It seems the adult world enters the lives of children earlier and earlier, but a report out of California takes it to another level. Second graders are accused of engaging in oral sex in the classroom.

Yes, you read that right. Second graders. As in 7 years old. As in, I may be ill. My children are still toddlers, but every day I fear them growing up more and more. This makes me want to consider homeschooling.

The teacher, who is on administrative leave, may or may not have been present in the classroom, but one thing is very clear:

Pediatrician and child abuse expert Dr. Jim Crawford said for children so young to do the things the girl said they did is profoundly abnormal behavior. "My concern would be maybe something happened to one or more of the kids involved and that they're responding in this type of behavior because of what happened to them," he told KGO.

It's hard to imagine the discussions that these children must have had with their parents following something like this. I would hope that my 7-year-old wouldn't even know that oral sex exists at that age, let alone witness others engaging in it. And honestly, my mind cannot even comprehend the idea of my child being one of the ones engaging in it.

Sick, sick, sick. Clearly something is amiss with these children at home, and I feel for them. But it brings up a larger issue for many of us. What influence do other children have on our own?

My children go to a very progressive preschool and we are very happy with them, but my daughter does have influences that she never had when she was home with me. Some of it is good. I think she is developing enormous compassion thanks to her school. But some of it is not.

There are older boys in her classroom who definitely engage in more violent play, which I know because she now shouts, "Kill! Kill! Kill!" when she is playing different games. It's all part of socialization, which I get. You take the good with the bad. And social learning is almost as important as any other kind of learning. I wouldn't want to shelter my children from that.

Still, it's worrisome to imagine the influences that will touch her life. When we have a new baby, we have a pristine being, untouched by anything, and we make so many promises. My baby will never hear raised voices or watch TV or be touched by commercialism or non-organic food. Little by little, these promises are challenged and some are harder to keep than others.

But we can't control every influence and the idea that our child might be unprotected in the place we trust the most (school) is so much more than just "disturbing." It's downright terrifying.

I hope these children get help and am so impressed that one little girl knew enough to tell her teacher. 

What do you think of this story?

 

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