The Sexual Enlightenment Of Children
& # 8221 ; Essay, Research Paper
Jeffrey Miller
Intro to Psychology
Due: 4-17-98
A reappraisal of & # 8220 ; The Sexual Enlightenment of Children & # 8221 ;
by Sigmud Freud
& # 8220 ; The Sexual Enlightenment of Children & # 8221 ; is an unfastened
missive written by Dr. Sigmund Freud to M. Furst, editor
of Soziale Medizin und Hygiene. It deals with the ways
that kids learn about gender and how them
larning it the incorrect manner could perchance frighten them for
the remainder of there lives. He does this by utilizing illustrations
for his ain work and the work of other psychologists
covering with the sexual development of immature people.
Freud opens the missive by allowing Furst know that
when asked this inquiry he took it as desiring the
sentiment of one physician who could establish his sentiment on his
work and non as person utilizing the big sum of
literature that had become available. As a whole Freud
feels that kids should non be left in the dark about
sex and sexual feelings. He says & # 8220 ; To My head it seems
that certain things are wholly excessively much wrapped in
mystery. & # 8221 ; By this he means that kids should be
wholly free to develop at at that place ain gait. He says
that if kids are non told this they will happen other
ways of acquiring the information such as other kids
or books. Besides he states that it is unlikely to believe
that sexual desires will non develop in a kid if the
are non stirred by any outside beginning.
Freud believes that kids conveying a certain sum
of sexual inherent aptitude in to the universe with them when they
are born. He state, & # 8220 ; It is normally believed that the
sexual inherent aptitude is missing in kids, and merely Begins
to originate when the sexual variety meats mature. & # 8221 ; Freud claims
that assorted parts of our organic structure are & # 8220 ; erotogenis zones & # 8221 ;
and it is merely after they develop that the genitalias
go the supreme 1s.
Freud sighted one illustration of how a kid should be
treated in this country. A immature male child by the name of Herbert
who has really intelligent parents. They ne’er tried to
quash his development as a sexual being. What he began
to mention to his private portion as his & # 8220 ; wee-wee shaper & # 8221 ; his
parents ne’er one time told him that things like that were
non radius of in public. They did this to demo him that
sexual activity is non a bad thing.
Freud stated several times that one thing that
should ne’er be done is to allow your kid think that sex
is a soiled thing. This will merely do the kid to hold
jobs later in life that may be irreversible. He
sighted yet another illustration from his work that shows how
a individual can be scared by things such as this. A
immature
miss by the name of Lily wrote a missive to her Aunt Mali
on behalf of her and her playfellows. Lily asked Aunt Mali
where babes came from. The misss had all kinds of
thoughts, but they wanted to cognize the truth and Aunt Mali
was the lone on they could turn to for such a inquiry.
Freud extremely doubts that Lily got the right reply.
Lily subsequently developed the neuroticism that comes from
& # 8220 ; unanswered unconscious questions-obsessive
speculating. & # 8221 ; Freud said about this & # 8220 ; & # 8230 ; they whisper
assurances to each other which, because of the sense of
guilt in the childhood enquirers, cast everything
sexual as atrocious and gross outing & # 8221 ;
Freud feels that sex should be treated merely like
everything else in the universe. It shouldn & # 8217 ; t be kept from
kids. He thinks that even in schools kids should
be taught the different animate beings in the animate being land
reproduce. He says that a kid would be much better
off if the were good guided on the topic and non merely
allow travel to happen what they will for the universe. Most of
all I think he is stating that sex should non be kept a
secret.
In some instances I feel that Freud is right on with
his thoughts. I besides think that some of his thoughts don & # 8217 ; T hit
anyplace near the grade for the modern society we live in
today. For illustration, I believe that kids shouldn & # 8217 ; T
be left wholly in the dark about things of a sexual
nature. All kids develop at different velocities and
some might non be rather ready for this sort of
information if it was taught in school at a certain
grade degree. I best manner that I can see to cover with
this is for parents to love at that place kids and ne’er allow
so think that the can & # 8217 ; t inquire so inquiries about
anything. The parents so have to be ready to reply
any inquiry that the kid might hold.
I the instance sighted above refering the small
miss who wanted to cognize where babes come from, I think
that there is likely more to the narrative the what was
stated in the essay. I don & # 8217 ; t believe that a kid being
denied the facts about where babes come from would
cause her to develop such a upset. I can & # 8217 ; t be certain
about this because I do lack the sum of cognition
that is required to diagnosis a individual or determine how
the upset was caused.
The narrative of the little male child who ran around all of
the clip speaking about his & # 8220 ; wee-wee shaper & # 8221 ; struck me as
slightly amusing. I truly wear & # 8217 ; t see any ground to allow a
kid run about say thingssuch as this. If a kid International Relations and Security Network & # 8217 ; T
taught that decorum doesn & # 8217 ; t permit certain things in
certain topographic points so they will ne’er larn.
