It made me feel slightly ill, and more than slightly unsettled.

I have an interesting and direct opinion about this.

After having lived in Maine for several years, My wife and I became aware
of a high degree and incidence of sexual behavior in young children - not
so much pederasty (Which certainly does occur just like everywhere else),
but rather children becoming very active, very young.

A fifth grader performing fellatio in the back of a school bus. Fifth
and sixth graders becoming pregnant... More than a handful. Venereal
diseases present in primary schools. It was very shocking to us.

I was faced with a very sad problem. My children, whom I'd have preferred
to remain completely innocent for at least as long as we could manage that,
were in danger. It turns out, that a decision that I had made when they
were very young, wound up saving a lot of troubles. I told them as soon
as they showed any curiosity of any kind, that there were real monsters out
there. Any question that they felt the need to ask, I made sure I answered
honestly and as realistically as I could. Poor Paula couldn't stay in the
room during several of the conversations, but by the time my children were in
that age bracket, they were well prepared.

I never saw an instance of either one of them being in any danger. My
daughter (Who is special needs.), turns out to be one of the most awesome
people I've ever seen at not letting people hurt or take advantage of her.
My Son is in no danger (At sixteen, he was six three, and two fifty. At
Eighteen, he's six four, and two seventy-five.), but even if he were, both
of them were very well educated, and I have no doubt that neither would ever
allow themselves to be preyed upon. Even when they were eight, nine, or ten.

A child molester is wholly responsible, but I'd have to say that as sad as
it is, our society is simply not a place that any parent can leave any child
innocent. If they can't be educated to guard against these dangers, then they
can't be allowed out of your sight in situations where bye may be in contact
with someone who is older.

Other than School, my children never were. We worked, more than most, but
even at 19, my daughter and son still keep me and their mother informed of
exactly where they are, and with whom they spend their time.

I'm encouraging my daughter this week, that if she has a crush on a boy, that
it's Okay to go over to his house and watch movies, or to go out someplace to
spend time together. That if she feels that she has a crush that is more than
being friends, she should tell him... because it's obvious that he does too.
She's well and completely aware of what she should or should not do, or risk,
and she knows that she still has us to help her manage those decisions if she
feels she needs to talk. It does not bother me, or cause me too much worry,
or at least as much as when she told the kid that yes he did have to come in
and talk with her Mom and Dad.

What Kills me though, and the reason why I'm writing this, is that there was
ever a need to raise them in that way. God, I wish I could have had children
who believed in Santa Clause for as long as I possibly could have, but today it is
far more important for children to be aware. Mine would never be in danger from
someone on the internet, and could probably handle a direct threat better than
some adults. It sickens me that it was necessary, but I can not understand
some people's decision that it is better to leave their children vulnerable.
(Or, at least more vulnerable than their intellectual development absolutely
limits them to be.)

I had to be in before dark, and might have been anywhere within ten miles till
then. Now, even a casual contact between children of the same age, given how
many are far more active than we would want, can be deadly. There just does
not seem to be much of a choice anymore.

I hope all of yours are safe, as I hope all of you are too.

Sarah Lynn