to think that a story about babies being murdered isn't very suitable for 5 year olds?

[melpomene]

DD1 is in year 1. At school today they had an assembly and she says that a teacher told them about "a man in Egypt who killed all the boy babies". Presumably this is the story of Herod and the massacre of the innocents, although dd1 didn't recognise the name Herod when I asked if that was who it was.

So, what is the point of telling 5yos this story? It's potentially upsetting, not historically accurate, difficult for a 5yo to understand doesn't have any moral point which is applicable to them, and isn't exactly a key tenet of Christianity.

I would like to have a choice of whether to tell dd1 potentially upsetting stories like this, rather than having it foisted upon her by the school. This is a standard state primary, not a religious school.

OK, so they're supposed to have a religious element in the assembly, but wouldn't it be better to have something with a more positive message eg good samaritan or something about charity?

My thought was it was probably Moses too - when the Egyptians wanted all Hebrew boys killed because they were getting too numerous, but Moses' mother hid him in a basket and floated him off down the river.

The nice bit of that story that everyone forgets is that Miriam (his sister) follows the basket, and then when Pharaoh's daughter finds the baby, offers her mum's services as a nurse, so the mum gets to bring up her son safely.

I don't have a problem with this at all - provides a good talking point. my kids also LOVE the Prince of Egypt film (and the Joseph one as well) but they are bible nuts.

Every November 5th, the head of a school where I worked, would tell the children the story of St Catherine(after whom the Catherine Wheel is named)and her martyrdom. It's a horrible story involving a spiked wheel (enough said). I'd sit there in assembly thinking "Oh no, here we go ....".
I've often wondered if those children were disturbed by it. Or did they relish it, the bloodthirsty little so and sos.

I thought Miriam was Aarons sister not Moses or didn't I watch enough disney.

Aaron and Moses were brothers.

I went to a Catholic primary school, and we did lots on Saints and Martyrs. I can't remember thinking about it at all to be honest. I don't think we thought of them as real (wise children). I'm sure we had something annually on St Winifred (school saint) who was decapitated, and also St Bernadette who was much more boring. But then Catholic churches have crucifixes with Jesus on them, thorns, blood and all, so maybe catholic kids are inured to this sort of stuff (or just bloodthirsty!)

I was sent to Catholic 'Sunday School' (definition: A school, generally affiliated with a church or synagogue, that offers religious instruction for children on Sundays) as a toddler and I remember those nuns scaring the daylights out of me and other children with tales of burning in hell for ever for mortal sins etc. etc. My experiences of catholic education (both then and later) was that adults had no scruples about instilling extreme fear into small children if they thought it would benefit them 'morally', ironically. My conclusions by the age of about 11 were that christianity is a big pile of horse-shit. but oh yes those tales of burning, slayings, wounds, martyrs, halos, arrows and brimstone hells certainly kindled a great imagination and capacity for colourful nightmares

bronze. You are right, Miriam is Aaron's sister. But as he is Moses' brother it amounts to the same thing

(dd is a Miriam, so we have read the story of Miriam ad nauseam....)

off topic a bit here but just wondered how many people who find this bible story inappropriate will take kids to bonfires where poor Guy is being burned to death?!

we have DD saying about once a week she is scared of fires as a way of getting attention when supposed to be asleep, we have to go check the smoke alarms and reassure her about how safety conscious we are

Oh well. I never like Moses because he was a murderer. Or am I wrong again

I have to admit I never thought of his as a blood brother. Whenever I read it I just assumed he said brother as he wasnother Levite which is why I guess it didnt stick,

Had this story in DD's assembly the other day. It was done very sensitively, no gruesome detail. They talked about what happened and why - I am assuming story of Moses - about feelings, and the way his sister got round it, etc.

None of the children (Reception - Y2) were upset or distressed with it.

He killed an Egyptian, but it was an accident - it was to stop him beating a Hebrew.