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Teacher telling 7yo that Father Christmas not real

770 replies

Peaceandquietandacuppa · 11/12/2024 22:33

Is it reasonable for a RE teacher to tell 7 year olds that Father Christmas isn’t real?

My 7 year old DS has just told me that his RE teacher told the class Father Christmas “isn’t real” today. He isn’t one to over-exaggerate. I asked if any of the kids prompted it by asking and he said no, she just said it.

If you think it’s unreasonable, would you say anything to the school?

YABU - teachers are fine to say FC is not real at the age of 7

YANBU - let the kids / parents decide if FC is real. Just don’t say anything!

OP posts:
MuddyPawsIndoors · 12/12/2024 19:06

Marblesbackagain · 12/12/2024 18:57

No I am a young bright honest happy individual who is patiently explaining basic morals to those who are operating in a hypocritical stance.

The fact you are aligning a known lie with beliefs held by millions is so disrespectful to those who hold religious beliefs.

You really are so locked into your hypocrisy it's astounding.

No I am a young bright honest happy individual

Well your account appears to have been hacked by someone who comes across as quite the opposite.

SerenityNowSerenityNow · 12/12/2024 18:58

Hypocrisy is telling everyone to lie!

I haven't - hth

Santa is a lie 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️yes you are telling people to lie, omission is lying.

I know Santa is a lie. There are ways to talk to people that allow you to not ruin a small child's Christmas.
Nuance is important and useful.
Diplomacy is often a useful approach to keep society muddling along.

Are we not aware how telling everyone to be kind is gone it used to make women accept crap is the general societal understanding of that outdated phrase.

Nice try. I didn't use the phrase 'be kind'.
It a bit of stretch to suggest what I was saying can be equated to the treatment of women in society.
Kindness is still a nice quality. Purposefully saying something that you know is going to upset someone is not very nice.
Packaging it up as just honest doesn't actually make it any better.

The fact you think it's okay to issue slurs on individuals promoting truth tells me everything I need to know.
I'm sure it does, I'm okay with that.

I honestly (!) believe that purposefully ruining a child's Christmas makes that person a dick. You prize honestly at all costs over kindness and that tells me everything I need to know about you.

Being kind is more than you are probably capable of.

Funny how you're allowed to dish out the personal insults but you get upset when people do the same to you.
You keep mentioning hypocrisy, here's a perfect example.

Marblesbackagain · 12/12/2024 18:57

ELMhouse · 12/12/2024 18:50

You’re an angry old soul aren’t you! 😂😂😂

you are literally twisting words! My point was to you, you as an adult just be nice about others beliefs/culture etc and teach your kids to do the same! And as for religion and Santa i do believe it’s the same sort of preface (and I’m not stupid despite what you think), surly Santa is explained with the same rationale that some people believe in xyz and some don’t! As with many things some people believe in the Easter bunny or tooth fairy (my kids never did as it wasn’t something we did in our house), but I did make sure that they didn’t poo-poo others beliefs in such thing! you don’t have to lie to your kids but by being nice I mean (which I think you knew what I meant) is that we teach our kids to be tolerant of others beliefs whether that be religion or myths!

No I am a young bright honest happy individual who is patiently explaining basic morals to those who are operating in a hypocritical stance.

The fact you are aligning a known lie with beliefs held by millions is so disrespectful to those who hold religious beliefs.

You really are so locked into your hypocrisy it's astounding.

MuddyPawsIndoors · 12/12/2024 18:54

Marblesbackagain · 12/12/2024 18:45

I was asked about how I approach religion. I said that religion is reconciliation in the law. Santa isn't.

Perhaps read previous posts before you insult someone!

Why are you bringing the law into it?

You're really clutching at those straws, this is Mumsnet, not a work tribunal.

ELMhouse · 12/12/2024 18:50

Marblesbackagain · 12/12/2024 18:37

Lying isn't nice and no I am not telling my child to include Santa with religion. If you can't understand the difference then I truly despair for the intelligence of the UK population.

You’re an angry old soul aren’t you! 😂😂😂

you are literally twisting words! My point was to you, you as an adult just be nice about others beliefs/culture etc and teach your kids to do the same! And as for religion and Santa i do believe it’s the same sort of preface (and I’m not stupid despite what you think), surly Santa is explained with the same rationale that some people believe in xyz and some don’t! As with many things some people believe in the Easter bunny or tooth fairy (my kids never did as it wasn’t something we did in our house), but I did make sure that they didn’t poo-poo others beliefs in such thing! you don’t have to lie to your kids but by being nice I mean (which I think you knew what I meant) is that we teach our kids to be tolerant of others beliefs whether that be religion or myths!

Marblesbackagain · 12/12/2024 18:45

MuddyPawsIndoors · 12/12/2024 18:41

What on earth are you banging on about?

It doesn't matter how long people hold beliefs, it doesn't actually make them true.

Belief in God is all about faith, so 'I believe God is real' is perfectly fine.

'God 100% categorically exists' obviously isn't fine.

I'm a lapsed Catholic and even the nuns and priests didn't used to claim God is 100% categorically real.

I was asked about how I approach religion. I said that religion is reconciliation in the law. Santa isn't.

Perhaps read previous posts before you insult someone!

Marblesbackagain · 12/12/2024 18:44

SerenityNowSerenityNow · 12/12/2024 18:38

Can you stop calling people dicks for telling the truth!

I'm not calling anyone a dick for telling the truth, I'm saying that explicitly telling a child (that's not your own child) that Father Christmas doesn't exist is dickish behaviour.

It might be honest but it's certainly not kind.

That's me being honest - see how it works both ways?

The hypocrisy is appalling.

Where have I been hypocritical?

Hypocrisy is telling everyone to lie!

Santa is a lie 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️yes you are telling people to lie, omission is lying.

Are we not aware how telling everyone to be kind is gone it used to make women accept crap is the general societal understanding of that outdated phrase.

The fact you think it's okay to issue slurs on individuals promoting truth tells me everything I need to know. Being kind is more than you are probably capable of.

MuddyPawsIndoors · 12/12/2024 18:41

Marblesbackagain · 12/12/2024 18:30

Seriously can you stop equating millennium long religion with a tall tale of a hundred years!

I am not lying to my child for a known lie. I do raise my atheist child to respect others religious beliefs.

Don't please ignorantly expect people to extend that courtesy to a known lie!

What on earth are you banging on about?

It doesn't matter how long people hold beliefs, it doesn't actually make them true.

Belief in God is all about faith, so 'I believe God is real' is perfectly fine.

'God 100% categorically exists' obviously isn't fine.

I'm a lapsed Catholic and even the nuns and priests didn't used to claim God is 100% categorically real.

SerenityNowSerenityNow · 12/12/2024 18:38

Can you stop calling people dicks for telling the truth!

I'm not calling anyone a dick for telling the truth, I'm saying that explicitly telling a child (that's not your own child) that Father Christmas doesn't exist is dickish behaviour.

It might be honest but it's certainly not kind.

That's me being honest - see how it works both ways?

The hypocrisy is appalling.

Where have I been hypocritical?

Marblesbackagain · 12/12/2024 18:37

ELMhouse · 12/12/2024 18:34

Can’t you just be nice because you know they are kids! Kids talk alsorts and most of the time I will just nod smile or ask them what they think. It’s not hard to be nice to a child.

you teach your kids to be courteous of religion and I feel this adds up to the same thing as this may not be a tale as old as time but you know it’s a cultural myth that makes some people happy.

Lying isn't nice and no I am not telling my child to include Santa with religion. If you can't understand the difference then I truly despair for the intelligence of the UK population.

Marblesbackagain · 12/12/2024 18:35

SerenityNowSerenityNow · 12/12/2024 18:27

Lovely personal attack for telling the truth and for the sensation equating a known lie to religious beliefs protected by law 😂😂😂😂😂

They were just being honest 🤷🏼‍♀️
I would have thought you'd approve.

An adult telling a kid that Father Christmas doesn't exist IS being a dick.

Can you stop calling people dicks for telling the truth!

The hypocrisy is appalling.

ELMhouse · 12/12/2024 18:34

Marblesbackagain · 12/12/2024 18:30

Seriously can you stop equating millennium long religion with a tall tale of a hundred years!

I am not lying to my child for a known lie. I do raise my atheist child to respect others religious beliefs.

Don't please ignorantly expect people to extend that courtesy to a known lie!

Can’t you just be nice because you know they are kids! Kids talk alsorts and most of the time I will just nod smile or ask them what they think. It’s not hard to be nice to a child.

you teach your kids to be courteous of religion and I feel this adds up to the same thing as this may not be a tale as old as time but you know it’s a cultural myth that makes some people happy.

SerenityNowSerenityNow · 12/12/2024 18:34

I am not lying to my child for a known lie

Nobody is telling you to 🤷🏼‍♀️

Marblesbackagain · 12/12/2024 18:30

MuddyPawsIndoors · 12/12/2024 18:26

Look, kids don't know if Santa is real and they don't know if their God is real (no matter which one they're made to worship by their parents).

They only know what their parents tell them about both of those things, so it's no-one else's place to tell them any different.

Seriously can you stop equating millennium long religion with a tall tale of a hundred years!

I am not lying to my child for a known lie. I do raise my atheist child to respect others religious beliefs.

Don't please ignorantly expect people to extend that courtesy to a known lie!

SerenityNowSerenityNow · 12/12/2024 18:27

Lovely personal attack for telling the truth and for the sensation equating a known lie to religious beliefs protected by law 😂😂😂😂😂

They were just being honest 🤷🏼‍♀️
I would have thought you'd approve.

An adult telling a kid that Father Christmas doesn't exist IS being a dick.

Marblesbackagain · 12/12/2024 18:27

Shwish · 12/12/2024 18:24

Ok dear.

Ah bless.

Oopsadaisysgranny · 12/12/2024 18:26

I would want to throttle her with tinsel !!! What a horrid woman . I would tell your son she’s a silly woman who is like the grinch and not to listen to her . And if that got back to her so be it . She’s a nasty piece of joy sucking nastiness

MuddyPawsIndoors · 12/12/2024 18:26

Marblesbackagain · 12/12/2024 18:23

If you don't have understand the difference and you are ok to personally attack people for the truth I would strongly suggest you take a good hated look in the mirror.

How absolutely ignorant of religious beliefs. From an atheist. I reported your slur

Look, kids don't know if Santa is real and they don't know if their God is real (no matter which one they're made to worship by their parents).

They only know what their parents tell them about both of those things, so it's no-one else's place to tell them any different.

Shwish · 12/12/2024 18:24

Marblesbackagain · 12/12/2024 18:23

If you don't have understand the difference and you are ok to personally attack people for the truth I would strongly suggest you take a good hated look in the mirror.

How absolutely ignorant of religious beliefs. From an atheist. I reported your slur

Ok dear.

Marblesbackagain · 12/12/2024 18:23

Shwish · 12/12/2024 18:21

It's protected by law, sure. Doesn't mean it's not a lie though

If you don't have understand the difference and you are ok to personally attack people for the truth I would strongly suggest you take a good hated look in the mirror.

How absolutely ignorant of religious beliefs. From an atheist. I reported your slur

SerenityNowSerenityNow · 12/12/2024 18:22

So the onus is on me to lie,? No. I am not lying to any child and neither are my children. The fact your brain twists the lie as being preferable to honesty is actually hilarious

You seem quite angry about this. Are you okay?

I'll say it again, nobody is asking you to lie.
Just give a non committal answer. It's not hard.

'Does Father Christmas exist?'
'Some people believe he does'

Would that be so difficult? Especially if it meant it kept the peace in your social circle?

Shwish · 12/12/2024 18:22

And it's not your place or business to answer that question for someone else's child.

Shwish · 12/12/2024 18:21

It's protected by law, sure. Doesn't mean it's not a lie though

Marblesbackagain · 12/12/2024 18:21

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Lovely personal attack for telling the truth and for the sensation equating a known lie to religious beliefs protected by law 😂😂😂😂😂

Peaceandquietandacuppa · 12/12/2024 18:20

Marblesbackagain · 12/12/2024 17:32

So you want theoretically my five year old to say nothing whilst not expecting the same of the five year old who believes. How exactly is that fair? Why is the pressure on my child rather than those lying to their child?

Of course I wouldn’t expect a child who doesn’t believe in Father Christmas to lie. My DS has loads of friends who say he’s not real. I WOULD expect an adult in a position such as teacher to be a bit more sensitive and respectful of the fact some people practice this cultural tradition.

OP posts: