ABSTRACT
This chapter encourages pupils to reflect on how much physical touch passes between them and how that affects their relationships. Boys between the ages of around 8 and 15 tend to engage in a lot of jostling which is natural and part of the way they relate to each other. Jostling would appear to be a physical manifestation of banter. It is meant to be friendly and teasing, a bit like the way a parent might gently tumble a toddler on a bed or sofa. Encouraging boys to reflect on the amount of physical touch can help bring it under control if or when it becomes problematic. This lesson fits in well with Sex Education and the topic of consent. Teachers tend to teach about consent in the context of sexual activity, but it is reasonable to ask pupils also to reflect on any form of touch and physical interference which is not consensual.
