Growth+and+Development-Devon+McCormick+Solo+Project

Growth and Development  By: Devon McCormick Children grow and change very quickly. If you do not see a child for a week, they will look different the next time you see them. Growth and development are major occurrences for young children and yet this is one of the hardest topics for parents/educators to discuss. Parents have always struggled with the “birds and the bees talk.” As times change, attitudes toward sex and development change as well. There has been a long standing debate in this country over sex education in schools. We will explore maturation of the body and changing views of sex in this Wiki.
 * //__ Introduction: __//**

Developmental stages of children are divided into five distinct categories; young children (5-7 years old), intermediate (8-10 years old), older (11-12 years old), and teenagers. Children under the age of four have not been heavily studied regarding sexuality and therefore are not included in the developmental stages. Children ages 5-7 years old begin to understand that there are differences between boys and girls. Most children are very curious about their bodies at that age and have not developed modesty yet. Many children will try to engage in “explorative” type games at this age. Most researchers believe this is normal and encourage parents to not overreact. Children ages 8-10 begin to understand cause and effect situations much better. Children can become very intrigued with their bodies at this age. They also begin to ask more questions. Most children receive their first parental sex talk during this time. Many parents and sex educators believe that children should receive critical information concerning sexuality during this stage of their lives. They believe children should learn that sex has consequences (unplanned pregnancies and disease.) Other parents do not believe that children this young are mature enough to handle heavy topics yet. Children ages 11-12 begin to understand sex and their bodies more. They also begin to understand the emotional side of things. Children can link low self-esteem to risky behavior. However, they often lack the emotional maturity to follow through with their thoughts. Children also begin to change physically, and they place more emphasis on their appearance. Recent years have children physically developing earlier. Many children this age begin to show outward signs of puberty very early. Girls also tend to hit their “growth spurt” at this age. They are generally two years ahead of boys physically. Children go through a lot from 11-12. Many girls begin to develop breasts, get their first menstrual cycle, and grow much taller. Boys may begin to develop sexually, grow facial hair, and may experience their voices changing as well. This can be a very difficult time for children this age. Their bodies are changing. They are torn between being children and turning into teenagers. The teenage years are sometimes the most difficult for kids. Teen’s bodies are awash in hormones. These hormones can drive their thoughts and actions heavily. Personal appearance and keeping up with peers are major factors for teens to contend with. Many teens begin to experiment sexually during this time. Many teens can catch sexually transmitted diseases or become pregnant during this time frame. They are physically developed, but many lack the mental capacity to see the ling term effects of their actions. There are many books published to help parents talk to their children about their changing bodies. I can remember my own mother checking books out of the library for both my younger brother and I to read. The best types of books for children need to be written as both factual and understanding. Kids need the basic facts about what is going on, but they also need to be able to relate to the literature. A wonderful book for children is called, __What’s The Big Secret? Talking About Sex with Girls and Boys__ by Laurie Krasny Brown Ed.D. and Marc Brown. The book is written with all types of facts young children want to know. It discusses the different ways children may like to play, a brief anatomy lesson, differences in urination, privacy lessons, and how babies are created. The book is factual, wonderfully illustrated, and written in a way that smaller children can relate to. This book was first published in 1997 and is still in publication today. The authors have also written several other children’s self help books. Sexuality Education." International Encyclopedia of Marriage and Family. 2003. Retrieved April 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: []
 * //__ Maturation: __//**

Sex education in schools has been a hot button issue for over forty years in the United States. During the 1960’s the issue first began to appear in schools. Most people were for an abstinence only approach. Times, morals, and values are much different now, but there are still varied opinions on the subject.
 * //__ Changing Views on Sex/Sex Education in Schools: __//**

Here is a timeline on the history of sex education in schools: 1912—The National Education Association (NEA) recommended that teachers be trained in sex education.

1940-1950—The US Public Health Service pushed for sex education in schools due to the wide spread issue of soldiers returning from war with STD’s. The NEA and the American Medical Association published a series of pamphlets to distribute to school children. Contraceptives were not mentioned (many were still illegal in most states.)

1960’s—Sex education became a series issue. Many people became opposed and protested. The birth control pill was invented in 1960 and became legal for married couples in 1965. It became legal for non-married individuals in 1972. Despite wide-spread opposition, most public schools began sex education during this time frame. It focused on abstinence only.

1980’s—The AIDS epidemic began. The government began calling for sex education programs that included the discussion of condoms and other forms of birth control. 90% of American schools offered some form of sex education at this time.

There are still people arguing both sides of the issue. Those that support abstinence only programs believe that teaching children about birth control and protection encourages them to have sex. Those that support the birth control talk want children to be abstinent, but they also want them informed.

Source: “History of Sex Education.” Ebscohost Connection. 2012.

It does not matter what side you argue for concerning sex education. The statistics regarding teen pregnancy in the United States are alarming.


 * Teen Pregnancy Statistics: **
 * The US has the highest rates of teen pregnancy in the Western industrialized world.
 * Teen pregnancy costs the US $7 billion dollars annually.
 * 750,000 teens a year get pregnant.
 * Unmarried teens account for 24% of all unmarried births.
 * More than 2/3’s of all pregnant teens will not graduate from high school.

Source: “Teen Pregnancy Help.” []

I found it more difficult to find books that were not just one-sided. The books I discovered were either pro-birth control or pro-abstinence. Many of the abstinence books used scary images (STD ridden body parts or pregnancy horror stories) to scare children. I do believe that teens and adults need to see these images, but they do not need to be scared into making the right choices. Research has shown that children tend to make smarter choices when presented with all sides.

Dr. Jenny McCluskey wrote one of the most informative and well received books on the subject in 1993. The book was called, __Your Sexual Health: What Every Teen Should Know About Sex__. This book has accepted by people on both sides of the education fence. The book has been applauded as a teen body’s owner’s manual. In a non-sensational way, Dr. McCluskey discusses the many changes going on inside the teen’s body and mind. She also discusses STD’s and the main rumors/myths surrounding them. It is a very eye-opening read for teens who believe they are invisible to many of the consequences of sex. The cover is a bid “risqué” but the material contained inside the book more than makes up for it.

The latest book to gain some notoriety in this area is called, __Sex: A Book for Teens__ by Nikol Hassler. The book is a no-nonsense approach to sex and dating in these modern times. Many conservative parents might veto the candid sex talk (birth control, gay and lesbian dating, and fetishes) are mentioned. This book is written in a style that teens can relate to. The book seems to address rumors flying around many schools and answers them in a scientific way. I personally found parts of the book very funny and very disturbing. This is the type of book that many teens would read.

No matter your opinion regarding sex education, most people agree that sex is occurring very early for many teens today. I personally believe in abstinence for kids too young to make adult decisions with adult consequences. However, I tend to be realistic in educating kids about safer sex due to the alarming teen pregnancy rate. Children who are better informed from school, parents, and literature tend to make smarter healthier choices.
 * //__ Conclusion: __//**

Sexuality Education." International Encyclopedia of Marriage and Family. 2003. Retrieved April 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: []
 * __ Bibliography: __**

Source: “History of Sex Education.” Ebscohost Connection. 2012. []

Source: “Teen Pregnancy Help.” []


 * __ Annotated Bibliography: __**

Brown, L. & Brown, M. (1997.) __What’s The Big Secret? Talking About Sex__ __with Girls and Boys.__ Little Brown and Co. New York, NY.

This book did not fit the correct time line for this bibliography, but it was too good of a source to ignore. The book is written in such a kid friendly way. The illustrations immediately draw in the reader. They are medically correct and make the body seem beautiful and natural. The information presented in the book is broken down into anatomy lessons, different ways children can behave, privacy lessons, and how babies are created. This is the perfect book for children ages six to eight. This book was obtained at the William B. Harlan Public Library in MonroeCounty. McCluskey, J. (1993.) __Your Sexual Health: What Every Teen Should Know__ __About Sex.__ Halo. New York, NY. This book also did not fit the correct time line for this bibliography, but it was an excellent source. This book was written as a teen body’s owner’s manual. The book details many teen issues in a no-nonsense kind of way. It discusses risk factors for STD’s, teen pregnancy prevention, and gives anatomy lessons. This book is non-judgmental and is written to help teens understand their bodies. This book was obtained at the William B. Harlan Public Library in MonroeCounty. Haslor, N. (2010.) __Sex: A Book for Teens: An Uncensored Guide to Your__ __Body, Sex, and Safety.__ Zest. New York, NY. This book is a tad risqué for my standards, but it is valuable for modern teens. This is a modern teen’s guide to sexual subjects that are too taboo to discuss with your parents. It details many of the “in’s and out’s” of sexual activity for teens. It also discusses topics such as; different forms of sex, protection, and sexual orientation. This book was obtained at the William B. Harlan Public Library in MonroeCounty through an interlibrary loan. Madaras, L. & Madaras, A. (2007.) __My Body, Myself for Boys.__ William Morrow Paperbacks. CA. This book has been around for several years. This is actually the third edition of this book. There is also a female version. This book is full of facts and journal entries geared specifically for boys. It answers everyday developmental questions such as: Why is my voice changing? Will I get hair on my face? There are quizzes, games, and checklists for young teen boys. This book will answer many of their developmental questions in a non-judgmental or embarrassing way. This book was obtained at the GamalielElementary School library. Madaras, L. & Madaras, A. (2007.) __The What’s Happening to My Body? Book__ __For Girls.__ William Morrow Paperbacks. CA. This book is also on its third edition and was first published in 1983. This book is meant to be read alone by teen girls or side by side with parents. This book has been revised to look at the younger age in which girls are reaching puberty. It discusses everyday topics such as; menstruation, shaving, pimples, boys, etc. This is an “owner’s manual” type book for the young teen girl. It also focuses on new teen girl issues such as; athletic girl’s body, eating disorders, birth control, and unwanted attention on their newly developed bodies. This book was obtained at the GamalielElementary School library. Gitchel, S. (2005.) __Let’s Talk About S-E-X. A Guide for Kids 9-12 and Their__ __Parents.__ Book Peddlers. CA. This book is a wonderful manual for parents and kids to begin the sex dialogue. This book was first written in the 1980’s from Planned Parenthood. This short illustrated book discusses information in a way that is meant to inform not scare. It discusses feelings, questions, and what is considered normal. This book is meant to be used multiple times. This book was obtained at the William B. Harlan Memorial Library in MonroeCounty through an interlibrary loan. Hansen, D. (2004.) __Those Are My Private Parts.__ Empowerment Productions. Redondo Beach, CA. Most of the research I found indicated that when discussing developing bodies with children you should also discuss sexual abuse. This book is simply written and illustrated. It is written in the form of a poem and discusses games and ways that molesters go after children. This book will help empower children to know when they are being violated. This book was obtained at the William B. Harlan Memorial Library in MonroeCounty. Watkins, M. (2009.) __Is This__ __ Normal ____ ? Girls Questions, Answered by the Editors __ __of the Care & Keeping of You (American Girl).__ American Girl Publishing. China. This book isn’t the most serious one I found, but I feel it still has value for teen girls. The publishers of the book have answered real letters that young teens have written. The questions range from personal hygiene, periods, and ways to talk to your parents about puberty. Many young pre-teen girls readily read anything published by American Girl publishing, so they would be apt to read this book. This book was obtained at Gamaliel Elementary School's Library.