Tickling and when to stop helps children learn about consent, MPs told

Children should not be tickled if they ask for it to stop, MPs have heard.

The SNP's Alison Thewliss said such a response would help youngsters learn about consent, including that someone stops their actions if you tell them.

The Glasgow Central MP also questioned why children are stereotyped into pursuing certain jobs.

Speaking during a Commons debate on sexual harassment and violence in schools, Ms Thewliss said: “In thinking about consent, that also starts at a very young age as well - we can think about that with children too.

“We can do it with something as simple as tickling.

“If you're tickling a child and they say stop, you stop. That's teaching consent to very young children - they understand that, they know that.

“If you're building that kind of resilience from that young age they know if you want somebody to stop, you tell them to stop and that happens.

“That's something we can build in from absolutely the youngest age and something we should definitely be looking at that.''

Ms Thewliss, immediately prior to her comments on consent, said of stereotyping: “I've got a seven-year-old and a wee girl who is going to be four next week and I'm very conscious about what they learn in school and nursery.

“My son was in nursery, all the kids were asked to think about what job they wanted to do when they grew up, and they made a video.

“The boys wanted to be ambulance drivers and soldiers and very active roles - and all of the wee girls in that class wanted to be a dancer or a singer.

“There is nothing wrong with being a dancer or a singer but why are they choosing those at the age of three rather than choosing ambulance driver or anything else they want to be, why are they so stereotyped into those roles at the age of three? We need to think about this.'