Teacher telling 7yo that Father Christmas not real

[Peaceandquietandacuppa]

Is it reasonable for a RE teacher to tell 7 year olds that Father Christmas isn’t real?

My 7 year old DS has just told me that his RE teacher told the class Father Christmas “isn’t real” today. He isn’t one to over-exaggerate. I asked if any of the kids prompted it by asking and he said no, she just said it.

If you think it’s unreasonable, would you say anything to the school?

YABU - teachers are fine to say FC is not real at the age of 7

YANBU - let the kids / parents decide if FC is real. Just don’t say anything!

Adults who go on about "the lying" of Santa are the worst kind of joyless fun sponges. Po faced nightmares. Yes we get it, you're morally superior incredible parents, now bore off while we talk to an elf to manipulate a small kid into behaving, will you?

Nope, parents choose to start the lie with their children.
Or do you do everything as it was done hundreds of years ago?

Meanwhile adults who call other adults 'joyless fun sponges', simply because they're not doing things exactly as they are, ard lovely non-judgmental people to be around? 🤢

The lie is cultural, it's established and out there. We don't individually decide to do it and conjure it out of nowhere.

And yes actually, like you i live in a culture that is deeply rooted in very long held traditions and practices. We put up Christmas trees and we have specific foods and we sing ancient songs and all kinds of things that originated centuries ago.
Had you not noticed?

I do accept that others do things differently, and have stated that several times. It's those who chose to lie about do santa who cannot seem to comprehend that theirs isn't the only way, trying to police what others say and do, to suit their narrative.
We always told DS that 'different people believe different things'.

Nobody is horrible.

Something being cultural or established doesn't mean that it's not also voluntary though. Parents choose to buy into the santa/FC concept - I have no issue with that, and DS was told that 'different people believe different things', however I do have issue with being called names or accused of spoiling christmas for not personally promoting the santa/FC lie.

Something being cultural or established doesn't mean that it's not also voluntary though. Parents choose to buy into the santa/FC concept - I have no issue with that, and DS was told that 'different people believe different things', however I do have issue with being called names or accused of spoiling christmas for not personally promoting the santa/FC lie.

You clearly get what most of us are saying though? You've told your son that people believe different things so presumably you aren't encouraging him to go around telling his friends that father Christmas is a lie?

Nobody is asking you to personally promote FC, we're suggesting a diplomatic/kind response when speaking to children about it.

Anyone who goes out of their way to make it their mission to tell children it's a lie are behaving horribly. But that doesn't sound like that's what you do anyway?!

My one kid figured it out at age 4 . The other was around 8 .

Nobody said it wasn't voluntary. But it's also not a "lie" in the usual sense of the word, and banging on about lying is the joyless fun sponge part.

Some people are definitely horrible.

It definitely is a lie. Don’t lie to yourself.

Not for having different views on santa/FC.

I do accept that others do things differently, and have stated that several times. It's those who chose to lie about do santa who cannot seem to comprehend that theirs isn't the only way, trying to police what others say and do, to suit their narrative.
We always told DS that 'different people believe different things'.

Then you're not the sort of person I'm talking about are you?
The only people I'm saying are horrible/mean/out of order are those purposefully going out of their way to tell children it's all a lie.
If you don't do that then there isn't an issue is there? I genuinely don't care what your approach to FC is....all I'd ask is not to go out of your way to be mean to kids!!

Your use of language is interesting though, you proclaim tolerance yet feel the need to use negative language when describing those that choose to tell their children Father Christmas is real. It's fascinating.

It's quite simple.
You believe what you believe, you tell your children what you want to tell them.
You do not go around interfering in what others do, just because it doesn't align with your views.
I don't do it to religious folk. I don't do it to christmas non believers. I expect the same in return.
If it comes up in conversation, you share that everyone had different beliefs, and that that's fine.
In the same way that I wouldn't walk onto a church and start telling kids off the bat that God doesn't exist, I expect the same in return.
ESPECIALLY from a teacher.

It's definitely a lie. That's not up for debate. Some people think it's a justifiable lie - that's entirely their choice, but they cannot force others to be part of that choice, much as they think they can.
Stating the truth isn't 'banging on' either.

Not for having different views on santa/FC.

Good job that's not what I'm saying! Of course nobody is horrible for having different views on Father Christmas.

She wasn’t replying to you?

What negative language are you referring to? The use of the word lie? It is a lie, a justifiable lie to some.

It absolutely is up for debate. I don't think it's a lie, as such.

That's not up for debate. Some people think it's a justifiable lie - that's entirely their choice, but they cannot force others to be part of that choice, much as they think they can.

Who is forcing you to believe???

I'm interested to hear how you define a lie, because the way the modern santa/FC is fed to children is definitely not based on truth. It's made up, partly based on an old traditional story (St Nicholas). Most parents accept that they're essentially lying, but they feel it's justified lying.

There's a whole world between not true and a lie.

Have you missed most of the thread?

Have you?