Pansexual 6th grader

[Anonymous]

My DD's friend told a bunch of kids at school today that she is pansexual. This is not a statement that I would expect from an 11 year old. Not sure what to make of this.

[Anonymous]

Make nothing of it. Maybe it’s true, maybe it’s not. Probably it was said for the shock value.

[Anonymous]

That the child has a very vivid imagination, little parental supervision at home, and probably not someone I would want my kid hanging around with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That the child has a very vivid imagination, little parental supervision at home, and probably not someone I would want my kid hanging around with.

. WAy to be open minded ! All kids are trying on different identities from 5th to 9th grade. They sort it out by 20th, but it’s confusing so please shut your mouth and open your ears.

[Anonymous]

Meant 10th grade

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Make nothing of it. Maybe it’s true, maybe it’s not. Probably it was said for the shock value.

The above is a good policy. Kids younger and younger now are staking out sexual identities and sometimes it's real and lasting and sometimes they're saying things for shock value and don't really fully understand everything their words mean. Don't overthink it or make a big deal of it. Your child will definitely hear more statements like this from more kids; be ready for it and answer questions in the most age-appropriate way you can. But it's a fact of tween and teen life now that kids are making big statements earlier than I could ever have imagined. Just be prepared for that and know what you'll say when your kid asks what "pansexual" means and how much detail you want to give and when.

[Anonymous]

She’s probably spending a lot of time reading about gender/orientation issues on Tumblr. She likes the idea of being able to love anyone, regardless of gender, cis/trans, etc. She also probably likes being the “woke” kid in her grade when most of her peers don’t know what pansexual even means. So a little attention seeking and a lot of good intentions, most likely. It may or may not stick. She’ll be fine.

-6th grade teacher who sees one of these kids every year or so.

[Anonymous]

what does pansexual mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Make nothing of it. Maybe it’s true, maybe it’s not. Probably it was said for the shock value.

The above is a good policy. Kids younger and younger now are staking out sexual identities and sometimes it's real and lasting and sometimes they're saying things for shock value and don't really fully understand everything their words mean. Don't overthink it or make a big deal of it. Your child will definitely hear more statements like this from more kids; be ready for it and answer questions in the most age-appropriate way you can. But it's a fact of tween and teen life now that kids are making big statements earlier than I could ever have imagined. Just be prepared for that and know what you'll say when your kid asks what "pansexual" means and how much detail you want to give and when.

Huh. I'm this PP and typed this as you were posting 10th grade, not 6th as in the title of the thread. Answer was based on idea of a sixth grader saying this. By 10th grade, yeah, proclamations about sexual identity and/or preferences are going on all the time. Different if it's a sixth grader.

[Anonymous]

11 years old? My 11 year old isn't exploring his sexuality and wouldn't know the words for it even if he was. Who exposes their kid to this kind of stuff? Let kids be kids.

[Anonymous]

She's trying to be original in the sexual identity department.

It's really hard to do that these days

In other words, ignore.

[Anonymous]

I tend to agree with the "make nothing of it" idea. Adults shouldn't shame the child in ANY way but don't need to make it out as a big, life-altering deal. An 11 year old is allowed to explore their romantic preferences (and by saying this, I don't mean dating or sex of course) as much as anyone else. Pansexual means they're open to loving any person. As long as they aren't harming anyone by telling them this (and I'm not sure how) then this is perfectly fine! They will solidify how they identify when they grow up and enter the dating world.

[Anonymous]

I would start by asking her what it means to her that she's pansexual. Then listen nonjudgmentally.

There's really nothing to do, regardless of her motivation for saying it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:what does pansexual mean?

They like Peter Pan?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That the child has a very vivid imagination, little parental supervision at home, and probably not someone I would want my kid hanging around with.

. WAy to be open minded ! All kids are trying on different identities from 5th to 9th grade. They sort it out by 20th, but it’s confusing so please shut your mouth and open your ears.

Sorry, but being "open-minded" about something like this when an 11 year old is involved is Idiocy in Action.