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 ??

Ant psychologist will tell you imagination in a child is very important. They should believe in fairy’s and Santa. I would be more concerned for a child who doesnt believe and would wonder why.
Hardly anyone on this thread has been against imaginative play. This is such a straw man.

Part of what makes imaginary play great is that it isn't real. The children are free to be as creative as they want, come up with fictional scenarios, try out different stories and characters in a way that's fun. Imagination is great.

Children can enjoy a huge amount of creative and fun imaginative play without adults telling them it's all literally true.

I really do not understand the thinking that children’s imaginations and childhoods are somehow better for believing that unicorns and Santa are real.

I reckon it might be a feeling among some parents that it’s sweet and endearing if their children are encouraged to believe something ridiculous for as long as possible.

Literally what is this?

@WhileMyDishwasherGentlyWeeps out of curiosity, are you a parent yourself?
Having asked you that, I am now actually quite curious whether everybody that has commented negatively is actually a parent.
I'd like to think not honestly

If you want to tell your children from birth that Santa, the toothfairy, and whatever else you fancy is not real, knock yourself out. Why are you getting so furious about the majority of parents disagreeing with you?

And, no, they're not encouraging children to believe ridiculous things for 'as long as possible'. That's an also absolutely tiny minority of parents who are upset their 13 year old has just discovered Santa's not real. That's just as bizarre as actually believing that 4 year olds are all faking it for the presents.

This has turned into a huge bash fest.
Heck let's bash everything shall we!!
Religion, parents, children over the age of 3 months having any slither of joy in their lives.
I am really questioning what the life of a child would be like with some of these responses. (That I hope are not from actual parents may I add)
Whilst we're at it, shall I sit my 4 year old down, and tell her that as soon as she finishes education, the only purpose then is to work until you die... whilst maybe finding time to crush the spirits of little children, at the weekends.. just to bring a little bit of fun of course.
I despair

I’m not furious at all. I’m just giving my view. Are you furious?

I would be genuinely sad if I thought I hadn’t explained to my children at any age that fantasy is not reality. If they’re old enough to ask the question or make the assertion, they’re old enough to hear the answer.

I’m not sure we disagree that much anyway. If one of my kids had asked “is it true that Santa delivers the presents at Christmas?” I would have said, “no it’s not true, Santa’s not real. But if you like the idea of Santa there’s nothing wrong with that”.

Holy shit. You said the thing out loud! I thought it was just me!

I honestly thought Irish Catholic was a religion separate from Roman Catholic because the difference in English schools was so stark. The schools with a few Irish Catholic teachers (it only took a few) were just different in a way I couldn't put my finger on, but that's it, you said it. They acted like it was all true, I got the impression they didn't believe it, but they thought we should.

This thread has bothered the shit outta me but coming back a day later to your comment has honestly made it seem worthwhile. Mrs F. (English RE teacher) was terrifying she caused me serious issues with the shit she spouted about how terrible I was. But her husband (the Head who I was called into about the ouijja board) was Irish and he was all about making Catholicism fit you. Not the other way round.
I still view him as one of the greatest men ever, she always seemed a bit .... Carrie's mum about it all.

So many other teachers I've had seem to prove your point. Thank you so much for commenting.

I wonder if something weird happened with English Catholicism. Maybe they've been trying to out-Protestant the Protestants or something?

It's very difficult to understand this:

'I reckon it might be a feeling among some parents that it’s sweet and endearing if their children are encouraged to believe something ridiculous for as long as possible.'

as anything other than some very odd rage at normal parents. Do you even notice what a nasty thing that is to accuse people of?

Oh we absolutely do disagree. Children ask questions they're not ready to know the answer to all the time. 3 year olds don't need to be told that people rape and torture babies, no matter what they ask. But I don't care what you do with your own children. This is about what teachers, and actually any other adult, should or shouldn't tell children. Leave aside unicorns, there are clearly some vicious people out there who will tell other people's 4 year olds that Santa's not real.

Ooh! My imagination would have had a field day with the idea of Green Dragons being new and eventually turning into Ripe Red Dragons, backed up by the Dawn Treader transformation of Eustace into and then out of being a Dragon. Maybe they need to collect a certain amount of treasure or vanquish a certain amount of Knights before they can change colour? or is it an age thing?
Although honestly, I assumed Red Dragons were Red because they're Welsh and never really questioned that.

I don’t think it’s “normal” to mislead children and string them along about mythology and fairytales.

What reason could there be for that? It’s got nothing to do with encouraging imagination.

But that’s just my view.

BTW, rape and torture are irrelevant to this subject.

Err plenty of normal kids do NOT believe in Santa.
Most of the kids in your Childs school are Muslim????.
They don't celebrate Christmas, neither do plenty of others.

The parents are not cruel for denying them a made up man who breaks into your house at night and upsets you by delivering something your schoolmate desperately wanted but something a bit crap to you.

I was glad when I found out I wasn't badly behaved and him and his list were just made up.

The majority of children's play is fantasy! Should we turn round and say: soft toys don't talk! the tea party is not real, it's a plastic teapot! don't feed dolly the milk, it's fake! I'm forever crawling about pretending to be a cat, am I deceiving my child?

Children know those things aren’t real. That’s the role of imagination and pretence in play.

Ooh. Off to Google there must be a study somewhere. Maybe connected to the Catholics are wild, shagging and not worshipping the King, trying to blow up parliament reputation?

@WhileMyDishwasherGentlyWeeps

Of course it's normal to tell children Santa exists. As in, most parents do that, as you know. I have no idea why you've put the word normal in scare quotes.

You know exactly why I was referring to rape and torture. You don't actually believe for a moment that just because a child asks a question, they're ready to hear the actual answer.

I'll never forget the year that fat, red, beardy prick gave gave several of my friends genuine Bluebird A La Carte Kitchens and gave me the cheap knock off version.
Fuck that imaginary man.

I quite easily never let my kids believe he was real. They still enjoyed the IDEA and all the Xmas shite he's involved in, same as they enjoy the idea of fairies and dragons. Because my kids know how to use their imagination.

Yes, could be some weird overreaction. Equally, I wonder when and why English protestantism got all chilled out about magic/pagan stuff/superstitions. They seem to have swapped places if posters on this thread are to be believed.

I’d be really pissed off!!
How dare the teacher tell kids these things don’t exist… so she’s ruined the tooth fairy for all these children?!
I would be dropping your DC off on Monday and asking her for a word!!…. Tell her you feel cross that she’s ruined things for your child, and ask what next… ruin Christmas and Easter for the children?!
I’d be really cross.

Have you not listened to the song The Unicorn by The Batchalors? It explains why there have been no unicorns since the Bible days...they refused to get on Noahs Ark.

Ah okay, I see the issue now. It's a childhood issue.
Luckily I don't feel the need to take away excitement from my child, due to experiences in my own childhood.
If I did.. she would be very miserable.

My 5yo has always known they're not real.

@ChocolateIsntTheSameAnymore would you and your 5 year old like a shiny gold medal?
I have not taught my daughter that they are real. It is something she believes off of her own accord.
Well.. DID believe

I'll never forget the year that fat, red, beardy prick gave gave several of my friends genuine Bluebird A La Carte Kitchens and gave me the cheap knock off version.
Fuck that imaginary man.

That made me laugh. Probably shouldn’t have. But it did.