Scarey Pre-school teacher.

[spidermama]

My children have told me that their pre-school teacher told them they have to be good because 'God sees all and if they're naughty he might just give them a nasty surprise'.

Also my 3.5 year old ds is coming home talking about God making things etc. It's not supposed to be a faith school, it just happens that the woman is a Christian.

I'm annoyed that she's inflicting these personal views on my son.

Am I over-reacting? (It wouldn't be the first time.)

No I dont think so. If it isnt a church based pre school then she shouldnt do this. Actually I dont think she should put 'the fear of God' in them at all! Is she the leader?

Personally I would go mental on 2 counts:

• frightening small children
• inflicting religion where it's not wanted.

I'm particularly non religious and sensitive to these matters though.

She is the leader. She's a former police woman and is very old fashioned. He goes to another pre-school as well which is much nicer, but further away. I;m torn between making sure he's in the best pre-school, and making sure he;'s in the pre-school appropriate to the neighbourhood where most of the children will go to the local primary.

Hmmmmm.

I agree about 'frightening small children' disloc. Never acceptable.
I wonder if it's ok for her to be christian because then he'll learn about christians. He gets enough other philosophy/spirituality at home so perhaps it broadens his choices. (Though I admit it's eerie to have one of my own talking about 'God' in those simplistic terms.)

If she is a Christian, she has misunderstood the point. God is not some awful Headmaster figure sat up there waiting to catch us doing something bad so he can be horrible to us... If she tells them to be good because it will make God happy, then she's nearer the mark (and they can choose whether they want to make him happy or not).

I think she's over the top and the scaring part is not on. But I also think she can't suppress all references to God in her conversation - that would be false. Like me having a personal belief that grass is green but not daring to mention it to people in case they happen to believe its blue.

I don't think you're over-reacting. Telling children that there's a higher being who is some kind of mischeivous sprite who goes in for nasty surprises is pretty bizarre. I'd have a word with the leader and let her know that you're not happy with it. And I'd also reassure my DS that God doesn't do nasty suprises. (Unless you're an atheist of course.)

Sorry, I meant in case you're an atheist, SM, not in case one is an atheist - reading it back, it sounds like I'm saying that God plays nasty tricks on atheists!