To think DS1 to be encouraged not to see any friends for the duration of Lent is just STUPID!?!

[chocolategateaudeluxe]

Last time at Beavers, they had to say something they really, REALLY liked, DS said "school" first, but they told him to chose something else, so he said "meeting up with friends".

Other children chose "playing DS" or "eating sweets".

They were then told about Lent and that what they had said they liked they now have to give up for the next 6 weeks!

DH says DS should stick to his word and is not allowed to see any friends during that time.

Am I the only one who thinks that's a bit weird? After all, seeing friends is not a luxury like eating sweets or playing computer games.

Completely silly. Get your DS to pick something else like chocolate or computer games and pick that instead. What is your DH thinking, how mad.

Hope your DH was joking OP

Oh DS says he is going to give up broccoli, when I said that wasn't allowed he picked peas instead

are you sure they 'have' to give it up

we do something similar with Brownies and then ask them if they would like to 'think' about giving up something for Lent

no one is forced to do it
and the majority don't go to church anyway so it's a bit pointless

Don't think the beaver leader meant them to take it quite that seriously....

Poor Ds! No, let him choose something else instead.

Surely you've got that wrong?

I can't see them encouraging children to stop seeing their friends

And I'd be very surprised if they told them what they 'have' to give up.

Would your DH force him to give up school for lent if they had let him stick with his first choice?

Seeing friends is as important as going to school imo so your DH ibu and weird !

On a different note, your DS doesn't have to give anything up for lent if he doesn't want to.

Anyway, it's luxuries you're supposed to give up.

I hope so to mokitomania though I'm not sure... So far we only briefly talked about the incident and DH was like: "tell mummy what you promised at Beavers" and DS looking rather sheepishly (DH loves winding people up though...)

Surely there's been a serious misinterpretation here? Nobody would expect friendship to be given up for Lent. I'm not a Christian but I'm fairly sure that friendship comes up reasonably high on their list of acceptable things to encourage.

I've given up giving things up. Now wheres that bar of Green & Blacks...?

Ask your husband what he really likes. Then tell him he has to give it up for lent.

Or tell him to give up 'winding people up'.

"DH, seeing as you love sex with me so much, you can go 40 days without that"

Really think Lent is something your DC should only be doing if they want to partcipate. Then, they'll see it as a challenge, not a punishment.

He misunderstood. You're the adult, you would be really mean not to explain it to him properly. Why wouldn't you, btw?

What is silly about answering the question "what do you really like" with school or seeing friends?

I'll have a chat with DH when he gets home from work...

DS is definitely taking it serious: He is adamant he won't see any of his friends, though wants to start tomorrow, not today. There probably is a hidden agenda - more x-box and sweets to make up for not seeing friends... ?

That's what the OP said.

I can easily imagine them going round and saying "what do you really like doing" and getting all the answers and then giving a talk about lent.

No friends means no activities like beavers though surely?