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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think that a RECEPTION teacher shouldn't have said this ???

725 replies

AutumnalPumpkin · 14/10/2023 11:16

My daughter goes to a catholic school (it was the only school available to us) we are not a religious family, but it does not bother me that she is being immersed in religion. After all, she will only make her own mind up later in life anyway. But this is relevant.
They use god in almost every part of the day, and in all aspects of learning.
As those who are not religious will know, we and a lot of others view god as "made up" or a myth, if you will.
Now this brings me to where I have a problem - her reception teacher has picked up on some of the class talking about unicorns. A typical 4/5 year old thing... and has proceeded to tell them that Unicorns, fairies and dragons etc are all made up, and do not exist.
This is absolute insanity to me!!? They are 4/5 and all have wonderful vivid imaginations.
We regularly take my daughter to "the fairy forest" and she immerses herself into it and tries to find clues to where the fairies could be hiding, and loves to think that at nighttime all of the magical creatures come out to play.
She's now come home saying that it's all untrue and they are made up.
I'm actually really upset about this.
How can you push the belief of god, and they go all out for Santa etc. but actively shut down the belief of magical creatures ??

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monicagellerbing · 14/10/2023 11:20

Because they are catholic. Clue is in the name. Not sure what you're expecting from a catholic school!

Marblessolveeverything · 14/10/2023 11:22

YABU, the ideology is accepted by the school so the teacher must follow. The imagined animals not so much. It will vary teacher to teacher.

AutumnalPumpkin · 14/10/2023 11:24

@monicagellerbing okay I understand it's a very religious school and as I have said that is fine. But I don't understand why the teacher had to tell them completely unprovoked that unicorns and fairies are made up.

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Rinoachicken · 14/10/2023 11:24

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NellyWest · 14/10/2023 11:24

It’s a Catholic school, not Hogwarts 🤷‍♀️

namechange1986 · 14/10/2023 11:24

I don't think either of my children were under the illusion unicorns were real...

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 14/10/2023 11:24

You really need to look for another school, because you are totally at variance with the mores of the current one.

Good luck with the unicorns

AutumnalPumpkin · 14/10/2023 11:25

@Rinoachicken oh dear. This was not to my knowledge

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AutumnalPumpkin · 14/10/2023 11:26

@NellyWest of course not. I am not stupid. But surely it is okay to let small children believe ?

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AutumnalPumpkin · 14/10/2023 11:26

@namechange1986 unicorns not so much, I think it varies. But fairies ??

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AutumnalPumpkin · 14/10/2023 11:26

@Allthegoodnamesarechosen unfortunately this is the only one.

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MILLYmo0se · 14/10/2023 11:27

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So Catholic schools in the UK dont allow talk of Santa Claus or the tooth fairy?

Janieforever · 14/10/2023 11:27

I don’t think this is anything to do with religion. It’s nothing to do with Catholicism, it’s daft to think it is. Simply the teacher is correcting them. It’s not like she said Santa isn’t real.

chipsandpeas · 14/10/2023 11:27

AutumnalPumpkin · 14/10/2023 11:26

@NellyWest of course not. I am not stupid. But surely it is okay to let small children believe ?

its a catholic school, the only mythical being they are going to saying is real is jesus

autumndayswherethegrassisjewelled · 14/10/2023 11:28

Wait are we meant to be telling our young children that fairies, unicorns etc are real?

AutumnalPumpkin · 14/10/2023 11:29

@MILLYmo0se this is what confuses me. They will openly talk about Santa clause but say that fairies and other mythical beings are all made up.
But I'm sure somewhere in the bible there is talk of a unicorn or being to the like.
I could be wrong

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Woman2023 · 14/10/2023 11:29

So you want a school to talk about fairies and unicorns as though they are real? How very strange.

AutumnalPumpkin · 14/10/2023 11:30

@Janieforever I wouldn't have thought it was to do with religion either. But why shut down innocent children like that.

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Trinity65 · 14/10/2023 11:30

NellyWest · 14/10/2023 11:24

It’s a Catholic school, not Hogwarts 🤷‍♀️

😆😆

AutumnalPumpkin · 14/10/2023 11:30

@autumndayswherethegrassisjewelled
Well to my knowledge a large majority of small children believe in mythical creatures. As they believe in Santa and tooth fairy etc

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Gwendimarco · 14/10/2023 11:31

I loved nothing more than fairies when I was little. My mum told me they were fantasy, but I didn't really believe her, surely everyone knows that only children see and believe in fairies and that grown ups forget about magic!

I think YABU to get worked up about this. Santa is one thing, unicorns - meh! Children will believe what they want to believe. Better they don’t believe in everything magical or growing up will be a shattering experience.

AutumnalPumpkin · 14/10/2023 11:31

@Woman2023 nowhere did I say they should be taught about them and spoken as if they were real. It was the fact it wasn't the topic of discussion and she took it upon herself to mention "actually, they're fake. It's made up sorry". It was unnecessary

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MrsSkylerWhite · 14/10/2023 11:31

Atheists here. Nothing but nothing would have persuaded us to send our children to a religious school. You signed up to it so YABU.

Britneyfan · 14/10/2023 11:32

@Rinoachicken is correct I think. I really think that’s the reason. As flabbergasting as it may seem to many non religious people. I’m not Catholic but I am a Christian and I definitely know some people who would very seriously regard a belief in unicorns and fairies in young children as dangerous/witchcraft and want to stamp it out.

sleepyscientist · 14/10/2023 11:32

DS is at a Catholic school and the teachers defiantly wouldn't say that they also get involved in make believe. World book day was Harry Potter themed they also have a Harry Potter club.

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