To say something about religious nativity play?

[JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff]

The DC go to a private day nursery. It doesn't have a religious affiliation. It was their Christmas play today. They did a loose version of the nativity and then at the end, there was a bit of recitation - "and that baby Jesus grew up to do amazing miracles. He died to save all the people in the world. Christians believe he came back from the dead and everyone who finds Jesus will be happy."

Dd who is under 4 is now asking "what does it mean, Jesus died?" And "should we go and look for Jesus?"

Aibu to mention to nursery management that this has resulted in some awkward conversations and maybe next year, they could choose something non-religious, bearing in mind lots of the families that use the nursery aren't believing Christians?

I didn't know about death at 4. I'm surprised at the posters who think that all 4 year olds should know.

How do you explain roadkill?

@JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff

I thenk yawww....

This thread is absolutely ridiculous. If you don't want your children to know the meaning of Christmas then you have no business celebrating it. This has really hit a nerve with me.

@Pinkky

As others have touched on, and as often comes up in these threads, a lot of aspects of Christmas pre-date Christianity and originally marked the winter solstice (gift giving, the feast, bringing evergreen plants into the home, some santa-like figures). It's like the egg stuff at Easter.

Christianity came along and wedged it's own meaning onto existing traditions.

Not something to typically be pedantic about until Christians start trying to claim exclusive ownership of the holiday and traditions that are more cultural than religious.

This thread is absolutely ridiculous. If you don't want your children to know the meaning of Christmas then you have no business celebrating it. This has really hit a nerve with me.

You're being ridiculous. Op was concerned about the questions that had arisen because of the play. Do you tell your dc that bonfire night is celebrating a foiled terrorist attack and that the culprit was cut into 4 pieces after being hanged and his dead body dragged through London by a horse. I thought not. Op can celebrate what she wants. No one owns a culture.

Alongside Goodbye Mog, I also recommend 'Beginnings and Endings with Lifetimes In Between' by Bryan Mellonie and Robert Ingpen, long title but for my kids the simple explanation and images inside worked very well in helping them understand and discuss death.

I agree that older kids like that stuff but it isn't something I'd be telling a 3 year old.

Do you tell your dc that bonfire night is celebrating a foiled terrorist attack and that the culprit was cut into 4 pieces after being hanged and his dead body dragged through London by a horse.

Yes. History will be repeated if forgotten.

I don’t see how it’s awkward , just answer to the nest of your religious knowledge and if you’re not religious then just tell him it’s a story from the bible

CHRISTmas.
Your wain will be more interested in their advent calender chocolate come tomorrow.

Christmas means different things to different people. My DT’s liked the nativity play for the dressing up, singing and performing. They have been exposed to many religions but we have taught them that some people believe some things and other people, different things. They liked the nativity story as a story but it isn’t something we believe in. For us Christmas means extra time with friends and family, special meals, lots of presents and parties.

Yes. History will be repeated if forgotten

But you can see it's not necessary to understand it to like fireworks though. You don't need to be aligned to the government of that time to enjoy it all.

Don't celebrate a religious holiday if you don't want to partake in religion.
YABVVVVVVVU!!!!

A) You are being ridiculous.

B) I am very concerned that you work in education.

C) I accidentally saw a dead elderly neighbour’s body at the age of 3. My mother explained it very well, I accepted it and went on to have no issues whatsoever around it. Stop trying to prevent your children from knowing about real life issues like the life cycle and religion. What would you and your OH do if she decided to explore religion one day?! Allow her to ask questions and think! That’s how you develop critical thinking skills. You are shutting down her intelligence.

“Sweetheart, there are some people called Christians who believe that there was a man called Jesus who died and came back to life on earth for a little while before going to heaven. Daddy and I are not Christians and we don’t believe that. When Christians talk about finding Jesus, they mean finding out more about how he lived his life and trying to live their lives like that too. They don’t mean he’s lost or hiding. Jesus lived over 2000 years ago. That’s a very long time so he wouldn’t still be alive anyway. We don’t live forever and some people believe dying is like going into a nice peaceful sleep for a long, long time and other people, like Christians, believe that when we die we go to a place called heaven where we get to live forever with all the other people who have died. It’s up to you what you want to believe. Would you like us to read a book together about it that might help you understand?”

🤣🤣🤣

Shadylady very good explanation. Op use it.

@MiddlingMum I'd missed that post. Is someone seriously saying that 4-year-olds haven't encountered the idea that people (and animals, and plants) die?!

Have they never watched a Disney film or heard a fairy tale??

I suspect they've been protecting their little snowflake too much. But how on earth you can get to 4 years old and not know about death baffles me. Even my vegan-raised children were aware that other people eat dead animals and that some people die. Are there really parents whose children eat meat who don't tell them it's from a dead animal? Or that old people just somehow disappear? Or that doctors can make everybody better?

Don't celebrate a religious holiday if you don't want to partake in religion.
Do fuck off.

Merry Christmas.

Crikey, they said “this is what they believe”, Hardly brainwashing, like other religions do.

Quite a good article (with extensive Biblical references) on why Christians shouldn't celebrate Christmas. Obviously not a mainstream view amongst most Christians and denominations, but worthwhile reading for the 'don't celebrate Christmas if you're not Christian' brigade.

www.ucg.org/the-good-news/christmas-before-christ-the-surprising-truth

Personally I don't care who celebrates or, generally, how they celebrate.