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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Religious celebrations at nursery

128 replies

Pelomum · 07/04/2022 15:58

I picked up my DC from nursery this week and as soon as I walked in noticed a prominent Ramadan display with pictures of a Quran, food etc. Ramadan falls around the same time as Lent/Easter and Passover but there was nothing for these religious holidays. The nursery is part of a big university as a place for staff to send their children but this particular branch has more local families attending. My husband and I were raised RC and my DC is baptised but we feel that religion is a personal preference and institutions should either celebrate ALL religions or none - should I speak to someone about it?

OP posts:
Innocenta · 07/04/2022 16:27

We celebrated Eid when I was at nursery back in the early 90s. This is really not a big deal; let it go.

TheGrimSqueakersFlea · 07/04/2022 16:27

I agree with you OP. It should be all or none! Satanism often gets missed out

Or did you mean just the religions you're comfortable with should be taught and celebrated?

Christmas1988 · 07/04/2022 16:29

It’s great children learn about different faiths, my son isn’t religious in the slightest, he still enjoys Christmas crafts, Easter cards, Chinese New Year food tasting and other religious festivals. It’s all about learning about others and recognising everyone has different beliefs.

HELLITHURT · 07/04/2022 16:30

Given your strong beliefs about celebration of religious festivals, what questions did you ask
Nursery? What was the response?

AprilMae · 07/04/2022 16:31

Ramadan is a bigger deal than Easter though, akin to Christmas

Favourodds · 07/04/2022 16:31

It's dinosaur week at mine. Apt.

Innocenta · 07/04/2022 16:32

@AprilMae Easter is a bigger deal than Christmas to people who celebrate religiously.

Ericaequites · 07/04/2022 16:32

Doesn’t Ramadan happen at different times of the year because Islam uses a slightly different calendar? Passover nearly always occurs during Holy Week, because the Last Supper was a Passover celebration.

girlmom21 · 07/04/2022 16:35

Our nursery are doing Easter activities and activities for Ramadan.

They also do Diwali.

They do activities for Chinese New Year, St Patrick's Day and St Georges Day.

They're very young children tasting foods or painting decorations from different cultures.

You're allowed to do that with them at home too. Their nursery isn't the beginning and end of their education.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 07/04/2022 16:40

It's not Easter for another ten days. Which you should know if you're Catholic?

SugarDatesandPistachios · 07/04/2022 16:42
Biscuit
Hillarious · 07/04/2022 16:43

Your child is lucky to celebrate their own religious festivals at home, whilst learning about others in the nursery. I'm guessing no brain-washing is involved? In either location.

Mrsjayy · 07/04/2022 16:43

Easter isn't till next week.im sure they will cover it. These things are also cultural as well as religious but I'm sure you know that!

Sh05 · 07/04/2022 16:44

They obviously we're not celebrating Ramadhan as it's a month of fasting, not a celebration as such unless you come back and say your child was refused food all day.
There's plenty of time yet to celebrate Easter which to those who aren't practicing christian is all about bunnies and eggs.
Don't be that parent please. Give them a chance atleast

OutingHobby · 07/04/2022 16:44

I think its great to build an awareness of all religions

OutingHobby · 07/04/2022 16:45

And yes it isn't Easter yet...

SockFluffInTheBath · 07/04/2022 16:45

@NeverDropYourMooncup

It's not Easter for another ten days. Which you should know if you're Catholic?
It’s been Easter since January according to Tesco’s seasonal aisle 🙄
Pinksmyfavoritecolour · 07/04/2022 16:49

They did this 25 years ago when mine were in nursery, made decorations, they tried different foods for all different things too, soda bread for st Patrick’s day, haggis on st Andrew’s day, pancakes pancake day, Ramadan, Diwali, it’s a great way for them to start learning we’re all different but the same, in a fun way.

Zanina · 07/04/2022 16:51

I'm muslim my child is Muslim and he came home with a chocolate bunny after spending time with the easter bunny in nursery. I'm not offended I'm happy he gets to have a lovely experience. In fact I was telling him about the easter bunny before he went into nursery so he knew what to expect. I actually feel offended by your reaction and need to even ask this on the Internet

Simonjt · 07/04/2022 16:51

Ramadan has already begun, Easter is in two weeks, were you equallh upset that Christmas wasn’t celebrated on the 11th December?

LatteLady · 07/04/2022 16:51

Did you celebrate Mothering Sunday the week before last, that is part of Lent celebrations. As a Catholic, you should know that there are not supposed to be any celebrations after Palm Sunday, this weekend and I assume that you will all be fasting on Good Friday, one of the two fast days left in the Catholic Church.

LatteLady · 07/04/2022 16:53

Your nursery seems to be hitting all the right celebrations for a nursery and is exploring a celebrating lots of faiths, so embrace it and find out about the other religions.

Spearpeas · 07/04/2022 16:57

@AprilMae

Ramadan is a bigger deal than Easter though, akin to Christmas
How offensive. What did you learn at nursery? (Or in any other phase of education).
HELLITHURT · 07/04/2022 16:58

@AprilMae

Ramadan is a bigger deal than Easter though, akin to Christmas
You're not a Catholic are you 🙄
Kanaloa · 07/04/2022 17:06

@NeverDropYourMooncup

It's not Easter for another ten days. Which you should know if you're Catholic?
I don’t think this is about not celebrating Christian festivals though. Or not celebrating Passover as op details in her op.

It’s about the nursery having the insolence to celebrate a Muslim festival. I don’t think of Eid had gone unnoticed op would have been quick to jump on here saying ‘my child’s nursery did a Christmas play but no Eid party and no Holi celebration.’ AIBU to think all religions should be marked or none at all?