Our Whole Lives Sexuality Education for Grades K-1 / Sexuality Education for Grades 4-6 Our Whole Lives: Sexuality Education for Grades K-1 and Our Whole Lives: Sexuality Education for Grades 4-6 are positive, comprehensive, and age-appropriate educational programs that promote sexual health and are informed by the guidelines of the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS). These curricula are based on four primary goals: to provide a accurate, developmentally appropriate information; to increase self-esteem and understand relationships with and responsibilities toward others; to develop interpersonal skills including communication, decision-making, and problem solving and to teach responsibility for personal health and safety.

The values underlying these curricula are:

• All children shoal d be loved and cared for, respected and valued as unique individuals.
• Sexuality is a natural and healthy part of living. Children learn about sexuality beginning at birth and continue to learn throughout their lives.
• Children learn about sexuality from how people touch them, talk with them, and expect them to behave as males and females. The messages that children receive affect their future attitudes, values, and behaviors.
• Information about sexuality, human development, and sexual health should be presented to children in positive, accurate, and developmentally appropriate ways.
• Parents are their children's most important sexuality educators. The larger community of educators, caregivers, and health professionals can also have a positive influence on children's sexual health.

Our Whole Lives: Sexuality Education for Grades K-1 and Our Whole Lives: Sexuality Education for Grades 4-6 support the "three R's" of childhood sexuality education: Respect, Relationship, and Responsibility. Its specific goals include:

1. To strengthen and support each child's sense of self and self-esteem.
2. To help children understand the place of sexuality in human life and loving.
3. To help children recognize and appreciate their bodies as good and beautiful, private and special.
4. To help children gain understanding and accurate information about human sexuality, reproduction, and gender identification.
5. To help children prepare for the normal changes they will experience as they grow and develop.
6. To help children develop interpersonal skills that will keep them safe and healthy.
7. To help children learn to make decisions that respect themselves and others, and that anticipate possible consequences.
8. To engage families with the Our Whole Lives program in open communication about all life questions.
9. strengthen parents' role as their children's most important sexuality educators.

Parents as Sexuality Educators Report

Formatted for the web by Kasey Melski.