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Primary education

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Original poster

Am I being PFB or is this level of information a bit much??

11 replies

MrsGravy · 14/04/2011 21:00

DD1 is aged 6 and in Year 1. She is a bit of a worrier, bless her, and easily scared by films and things on the news.

Last week, her class went on a little trip round our town, they went to the local post office, library and had a picnic in the park. All very lovely and she enjoyed it very much. They also stopped off at a memorial stone near the school, where the teacher explained what it was there for - it's a memorial for a family that were murdered in a very grisly way around 10 years ago. It's a very notorious murder in the area. DD told me how 'a bad man snuck into a family's home and killed them all - even some children'.

Now, yesterday, she came home telling me all about 'kidsnatchers'. She basically relayed to me the urban myth of children in shops being taken to the toilets, having their hair shaved, clothes changed etc by a gang of kidnappers. She insists that her teacher told her about this. This one has really freaked her out and really, really freaked out her 4 year old brother who she told all about it.

So, am I being too precious? Is my DD extraordinarily anxious and other kids would be ok with being told this stuff?? I know I can't protect her from the world forever and she needs to know about stranger danger etc but I'm a bit stunned that she's being told these things already...

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mrz · 14/04/2011 21:02

I can't imagine any teacher telling such a story

PixieOnaLeaf · 14/04/2011 21:02

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clam · 14/04/2011 21:04

Agree with mrz. Could it perhaps have been a vaguely-related class discussion, with the urban myth part contributed by a class mate? In which case, most teachers would have reassured the children and swiftly moved on.

FirstTimerWhaleWoman · 14/04/2011 21:07

Definitely too much information!!!! That's terrible and you should speak to the teacher. My DD came home after studying Islam and the Muslim celebration of Eid. She came home with a picture and told me her teacher told her to draw a picture of a man killing Ismaeel (Ishmail the son of Abraham) and then he killed the sheep (her words)... too much for a 3 year old me thinks especially as her little brother is called Ismaeel and we celebrate Eid. She was so frightened.

They really shouldn't teach children these things as they do take them so literally. Definitely speak to the teacher!

Original poster

MrsGravy · 14/04/2011 21:14

Oh yes, I'll definitely speak to the teacher as I realise DD could have got muddled. She was absolutely adamant the teacher told her this tale - she wouldn't believe me when I told her it wasn't true because 'the teacher told me so it must be'.

I suppose I was a bit shocked they were told about the memorial stone too, I know they can't be protected from these things forever but still. I appreciate what you're saying though Pixie, and although DD was worried it's not like she's had nightmares about it or anything.

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TheBolter · 14/04/2011 21:16

God, that's way too much info for a six year old to take on board.

Dd1 is a worrier too - she's seven.

PixieOnaLeaf · 14/04/2011 21:16

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mungogerry · 14/04/2011 22:25

My dd1 is aged 6 also, and would have been dreadfully upset by both of those stories.

We walk past a memorial stone on one particular route to take our dogs for a walk. DD1 and DS1 (4) asked about it and I explained it was a memorial stone, and that they are often placed to rember people who did something really brave or who have died. They were happy enough with that, and carried on with the walk. That would have been enough information at this age, likewise with your daughters class.

I would catch the teacher briefly at drop off and just mention "Flossy may be a little out of sorts today, she has been very upset by a couple of things that came home from school yesterday... do you know about..."then explain about the stone and the kidsnatchers, and see what the teacher says.

I think it is very insensitive to discuss either of those topics with Y1. There will be a good few children in every group of this age who would be upset by this, and it would play on their minds. There is plenty of time to learn about murder as they get older!

southofthethames · 16/04/2011 02:03

Agree - that is too much info. Children need security in their lives - not the right time to tell them grisly truths, esp since there isn't anything they can do about it. Worth clarifying with the teacher...maybe she only said something simple and someone else embellished it later.

lljkk · 16/04/2011 06:11

If the murder happened locally a lot of the children will have heard bits and pieces of info about it already, I don't think that's so objectionable, better they get a brief & factual tale rather than distorted versions of what happened from school ground gossip. The urban myth thing is bad, though, I'd bring that up.

Sirzy · 16/04/2011 06:18

I agree that there is nothing wrong with what the teacher said about the memorial.

Re the urban myth, I'm pretty sure all schools have there own urban myth amongst pupils, but the teacher shouldn't be telling the children about it. Certainly worth a word to clarify what was said.

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