Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Anyone got experience of church Kids Club for non-religious kids

91 replies

toooooo · 04/07/2018 19:08

Posting for traffic

Took DS 5 to a new kids club today first time as recommended by another school parent. 1.5hrs free childcare (you can leave and come back), sounded good.

When I picked up DS I asked if they did anything religious and he said they talked about God etc. As he's young I didn't know exactly what they said and he didn't explain well.

Anyway - it sounded fab, as a LP with limited time. But I don't want him indoctrinated in some religion by a random kids club. Is that what they might try to do? Anyone got any ideas how these groups work??

Many thanks

OP posts:
NotAsGreenAsCabbageLooking · 04/07/2018 19:44

My kids used to go to boys brigade.. I am an atheist, and I would be a little bit gutted if my kids turned out religious... but, I want them to learn about religions, inform themselves and then choose their own path.

This church based group didn’t seem too pushy, so it was good. My kids eventually got bored though and didn’t like the religious aspects and so left.

MizCracker · 04/07/2018 19:44

I know a few people who are like “Meh, free childcare for a couple of hours. And it’s not too Jesus-y!”

I won’t touch them with a bargepole personally. My child gets forcefed enough Christianity at school (and it’s not a church school either).

bluelightred · 04/07/2018 19:44

If it is a church group, and they have told you they talk about God, they will regard it as part of missionary/ evangelical work.

FissionChips · 04/07/2018 19:45

You think you are such a poor influence on your child that a church activity club could possible indoctrinate your child in a couple of hours over the holidays?

Original poster
toooooo · 04/07/2018 19:47

Thank you everyone for your most useful input. I did have my suspicions and I doubt that they mean anything other than well, but I don't feel it's appropriate for my DS...

Maybe if I get desperate one day for an extra hour of working time I might... Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
toooooo · 04/07/2018 19:48

Blimey fission, projecting a bit there?

I don't feel that at all. Kids minds are malleable, and seeds can be planted in strange ways. I'd rather not take that risk to be honest. Christianity at its evangelical end is dodgy!

OP posts:
Elementtree · 04/07/2018 19:50

Oh please, the loyalty of kids can be bought with no more than a catchy jingle and a bit of plastic crap, ask McDonald's.

DailyMailFail101 · 04/07/2018 19:52

My mum sent me and my brother off to Sunday school every week so she could have a lie in, we have not been christened and I’m still not religious in the slightest, never did us any harm and maybe made us more aware of different religions?

MeYouWye · 04/07/2018 19:53

Interesting article but reading the trans threads on the feminism boards suggests Alpha really isn't that powerful or they are going a really bad job.

Re the kids clubs, it depends on the church, but mostly they are pretty tame. You should chat to the leaders and find out what the program is. Also check the church website to see what kind of messages they are sending out.

SmileEachDay · 04/07/2018 19:57

What's wrong with speaking in tongues?!!

Science: peer reviewed studies cited in this article. It’s really interesting; it’s also not the Holy Spirit

SnapCards · 04/07/2018 20:00

I went to a club like this as a child.
They told me that Jesus would return one day and all the non-believers would try and say 'we believe in you now' but it would be too late and they would all go to hell.

I had nightmares for weeks afterwards because my Mum is a non-believer and I was scared she'd be dragged down to hell and I'd have to go off with Jesus Confused

I'd never send my kids, it may be 'free' but it's not worth handing your impressable young child over to these people. You never know what they could tell your child.

ImFreeToDoWhatIWant · 04/07/2018 20:00

My ds2 did a church based holiday club one year aged 7 whilst staying with grandparents and it really upset him. Everything was bible themed, all the crafts, all the songs, all the games, everything. We had lots of distress afterwards about not wanting anyone to die and wanting Jesus to come back and make me and his dad be alive again so he wouldn't be alone. He wasn't old enough to process the stories properly and the way they were presented was as solid fact - it was a modern evangelical Baptist church. On that basis we asked that he didn't go again the next year and I wouldn't encourage you to send him back if you're not okay with the religious aspect.

SnapCards · 04/07/2018 20:01

Impressionable*

achoocashew · 04/07/2018 20:04

I don't believe that, I believe my own experince. I speak in tongues. Have you ever tried to babble for a long time? It's very hard to do, I couldn't fake it. Even if I don't speak in tongues for a long time, I recognise the words I am saying from previously when I do it again. If it was made up babbling I wouldn't be able to reproduce it.

SuperDandy · 04/07/2018 20:12

I think it really depends on the church and the people running the sessions. Our local one is evangelical and even the posters in the room made me uncomfortable, but some of them are much more mildly religious.

SmileEachDay · 04/07/2018 20:13

achoo

I believe that you believe it. I believe the two very dear friends of mine believe it. I think it’s a complex phenomenon.

The neuroscience is extremely interesting and scientifically pretty conclusive.

phlebasconsidered · 04/07/2018 20:17

Just don't bother unless you are ok with your child being told Christian messages all the time. It's not like RE in school where it's always presented as a cultural choice thing ( unless you are teaching in a church school). It's presented as verbatim bible fact. Because that's what they believe. A few days of RE in school is usually themed and presented sensibly. So for example, i'll have a theme of celebration and it will include all major religions and comparisons. I might look at the holy books of all major religions. We'll discuss things a lot.

What i won't do is tell stories from one religious viewpoint presented as truth, do nice crafts and feed them nice stuff. Because that would be wrong.

MsHomeSlice · 04/07/2018 20:20

mine all went, and apart from dd very briefly wanting to add "Nun" to her career options aged about 7 there were no ill effects, and tbf The Sound Of Music might have had more to do with that particular choice.

it was good here as it was usually the last week of the holidays so it was an easy in to getting up and out of the house and meant catching up with lots of school chums too.

I think it helped that the organisers were also well known within the school so it didn't seem too overtly godsquad. Apparently the biscuits and juice were top notch and none of your cheapo quenchycups like at the school discos

amicissimma · 04/07/2018 20:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ilikelotsofthinngs · 04/07/2018 20:33

My ds goes to a church of England school and holiday club in church.
I'm not religious but I live my life by Christian values so I'm not worried about indoctrination.
All of the people are very warm and friendly, they play games, crafts songs, most of the children are from the school or neighbouring village school so it's just a nice easy way for the kids to meet friends and make new ones.
At Easter they made baskets to fill with eggs and gave them to a local charity which supports homeless people.
We used to go to an evangelical church, baby and toddler group, and even there where you might expect it to be a bit more in your face, the babies played, had a snack, one bible story and then songs, which are really fun and catchy. Again the people are lovely and not judgemental or pushy at all.

MaisyPops · 04/07/2018 20:35

It's not like RE in school where it's always presented as a cultural choice thing ( unless you are teaching in a church school). It's presented as verbatim bible fact.
All church things I've been involved in have been presented as 'as Christians we believe...' and with teens we get into debates around different interpretations and philosophical debate. Maybe we're jist pesky liberals.

Even the church people who come into school for assemblies (including the more evangelical ones) speak as 'our church believes, i personally believe'.

Don't get me wrong, some are big into terrify children and push religion but that's not what all of them are like.

Ilikelotsofthinngs · 04/07/2018 20:40

My son has been known to have the odd impromptu prayer session which has obviously come from school because we don't pray at home but it's always at an appropriate time and quite sweet. Seems to have grown out of it now.
Even non faith school have a daily prayer and hymns. Also I know the girl guides used to have something about God in their promise and could be quite religious at times, full church parade and service once a month with you were expected to attend and all camps had a service on the Sunday morning.

Harry2006 · 04/07/2018 20:40

My daughter goes to one and she loves it. It does have a christian theme but they certainly dont push anything onto her. It is just a fun club to her.

AHobbyaweek · 04/07/2018 22:38

I remember going to a church club a lot when I was younger and they are the same type that do the alpha course.
I did get into the Christian thing for a while but it was good and taught me a lot about treating people right and being respectful.
A lot of people at it didn't go anywhere near the Christian aspect and just did crafts/watched movies and played games and that was fine too.
I really enjoyed it and will send my children when they are old enough as they make their own decision about their religion in the end.

speakout · 04/07/2018 22:46

It's presented very much as "this is what we believe" not "this is what you must believe".

Yeah because kids really get that don't they.

Hmm

If it's a free church kids club then there will be indoctrination- it's part of the deal

Swipe left for the next trending thread