Motherly Dogma Is Suspect Comment On This Article Below. Return to the article Shabnam comments : Shubh Bala, Thanks for bringing such a great topic forward, for discussion. Here are my answers to your questions: How informed were you regarding facts of life when you were growing up? Not at all. Knowing about facts of life was forbidden. You are right, that it was not allowed to question the authorities. At what age and how did you learn about facts of life? From friends, from a parent, sibling, or a close relative, from school, or by independent reading? I think grade 10. I still remember, just discussing the chapter of reproduction, two classes were set up, one for girls and one for boys I kept thinking it must be so shameful, which can’t be discussed in full class! How do you feel about sex education in schools? Some people feel that sex education in public schools is necessary for children for various reasons: to understand physical changes in the body during puberty, to prevent sexual abuse, and to make healthy choices such as preventing pregnancy. Others argue that it takes away innocence and gives unnecessary information too early. People also differ in their opinions about who should provide information to a child about the facts of life, family or school. I feel that it is necessary to give sex education in the school. Not only that, I think minor education should start from the beginning in the home. For ex. Telling your child that he/she was a gift from god and came in basket of flowers? Why can’t we tell the kid they came from mommy’s tummy? That’s my opinion! Thanks for letting me share my thoughts! Indira Chakravorty comments : thanks subh for the beautiful poem. there is a two-fold issue in the questions subh asked in this poem. one is the issue of children's sex education, the other is the fetish in our society about girls staying virgin till they get married--as a result we are over-protected at the same time do not know how to protect ourselves! isn't this a great paradox!