Shambles - On some levels I would agree with the idea that you shouldn't hide the nature of the real world from children. However, there are some things which I prefer not to have to explain too early. In the past I have dug some enormous holes for myself when trying to provide honest and open answers. I have also regretted some conversations when I realised that they had been paraphrased and passed on to her schoolfriends whose parents are less forthcoming. It is a very difficult thing to decide what info to give at which point, and it is a very complex task to provide guidance and values. So I am afraid I do give into hypocrisy I suppose, perhaps it can be the lesser of two evils. But I do find it worrying that the prevalence of sex and violence in the general media can give children distorted and incomplete information - and some very dodgy role-models. On the other hand, the child does have to live in the real world so I s'pose you are right really. On the other hand (of which I expect there are many) the idea of censorship is perhaps an attempt to make the real world a nicer place. Which brings us back to political correctness. Eyuk. I just go round and round in circles on this one. I used to think I was mega-liberal in my attitudes but perhaps not.......

Kris