Posted by Essie at 11:55pm May 6 '08I really hate to even breach this subject after [private]'s thread, but I want y'all's perspective on this.
I have been babysitting this boy since he was 5 years old. He is in 6th grade now and since I have gone off to college, he has started Instant Messaging me. I figure its kind of cool and lets me keep up with what is going on with his family and school. I've been around since he was in preschool, so I know the kid fairly well and his parents obviously trust me.
Right now he is in 6th grade, like I said, and is having way too much fun in middle school. Personally, I think his parents would be appalled at his behavior, but I'm not going to rat him out. I don't think it is my place.
He mentioned how he made out with a girl. I (not so jokingly) told him that he was too young to be making out! He said, "nah, but I'm not stupid. My friends are having sex and getting diseases and pregnant and shit. I'm not that stupid".
My response to that was that I know a lot of college students who aren't prepared for the responsibility of sex, and it has a lot of consequences that can completely change (or ruin) your life forever.
Of course, being a little boy, he asked about me. He said, "What about you? you staying clean?"
Like hell was I going to tell him about my sex life. I merely said that I had a lot of goals and ambition and right now the complications of disease and pregnancy weren't risks I wanted to deal with. Its just safer that way, and I'm more likely to accomplish the things I want out of life. (In grown up terms, that means I'm not getting any lately.)
Here is my question to you as a community; He's old enough to hear about sex. His school teachers talk about it, his classmates discuss it all of the time, and popular media is riddled with it. If he asks me, as someone who is "safer" than his parents, do I respond with the ethically, morally sound response that his parents would want him to hear? OR do I tell him to go ask his parents? Or the third option--do I tell him its grossly inappropriate and he shouldn't be discussing it with me or anyone else and let him find out on his own?
I've been around this kid for years. I'm thrilled that he's not embarrassed to ask me fairly embarrassing questions. What I'm not thrilled with is the ethical dilemma. I know it isn't my place to discuss it with him, but do I let the opportunity to give him a lecture from someone he thinks is cool slide?
Just curious.
I have been babysitting this boy since he was 5 years old. He is in 6th grade now and since I have gone off to college, he has started Instant Messaging me. I figure its kind of cool and lets me keep up with what is going on with his family and school. I've been around since he was in preschool, so I know the kid fairly well and his parents obviously trust me.
Right now he is in 6th grade, like I said, and is having way too much fun in middle school. Personally, I think his parents would be appalled at his behavior, but I'm not going to rat him out. I don't think it is my place.
He mentioned how he made out with a girl. I (not so jokingly) told him that he was too young to be making out! He said, "nah, but I'm not stupid. My friends are having sex and getting diseases and pregnant and shit. I'm not that stupid".
My response to that was that I know a lot of college students who aren't prepared for the responsibility of sex, and it has a lot of consequences that can completely change (or ruin) your life forever.
Of course, being a little boy, he asked about me. He said, "What about you? you staying clean?"
Like hell was I going to tell him about my sex life. I merely said that I had a lot of goals and ambition and right now the complications of disease and pregnancy weren't risks I wanted to deal with. Its just safer that way, and I'm more likely to accomplish the things I want out of life. (In grown up terms, that means I'm not getting any lately.)
Here is my question to you as a community; He's old enough to hear about sex. His school teachers talk about it, his classmates discuss it all of the time, and popular media is riddled with it. If he asks me, as someone who is "safer" than his parents, do I respond with the ethically, morally sound response that his parents would want him to hear? OR do I tell him to go ask his parents? Or the third option--do I tell him its grossly inappropriate and he shouldn't be discussing it with me or anyone else and let him find out on his own?
I've been around this kid for years. I'm thrilled that he's not embarrassed to ask me fairly embarrassing questions. What I'm not thrilled with is the ethical dilemma. I know it isn't my place to discuss it with him, but do I let the opportunity to give him a lecture from someone he thinks is cool slide?
Just curious.
added on 12:08am May 7 '08:
Per Seddy's recommendation, do you think that I should call up his mother tomorrow and run it by her? 
Discussing sex with a minor - Essie