically lesbian as you could ever hope to meet, short hair, deep voice, men’s clothes, but there’s absolutely no question of her being trans gender. She’s a good old fashioned lesbian, and so is her girlfriend.

On the other hand, she had a friend growing up who has gone full trans girl to boy. Operation and everything. Again, it’s been clear since very early, and he makes a great boy, a very nice lad, you wouldn’t have a clue.

so she could have been influenced by that, but wasn’t. my niece is happy in her skin, just not necessarily happy in the clothes my sister  used to dress her in.

Meanwhile, my kids, the youngest of the cousins, are growing up with all these influences. So my nephews and nieces can do what they want, they’re their parents problems. I’m more worried about my kids.

I’m really happy that this is all totally normalised for them. For my generation, there’s still a slightly uncomfortable feeling about gender fluidity, as much as I try to shake it. But for my kids there won’t be any of that.

My eldest is 13. she loves watching supergirl and we watch it together. You’ll not find a more diverse tv series. There’s no question about the relationships in there, it’s all totally normal for her, love is love and all that. So I’m a fan of it being more out there in media, more general representation.

they’re free to make their own choices. However, my two youngest did declare not long ago that they’re going to marry each other, but I don’t think society has quite reached that level of tolerance yet, so I vetoed that idea. They’ve downgraded their plan to getting next door houses instead.

my youngest is now apparently going to marry her best friend at school. Instigated more by the best friend I think. Is that just 7 years olds not really understand what marriage is, and just wanting to be best friends forever, or is that something else? Who knows. But I like the idea that she thinks marrying another girl is a totally normal and okay life choice (just as long as it’s not her brother).

And I don’t think education of it needs to be rammed down their throat, it should be more natural, through representation in media, or in their text books. Unfortunately we’re at that sort of awkward in between stage at the minute where that seems a bit unnatural or forced for the older generation. But eventually we’ll all die, and our kids will inherit the earth.

it’s really not black and white though. As in the different cases of my two nieces. I do believe one has some deeper mental health issues, but she’s happier now than she has been for a long time, so who am I to argue. Whereas the other was no surprise at all. There’s a nature vs nurture issue there perhaps.

maybe it’s just confusing for us.

 

 

[Alph]

29 minutes ago, Scott129 said:

The Ofsted interview thing is a bit weird - perhaps it is a lot to put on an 11 year old - but it's such a huge thing for schools nowadays. I know a very well-renowned school in Derbyshire recently got a poor Ofsted report, and a large part of why was because it didn't address diversity and inclusion enough. So I think they're just making sure all of the boxes are ticked, so to speak.

And, just as an aside, I hate the term 'woke' with a passion. Just a dog whistle used by the GB News brigade, which seems to have now become mainstream.

Yeah, "woke" is very much a bait word but I didn't mean to use it as such. 

But it's difficult to describe a push from a person or organisation etc like Ofsted who are insisting schools tick diversity and inclusion boxes. 

Like how do they tick these boxes? I'm assuming it's by educating kids on the questions asked to my daughter? 

But how much does a kid need to take on board. She sees it online, she sees it on TV. She knew what pansexual meant. She knew what  Lesbian meant. 

Yet she didn't understand how to know whether she's a Lesbian or Bisexual. Unsurprisingly because she's confused as hell by what she's meant to be feeling, what others are feeling, what's trendy etc. 

Then they come in with their box ticking exercise and in my opinion just add to the confusion. 

I dunno. I don't care what she is or isn't. But having this push for acceptance (which sounds like the right thing and in theory can't do any harm) could actually be giving her and others an identity crisis and more confusion than what we all go  through? 

Like, her knowing what a Lesbian is, thinking she is one, but then not actually having the experience to understand ANY of her feeling for ANY gender made for a strange conversation.

Sure, she ticks the boxes. But she really hasn't got a clue on what she should be feeling and for who. I imagine we didn't back then either. But that's the point I think. That they think it's right to open them up to sooo much and how can diversity and inclusion ever be bad? 

She's mature. But that kind of identity minefield at those ages... 

[Cisse]

Well I think it is even confusing us adults never mind the kids. I'm not saying it is wrong but I understand people of whatever age confused of all the changes in their lives. I actually think kids can adapt a lot of issues better than us adults.

[Mucker1884]

Some excellent comments made above... many of which I utterly agree with and/or can relate to opinion-wise... and some, specifically the words "Pansexual" and "Cisgender",  I just had to google! 

How the hell 11 year olds cope with all this stuff is mind-boggling.

At that age, I still wasn't sure which football team I fancied, let alone any person... and any reference to sex/sexuality etc didn't even enter my head until a good few years later.  DCFC were indeed my first love, and girls (*in my case!) came much later.  (Should I re-phrase that!).

I appreciate it's a generation thing, and "Kids of today grow up much quicker/sooner", but I still strongly opine that no 11 year old should be having any thoughts of anything relating to sexuality.  It surely cannot be healthy... physically OR mentally!  And I certainly don't envy the parents (of school age kids) of today.

 

I'm not entirely sure "who is to blame" (If indeed blame is to be apportioned!), but it's clear The Internet/Social Media plays a massive part, as does peer pressure in general.  I certainly don't have any answers!

I'm just extremely grateful that I don't have kids of this age, at this time.  Not sure how they... or me... would have coped!  (My youngest is late 30's.  Youngest (living) grandchild is now late teens).

 

As has been said, we'll all be out of the equation before long, and generations to come may well see all this current confusion in a different light, in a more understanding way (literally and emotionally), and none of it will be a big deal at all... to anyone!  
But for now... Ye Gads!  

[Anag Ram]

3 hours ago, Alpha said:

So hoping to avoid twitter like "get woke/go broke" Vs "You're all homophobic" arguments where there's no chance of an agreement. 

So there's a strong push through media and social media and various what some call stunts and others call diversity to open everyone's mind. Netflix are doing it, twitter is talking about it, Hollywood is obsessed with it.... and that's just that. 

But a few months back my daughter (11) came home to say she had a girlfriend. We were a bit surprised as she obviously had a crush on a boy. So after giving her a chat about how it's fine and we are glad she was fine to tell us some things didn't make sense to me and the wife. So after a conversation that was very hard to navigate so as not to twist her mind or whatever, she came back a few days later saying that she doesn't like girls in the same way she likes boys. (We did say you can like both). 

She said that she wasn't sure because she does like girls in much the same way that her girlfriend does. Add to this her girlfriend is now identifying as a boy. 

(Kids being kids they have now "stopped dating")

Then Ofsted came to the school and as my daughter is the student president she was interviewed. (Coincidentally the teachers have been extra nice lately). 

She then came home to tell us she'd been asked about any boys approaching her or being inappropriate to her or anyone else? Does she know what transexual is? Bisexual? Pansexual? Transgender? (She knows it all but I didn't know that she knew)

Now she's 11 and she's probably more naive than some of her friends who's parents seem to have no rules. But it seems to me that being 11 is a billion times harder and more complicated now. 

When I grew up, a lad couldn't just be gay. Not without abuse. I mean, it wasn't always ok to have different skin! I certainly don't want to go back to that.

But are we overloading them with information here? I'm not trying to spark an argument or anything. But she's a smart kid and I don't want to start shielding her from being able to make decisions. At the same time it feels everything is designed to make her question her gender and sexuality. In theory that's great. She can see the choices and be who she wants. I don't want to remove all the access her friends have and protect her from something she perhaps doesn't need protection from.

But is there not a danger that she follows trends and goes on someone else's journey? Case in point the girlfriend that's not her girlfriend but if she was then it would be her boyfriend? 

Does it even do any harm? 

I feel like identity politics is in everything now and it's pushed in the media to create outrage and arguments to get more clicks on Twitter and likes on TikTok. BLM was hijacked. COVID panic paid the bills. This seems to be the current thing to get the mob infighting. 

If anyone has any advice I'd appreciate it. I don't care what she is so long as she's what she wants to be. I dunno if I have a right to be annoyed that inspectors chose to go into school to put this all on kids? It's bloody adults that create any barriers! Initially it's made me angry that they approached her with this stuff in Year 6. 

My own thoughts are that it’s great that schools are teaching children that there are lots of different cultures and ways of thinking and feeling. Children, like adults, should be respectful of others’ individuality but should also feel free to tread their own path. 

They should neither force others or feel forced themselves when making their choices.

I think that’s about as far as it should go. There are so many sources of information for those children who want to understand more. They should be encouraged to follow their hearts and should learn that masculinity and femininity don’t equate to strength and weakness.

Kids today seem to work things out pretty well. 
 
I grew up in an atmosphere of ignorance in which there was little tolerance of minorities. I wouldn’t wish that on any child.

 

[Archied]

3 hours ago, Alpha said:

So hoping to avoid twitter like "get woke/go broke" Vs "You're all homophobic" arguments where there's no chance of an agreement. 

So there's a strong push through media and social media and various what some call stunts and others call diversity to open everyone's mind. Netflix are doing it, twitter is talking about it, Hollywood is obsessed with it.... and that's just that. 

But a few months back my daughter (11) came home to say she had a girlfriend. We were a bit surprised as she obviously had a crush on a boy. So after giving her a chat about how it's fine and we are glad she was fine to tell us some things didn't make sense to me and the wife. So after a conversation that was very hard to navigate so as not to twist her mind or whatever, she came back a few days later saying that she doesn't like girls in the same way she likes boys. (We did say you can like both). 

She said that she wasn't sure because she does like girls in much the same way that her girlfriend does. Add to this her girlfriend is now identifying as a boy. 

(Kids being kids they have now "stopped dating")

Then Ofsted came to the school and as my daughter is the student president she was interviewed. (Coincidentally the teachers have been extra nice lately). 

She then came home to tell us she'd been asked about any boys approaching her or being inappropriate to her or anyone else? Does she know what transexual is? Bisexual? Pansexual? Transgender? (She knows it all but I didn't know that she knew)

Now she's 11 and she's probably more naive than some of her friends who's parents seem to have no rules. But it seems to me that being 11 is a billion times harder and more complicated now. 

When I grew up, a lad couldn't just be gay. Not without abuse. I mean, it wasn't always ok to have different skin! I certainly don't want to go back to that.

But are we overloading them with information here? I'm not trying to spark an argument or anything. But she's a smart kid and I don't want to start shielding her from being able to make decisions. At the same time it feels everything is designed to make her question her gender and sexuality. In theory that's great. She can see the choices and be who she wants. I don't want to remove all the access her friends have and protect her from something she perhaps doesn't need protection from.

But is there not a danger that she follows trends and goes on someone else's journey? Case in point the girlfriend that's not her girlfriend but if she was then it would be her boyfriend? 

Does it even do any harm? 

I feel like identity politics is in everything now and it's pushed in the media to create outrage and arguments to get more clicks on Twitter and likes on TikTok. BLM was hijacked. COVID panic paid the bills. This seems to be the current thing to get the mob infighting. 

If anyone has any advice I'd appreciate it. I don't care what she is so long as she's what she wants to be. I dunno if I have a right to be annoyed that inspectors chose to go into school to put this all on kids? It's bloody adults that create any barriers! Initially it's made me angry that they approached her with this stuff in Year 6. 

I think the problem today ( lots of areas of life ) we have become so obsessed with minorities to the exclusion of the majority and there’s no balance ,

I think the bit where you talk about seeing the choices is the danger area in terms of causing confusion and I’m sure harm further down the line to many many of todays children ,, you see I don’t believe for trans women and trans men it’s a choice , it is something that cannot be denied in them , it’s what they are the exact same as being gay and I for one would show nothing but respect and the same level of decency to a person who finds that is who or where they are , I just believe the way and age that this issue is being taught to children is very wrong and will cause damage,

like you say , I also don’t want to argue over this issue in the way everything has to be an argument these days with entrenched positions and throwing bombs at one opinion or the other

[Archied]

3 hours ago, Scott129 said:

I'll preface this by saying that I don't have kids, but I do have younger relatives who often tell me stories from their school.

What you've said is very common and I think a lot of it is just kids going through phases. In fact, I think it's almost 'trendy' to not identify as heterosexual and cisgender, probably due to the prevalence of identity issues in today's media. I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing as kids will push boundaries and explore different ideas - it's just different to what we experienced in childhood. Back in my day, for example, it was listening to Slipknot and painting your fingernails black ?

The Ofsted interview thing is a bit weird - perhaps it is a lot to put on an 11 year old - but it's such a huge thing for schools nowadays. I know a very well-renowned school in Derbyshire recently got a poor Ofsted report, and a large part of why was because it didn't address diversity and inclusion enough. So I think they're just making sure all of the boxes are ticked, so to speak.

And, just as an aside, I hate the term 'woke' with a passion. Just a dog whistle used by the GB News brigade, which seems to have now become mainstream.

I agree on woke , it’s the same with conspiracy theorist 

[Duracell]

I'm a Year 6 teacher, so deal with this age group day in, day out.

They fool you into think proper people at that age, but you forget how little they are. They don't know anything about anything. All they've done is get good at tricking adults into thinking they do.

They don't know about boyfriends and girlfriends. I have Muslims in my class who "pray" facing the wrong way. Kids who support Chelsea one week, Man United the next. One week the person they sit next to is public enemy number 1, the next week they're randomly best mates. With absolutely no context. 

"Woke" or whatever is confusing to kids because absolutely everything they interact with at that age is new and confusing. Coordinates. TimesTables. Fronted Adverbials. 

It's not information overload, but it's different to your experience. Just listen is the best advice I think, you don't always need to give advice. She's going to change her mind 129219048209 times on every issue under the sun before she's an adult.

 

[RoyMac5]

18 minutes ago, Archied said:

,, you see I don’t believe for trans women and trans men it’s a choice , it is something that cannot be denied in them , it’s what they are...

So what are they then women and men or trans - that is the issue currently isn't it? How about those that self-identify?

[bcnram]

Much of it is just all part of growing up. The next generation will probably have different issues, as my generation had different issues. If children are brought up to be respectful and Kind, and parents are prepared to answer questions rather than avoid them all will probably be well. 

[Comrade 86]

4 minutes ago, bcnram said:

Much of it is just all part of growing up. The next generation will probably have different issues, as my generation had different issues. If children are brought up to be respectful and Kind, and parents are prepared to answer questions rather than avoid them all will probably be well. 

 

[Malagaram]

2 hours ago, Mucker1884 said:

Some excellent comments made above... many of which I utterly agree with and/or can relate to opinion-wise... and some, specifically the words "Pansexual" and "Cisgender",  I just had to google! 

How the hell 11 year olds cope with all this stuff is mind-boggling.

At that age, I still wasn't sure which football team I fancied, let alone any person... and any reference to sex/sexuality etc didn't even enter my head until a good few years later.  DCFC were indeed my first love, and girls (*in my case!) came much later.  (Should I re-phrase that!).

I appreciate it's a generation thing, and "Kids of today grow up much quicker/sooner", but I still strongly opine that no 11 year old should be having any thoughts of anything relating to sexuality.  It surely cannot be healthy... physically OR mentally!  And I certainly don't envy the parents (of school age kids) of today.

 

I'm not entirely sure "who is to blame" (If indeed blame is to be apportioned!), but it's clear The Internet/Social Media plays a massive part, as does peer pressure in general.  I certainly don't have any answers!

I'm just extremely grateful that I don't have kids of this age, at this time.  Not sure how they... or me... would have coped!  (My youngest is late 30's.  Youngest (living) grandchild is now late teens).

 

As has been said, we'll all be out of the equation before long, and generations to come may well see all this current confusion in a different light, in a more understanding way (literally and emotionally), and none of it will be a big deal at all... to anyone!  
But for now... Ye Gads!  

Agree with you completely

[DarkFruitsRam7]

3 hours ago, Mucker1884 said:

I still strongly opine that no 11 year old should be having any thoughts of anything relating to sexuality.  It surely cannot be healthy... physically OR mentally!  And I certainly don't envy the parents (of school age kids) of today.

Intrigued as to what you mean by this. Are you saying 11 year olds shouldn't show any non-platonic interest in other people? Genuine question, because I have fond memories of my first kiss at the year 6 disco!

[Rev]

36 minutes ago, DarkFruitsRam7 said:

Intrigued as to what you mean by this. Are you saying 11 year olds shouldn't show any non-platonic interest in other people? Genuine question, because I have fond memories of my first kiss at the year 6 disco!

Same here mate.

 

Although it finished my fledging teaching career.