Expert claims that parents should ask babies for permission to change their nappy

A sexuality educator has claimed that parents should ask their babies for permission before they change their nappies.

Deanne Carson, who identifies on Twitter as a sexuality educator, speaker and author, said that doing so would set up a culture of consent early on. She explained that she works with kids as young as three years of age on issues surrounding consent, but encouraged parents to introduce the idea much earlier. She said that she while she recognises the fact that babies are unable to actually give an answer, it's important to use eye contact to teach them that their response matters. On an ABC segment on consent laws, she said:

"We work with children from three years old. "We work from parents from birth."

The reporter was pretty confused by the suggestion, asking again: "from birth?" Ms Carson continued:

"Yes, just about how to set up a culture of consent in their homes so 'I'm going to change your nappy now, is that OK.' "Of course a baby is not going to respond 'yes mum that's awesome, I'd love to have my nappy changed'. "But if you leave a space, and wait for body language and wait to make eye contact then you're letting that child know that their response matters."

Viewers were very "dumb founded" by the suggestion, with some calling it "lunacy". https://twitter.com/Havingmysay2/status/993686983024099328 https://twitter.com/magpiemg/status/993841176036851713 https://twitter.com/aurelius167/status/994014606090686464