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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that pirates aren't very appropriate as an infant school topic?

48 replies

LoveBuckets · 30/09/2009 21:07

This is DH's AIMBU btw. He thinks there is nothing charming about kidnapping, pillaging rapists. Plus seeing as piracy is alive and prospering on the high seas today and innocent people are still being kidnapped and hijacked, should we treat it so lightly?

OP posts:
winnybella · 30/09/2009 22:24

HIBU
I loved pirate stories as a child and knew everything about Captain Kidd, Blackbird etc, drew maps, buried "treasure" in the garden etc.. Had a lot of fun, it's just a make-believe and not detrimental in any way to child's psyche.

Aranea · 30/09/2009 22:27

While personally I think pirates are rather fun and glamorous, my 4yo dd1 is a more serious thinker than I am and is frightened by the idea of them. So she would be most unhappy to be expected to spend time at school enjoying piratical things. No idea who is being unreasonable really.

AtheneNoctua · 30/09/2009 22:30

I agree with your DH. However, I accept I am in the minority and probably would keep schtum.

PeachesMcLean · 30/09/2009 22:34

Francis Drake. National hero or pirate?

At one stage, I'm not sure there was much difference.

However I think you your husband may be overthinking pirates in infant school.

piscesmoon · 30/09/2009 22:34

It is a fun topic with lots of possibilities-I doubt whether it will touch on reality.

BonjourIvresse · 30/09/2009 22:36

I agree with the OP. I hate the pirate thing.

piprabbit · 30/09/2009 22:40

Our Y2 class invented lots of new pirate curses.... very good they were too.

woahwoah · 30/09/2009 22:59

It's surprisingly difficult for schools to come up with a variety of suitable topics. With 7 years at Primary school, and probably 6 topics a year (or more) , that's at least 42 topics. You won't like all of them. Neither will the teachers. It's about fantasy pirates, not the real thing. Worry about something else. Please.

twirlymum · 30/09/2009 23:10

DD did pirates last year (yr 3) and they covered some of the unsavoury aspects, such as punishments given to convicted pirates, diseases (scurvy etc) they were prone to, and they also learnt about some female pirates, one of whom got pregnant to avoid the death penalty. They visited the maritime museum at Greenwich.
Didn't have a problem with it, they learnt a lot and had a great time.

LadyoftheBathtub · 30/09/2009 23:17

But most history topics are unsavoury aren't they - if not when they're tiny, they will get the facts pretty soon. Knights and castles - all about fighting and chucking people in dungeons - Vikings, Aztecs - did human sacrifices - Tudors - chopped everyone's head off etc etc.

I think it's quite useful to learn just how much lawlessness went on in the past. And also, a lot of that gory stuff is hugely fascinating to kids when they're a bit older. Which is good if it holds their interest.

mumeeee · 01/10/2009 00:19

YABU. It will be just childrens fairy stories at this age. A nursery where I've worked had a pirate dress up day.

piscesmoon · 01/10/2009 07:57

Children love the gory bits! That is why the Horrible Histories series are so popular. Pirates is just a fun theme with lots of opportunities for art and creative writing, not to mention maths and geography. If they find it interesting they can go into the subject properly when they are much older. Traditional fairy stories have a very dark side, so do nursery rhymes. If you play 'ring a ring a roses' with a small child you don't explain about the plague! You take it at face value like pirates and have fun with it. I think childhood gets spoilt if everyone has to be so serious and PC about it all. Of course piracy is dreadful, but the topic is thinking of Captain Hook,Captain Jack Sparrow, Long John Silver, buried treasure and fantasy. Following that thinking films and books shouldn't be written!

piscesmoon · 01/10/2009 07:58

Sorry-I meant the thinking behind OP.

starwhores · 01/10/2009 08:10

what, in history, is appropriate for small dcs? Pirates is at least fun|!

YohoAhoy · 01/10/2009 08:18

And as my name will testify, there are some very cute pirates

fishflange · 01/10/2009 08:20

YABU surely you would have to eliminate most of history on this theory?

Do you mean you didn't take part in Talk Like a Pirate Day?

notagrannyyet · 01/10/2009 08:38

I am sure a schools pirate topic will be as far away from real pirates as Little Red Riding Hood is from a trip to see grandma.

Most traditional childhood stories and songs are really quite nasty as piscesmoon says.

In fact many nursery rhymes are full of phallic symbols and religious bigotry(sp?)

Original poster
LoveBuckets · 01/10/2009 17:41

LOL it honestly is my DH's AIMBU, I just can't be bothered to debate with him so got you lot to do it for me.

He does understand the concept of a topic btw and that the kids aren't actually told inappropriate horror stuff. I guess he just doesn't approve of the mythologising that has already brought kids to love pirates. I say mythology is how people cope with the unpleasant reality and scary unknowns, right?

OP posts:
Pikelit · 01/10/2009 17:49

Why are pirates called pirates?

Because they arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh.

(coat)

sarah293 · 01/10/2009 17:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

DrEvil · 01/10/2009 17:55

My dh is in the navy, so does have some experience of modern day pirates but he still sees the pirates that the dss like as sort of fairytale like.

I think your dh is over thinking things a bit

Mermaidspam · 01/10/2009 17:58

Totally unreasonable.

( @ Pikelit)

crankytwanky · 01/10/2009 21:00

Bahhhhh! I missed talk like a pirate day! Oh well, to err is human, to arr is pirate. (Copywrite someone from MN. I forget who.)

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