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

[AutumnalPumpkin]

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 ??

It’s a Catholic school, not Hogwarts

🤣🤣👏🏼 👏🏼 👏🏼

YABU to lie to your kids

I suspect the Catholic part is irrelevant.

I'm a reception teacher in a Catholic school and I'm also a practicing Catholic and there's no way I would tell my class unicorns and fairies aren't real. I get out the elf on the shelf at Christmas and creat magic for my class. We don't talk about the devil, none of the Catholic schools I've worked at have ever mentioned the devil or been anti Harry Potter.

I suspect this teacher maybe just spoke without thinking and it's as simple as that nothing to do with Catholicism at all.

I always remember a few years ago we had friends over who had a 4/5yo daughter, my daughter was about 8 or 9 and they were watching Descendants on Disney. They were talking about the spells and magic and at some point my daughter said "it's not real though" and the other girls dad got a bit arsey and through gritted teeth went "YES IT IS!" to my daughter and was quite annoyed that she'd dared to say it wasn't real. I found this so baffling and was quite pissed off, why would you tell your kids stuff like that is real 🤔

Your experiences are valid and no person should ever dismiss them. I'm so sorry certain comments in this thread have triggered them. I tend to laugh of my experiences, my whole childhood was filled with more of the same. If anything I have said has hurt you, then I'm truly sorry x

Santa clause is a story based on a saint.
I was just about to say this! They will learn about Saint Nicholas as one of the many saints they will study.

Thats interesting. We struggle with 'santa' as you just end having to make up more stuff when they ask questions. kind of avoid talking about it. But my mum said her parents never 'did' Saints.

How did they take it when you said he's not real? What do they say to others who believe?

Exactly - its totally unnecessary to ruin a child’s fun. I can imagine there would be alot of angry parents in the class if it had been about Santa or the tooth fairy. Its sad that in such a miserable world, people cant let children’s imaginations run wild whilst their still young. They probably would have realised at some point in that school year, so I dont understand why the teacher couldn’t go along with it. If a child was talking to me about unicorns, i’d play along and it wouldn’t even cross my mind to say its not real.

@SunnyFrost I am so sorry you experienced this, especially on my thread. I hope you're able to find peace ❤️

@Bluegreenseasoffoam you must be fun

I'm a reception teacher in a 'secular' school and very recently had this conversation with my children.
During register time, we often use different talking points to respond. Last week, when I said good morning to the children, I asked them to respond with what their favourite animal was and why. Quite a few children responded that their favourite animal was a unicorn. I gently reminded them that unicorns aren't real, they're pretend - and asked them to have another think.
No one was traumatised, it's the actual truth.
Nothing to worry about at all.

I love that she felt the need to point out the imaginary animals but not the imaginary entity she prays to each day 😂The insanity of religion in a nutshell. Move schools OP, before your DC is brainwashed.

My son said he had gnomes in his bedroom that would come out at night and run across the floor.
I said wow how do you no there gnomes he said they had pointy hats on.
He was 5 at the time and would tell anyone that would listen.
Hes in his 20s now and still to this day his story never changed.
We did move home years later.
But i put it down to kids being kids even though he still stands by his words.
He never came up with anything else but always said gnomes are real.
Hes not nuts or has any MH just saying.

Part of the ELG for reception aged children is to have an understanding of the natural world.
I can't with full confidence give these children age related expectations if they think a mythical animal is real.

It's a serious consideration of mine now. Never did I think Mumsnet would influence a decision of mine.
What I'd also like to point out is that in the first couple of weeks, they were doing the books "going on a bear hunt" and "a tiger came to tea" and the teachers had staged footprints etc and the children said "they aren't real, they are just paper footprints" but the teacher was adamant they were real and that a bear and tiger got into the classroom.

I wouldn’t think so, lots of Catholic schools celebrate and do fun things for Halloween. My own children go to a Catholic school and they’re having a Halloween disco, decorate the place with pumpkins, witches etc.

I believe him!! 😆 I think children definitely can see things sometimes 100%

Don’t worry it’s all fine if you’re a Catholic
See attached
Plus the graves are blessed during the Halloween period

Is it possible that another child had said that unicorns and fairies weren't real? It's quite easy to envisage a scenario in which it becomes an disagreement with other children telling them they're wrong and the teacher then having to solve the argument by telling them child one was correct. Real life in the classroom frequently turns up curved balls to be dealt with at a moment's notice!

Anti-catholic sentiment is still live and kicking in the UK I see!

You are the one who chose to use your experiences as a representation of Catholicism, not me. I am sorry but your lived experience is entirely subjective and is not indicative whatsoever of my experience, my kids nor none of my friends or relatives.... You are trying to invalidate and demonise the OPs Catholic school through your experience and to me that is utterly wrong.

How typical that lots of people rush out saying this is standard for Catholicism. In my experience (Catholic family) the only people who get their knickers in a twist about witchcraft, Halloween, Harry Potter etc are evangelically-minded Protestants. This is simply a joyless/literal-minded teacher and I suspect the people pronouncing so confidently on Catholicism don't have a lot of everyday contact with it.

You only have to look at Ireland (from where many UK Catholics ultimately originate) for an example of a Catholic people with a long and rich folk-culture of fairies, spirits etc. Celebration of Halloween (All Saints' Eve) itself was reintroduced to England by Irish Catholic immigrants (with American influence in the 20th century too) after pretty much completely dying out after the Reformation.

Having said that, given unicorns are not actually real, I think it would be a bit weird to kick up a fuss and insist the school teaches your daughter that they are.

Because so many people are criticising Catholicism of course. You are staunchly defending unicorns and clearly feel deeply attached to them, as well as fairies and you are objecting to them being dismissed by this teacher. I am a Catholic and I am defending my religion. Problem?

I’m also interested to discover if the posters who freely criticise Catholicism are as free with their disdain for other religions? Again, problem? If you can give me a good reason why I am either not allowed to ask questions or not be interested in finding out how religions than my own are perceived can you explain why?

I find it is so easy to give Catholic schools a kicking on here. Most people have never set foot in one and think it is ok to denounce and demonise them. One poster called Catholics dour, joyless and savages... Have they ever been to a Catholic wedding??

That's my (admittedly limited) experience as well, I'm atheist but a girl at DS's primary was from a protestant family and she was not allowed to go to the Halloween disco or participate in anything like that, DS said she used to cry if anyone said anything anti religion.