Should I be worried about my 6 year old coming home with this?

[Nebula360]

He wrote it on the back of an r.e. worksheet.

I just asked him why and he said “because I don’t think there is a god!”

I’m just worried what his teachers would say if they saw it!

He wrote it on the back of his worksheet.

If it was on the front or on his book etc then he may get into trouble for graffiti and so I would tell him that he shouldn’t be writing on his worksheet.

I see this as a bright child with good critical thinking skills asserting his right to make up his own mind in the face of indoctrination. It’s quite impressive that he knows he can trust his own judgement and follow his own path. I would do nothing to discourage that.

He is allowed to express his views - religious people don't take precedence over him!

This is absolutely the wrong approach. A disbelief in deities is just as valid as any belief in gods. You should not be teaching your child to be ashamed.

Perfectly acceptable for anyone of any age to believe this. I’m a Christian and a teacher (although my beliefs are personal, not something I try to impose on others).

He is 100% allowed to believe this. If other people are allowed to say there is a god then he is allowed to say there isn't.

I’d be considering if I needed to pretend there was a Santa too - and planning a hopefully easier Christmas 😉

Nothing wrong with saying he doesn’t believe in God.

I wouldn’t pander to religious people, though. They should be confident enough in their faith to be able to hear someone say they don’t believe in God/s. His non-belief shouldn’t impact a religious person as much as the religious person’s beliefs shouldn’t impact on him.

Why? Santa is just a game parents and children play. You would really stop giving your child presents just because they aren’t willing to lie?

I’d be proud

Shouldn’t be an issue in a non-denominational school. Might cause a bit of a stir at a religious school but you can tell a teacher to fuck off (maybe don’t use those exact words!) if they complain about it to you. Free speech, after all.

What he wrote and where he wrote it is fine.

Not an issue at all, I don’t believe in god either and I’m sure a large proportion of his teachers don’t. He should be able to express any opinion he wants in school as long as it’s done in a respectful way and he’s willing to listen to people who don’t agree with him

Well my Y1 child has been saying he believes in God and that worries me! Goodness knows what the school have been saying that made him think that - he knows we don't.

It's not a CofE school so it's puzzling.

Why on earth shouldn’t he express his beliefs to others? His views are just as valid as those who believe in God. Personally I’d be delighted if one of my kids came home with this- it really grinds my gears the extent to which they get indoctrinated by Christian ideology all the way through primary school. They even have a Christian organisation come in once a week to read bible stories without telling parents (it’s not a religious school). As an atheist who believes in science, I find it offensive when my children come home telling me fairy tales about the earth and everything on being made by god in 7 days 🙄

It's maybe good to talk to him and say there's no proof of god, but some people have faith that there is a god, even though there's no proof, but still there's no actual proof so if that's what you believe then that's fine

I was about his age when I realised the same thing. Having spent my childhood in church (chorale, sunday school) I had a friend who got sick and who died despite my prayers. That was it for me: there is no God. Or he's a Dick not worthy to worship.
Your son is intelligent and he's entitled to his opinions. Just help him rephrase it to : I don't think there is a God.

I knew about that age that I didn't believe there could be a god, like my grandparents described. There was nothing anyone could show me to back up the claims and I've always liked solid evidence.

I think it's absolutely fine, nothing to worry about. Maybe just a conversation around how to express his beliefs. So rather than "there is no god", he could use "I don't think there's a god".

We are non religious in our house but very open. Our daughter's friend is Christian and my daughter likes to go to church every now and then and says she believes in Jesus. We talk about it and I just say to her we are allowed to believe what ever we choose as long as we don't force others to believe and other aren't allowed to tell us we are wrong.

What! Why? How bizarre. You’re allowed to be atheist you know.

I'd be proud my child was able to listen to different views and come up with their own opinion.

DH and I don’t practice and religion, not atheist but not really bothered. DC (similar age) asked to go to a Christmas service at a church to understand how Christians celebrate Christmas. All fine, on the way we talk about how different people have different beliefs and if we’re at church we’re a guest, need to be polite and follow the rules but it’s ok to go even if you don’t believe. Also have always made clear that DC doesn’t have to follow what mummy and daddy think.

Pastor introduces herself when we arrive and invites DC to play with a nativity scene. At which point DC says, “just so you know, we, me and mummy I mean, don’t believe in God and Jesus.” Very polite and apologetic. The pastor just laughed and said everyone was welcome 🤷‍♀️.

My 9 year old writes very neatly and can spell very well. Still sometimes gets her bs and ds the wrong way around. Totally normal at 6 to get a letter the wrong way but be able to spell 🙄.

Why shouldn't he say it? Other people happily say that there is a god in front of people who don't believe in one.

I literally told my 6 year old today that I don’t think there’s a god - that was in response to him telling me all about Mary, Jesus etc and declaring he thinks it’s real.

There’s nothing wrong with having different religious views, however old you are. I’d just accept it and move on. If the teacher is trying to push religion, and punishes atheism, I’d be complaining.