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?

Please don't be that parent

What kind of non-religious nativity did you have in mind, OP?

I also don't have an objection to them hearing about "what religions of the world believe" but this isn't presented like that. It is just Christian stuff

It’s Christmas.

At Diwali they’d learn about Hinduism not Christianity.

It's a nativity play, for Christmas - it's not unreasonable to mention Jesus!

I'm an atheist with some fairly strong views on faith schools but I've never had an issue with DS doing nativity plays etc.

Kids love stories, kids understand stories. All you need to do is explain this is another story about a baby called Jesus and that some people believe Jesus really lived and those people are called Christians.

So you'd be okay with explaining death in this context? She wants to know what it means that Jesus died.

Yes! She's 4, not 2.

She needs to learn that death is a thing and when people die, you don't go out looking for them

Its a nativity at christmas. I really dont know what you expected tbh

Aibu to mention to nursery management that this has resulted in some awkward conversations

Why are they “awkward” questions?

What’s awkward about it? You say “some people believe XYZ” but I don’t believe that personally.

If you are an atheist or of another faith you just present it as fictional surely? While explaining to your DS that some people do believe it very sincerely.

It’s not different from a Christian parent explaining Islam, Judaism, Buddhism or atheism to a child.

Not in the least awkward.

Also not everyone celebrates Christmas.

And no they don't do Diwali, Ramadan, Chanukah etc.

The reason it’s ‘just Christian stuff’, I would imagine, is because they’re talking about Christmas. You can’t really explain Christmas without talking about ‘Christian stuff’. DD2’s pre school also celebrated Diwali.
Yes I have explained death to my 3 year old in this context.

Oh good grief.

If you don’t want them to have anything to do with Christianity, and it bothers you this much, then I hope you’re not celebrating Christmas at all, as that is what it’s about after all.

If you can get over it enough to do the presents, decorations, etc, then I’m sure you can manage this.

If you are from a different culture and don’t celebrate Christmas, then you could either withdraw your children from Christmas celebrations or see it as just a learning opportunity.

You are free to vote with your feet and find a nursery doing a non religious nativity play.

So you'd be okay with explaining death in this context? She wants to know what it means that Jesus died

Your 4 yo doesn’t know about death? . Why on earth not?

It sounds okay to me, I’m not religious at all but have always taught my children about religion. You just answer her questions? At 3 I am sure she knows what it means for something to be dead, it is a fact of life.

^ I say this as an atheist. What they are taught at pre school/school provides us with a platform to explain things at home.

Yes I would be OK with explaining death, I have explained death to my just turned 5 year old (try and find a Disney film where no-one dies for one!)
Christmas is a Christian festival and children need to know the background to it just as they should do to Diwali, Ramadan etc.

You are being quite ridiculous. Get a grip.

They don't have to celebrate Christmas to be in or go to see a nativity play

Small children are remarkably accepting of discussions about death. It is way way better to introduce the concept at a young age than deal with the fall-out of pretending it doesn't exist.

It's people like you that ruin everything for everybody else.

Take this opportunity to teach them about religion instead of being offended.

And no, I am not religious

Okay, so genuinely what do you say to a 3yo about death when it's just been raised point blank like that?

And Worra she thinks you look for dead people because that's what they told her . They said Christians think Jesus is dead but he came back and now we should look for him.

What is wrong with learning about other religions? The nursery seem to have done a good job in presenting this as "something Christians believe". I went to a catholic school and we did day trips to mosques and synagogues .... to learn that there are other religions.

You are being idiotic. You cannot shield your child from the fact that there are billions of people in the world that follow a religion.

YABU. You do realise that Christmas is actually a celebration of the nativity? If you don't agree with that, then don't celebrate Christmas.

But you seem to want your child to be in a nativity play, but for it not to be about the nativity because you don't want to be asked questions about it.

You're being ridiculous.

So from your update your issue is that the play mentioned someone dying, not that it was religious? Either way YABU.

Clues in the name ‘Nativity play’