MARCH MOTHERING MATTERS
March is a good month as far as I’m concerned with two highlights – Mother’s Day and the day the clocks move forward and we get more light evenings at last.
Mother’s Day is one of my favourite days of the year – I prefer it to my birthday especially as it is always at the weekend so a great excuse for a lie – in! Both my daughters were very sweet and got me lovely presents and the eldest even cooked me some lovely cheesecakes.
The issue that has been at the front of my mind this month is sex and children – it is an issue I feel very strongly about. The first time I went to see our MP was around the issue of seven year olds being exposed to graphic sexual education which I believe to be completely inappropriate. It was one of the reasons I became a school governor. Thankfully, this was not the case in Southwell. The DARE programme is introduced at year 6 which is excellent and deals with issues in a sensitive and age appropriate way.
The dangers of exploitation of innocent and naive teenagers by paedophiles on the Internet is frightening as the murder of a young girl recently highlighted. As parents, we all have a duty to ensure we know what information our children are giving away about themselves. I recently joined Facebook for this very reason – to keep check on what my daughters are doing. They are both very aware and sensible about what they say but you cannot be too careful.
What disturbes me more, however, are the reports on how teenage boys routinely look at pornography and the way they treat girlfriends as a result. The danger of inappropriate views and behaviour becoming the norm has scary implications for normal relationship development. Let’s leave children to grow and develop at their own pace and not force them to address sexual issues until it is the right time for them.
And finally...we have an election coming up. Whatever your views, make them known. If you don’t, what right do you have to complain about the way we are governed?
Here’s to a good April to you all.
Awen
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