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Last weekend, there was a huge, vibrant rainbow that seemed to "end" in our neighborhood. Ryan immediately asked if he could check to see if there was a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Luckily, it was raining and he would have gotten soaked, so I didn't have to fight too hard to keep him inside.His imagination was fueled the next day, when he was told to create a "leprechaun trap" at home to show with the class. Innocent enough, right? Then a few days later, his homework assignment was to write about whether or not he believes in leprechauns and why. This was his sentence:
"I believe in leprechauns because we learned about them in school and teachers don't lie."
His faith is so strong. We have worked hard to instill honesty and integrity as firm values in our family. So I am naturally conflicted about this statement. I feel led to have a conversation with him about real versus make believe and how his teacher at school might use a fairy tale to make projects fun and interesting around holidays.
I would then need to transition the conversation into one about the Christian faith and what he learns in Sunday School. What we teach him about God and Jesus and the Bible. I can see it now: "Are those fairy tales too, Mom?" (He suddenly calls me "Mom" now instead of "Mommy" - he's so old!)
I don't know. Thoughts?
I would then need to transition the conversation into one about the Christian faith and what he learns in Sunday School. What we teach him about God and Jesus and the Bible. I can see it now: "Are those fairy tales too, Mom?" (He suddenly calls me "Mom" now instead of "Mommy" - he's so old!)
I don't know. Thoughts?
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9 comments:
I just popped over from Org junkie and could relate to your situation. Last year, my son's kindergarten teacher ransacked their room while they were out telling them the leprechaun did it. He really believed her even though he knows all other fairy tale holidays aren't real. We had to explain that some grown-ups like to pretend and have fun but it is still only make believe. You could remind him that sometimes adults don't always tell the truth either as we are all sinners and need a Savior.
See, this is the kind of thing I always worry about, as a teacher. Can you draw a parallel to how he might pretend to be an astronaut or play being a chef, but he doesn't explain to everyone around that he's just pretending and he's not really an astronaut or a chef, because he knows that they know it's just play?
And make it a parallel- the teacher is pretending and playing what it would be like to catch leprechauns because she knows everyone in the class likes to pretend and play, but she didn't stop to explain that it was just pretend because they all know it's a fairy tale? Something like that. I think kids can identify well with the idea when it's related to how they pretend but don't explain it's not happening for real.
Wow that's a tough one, but as a teacher and a mom with a common faith, I'd say that there's the reason our age of accountability is older than Kindergarten. Real and make-believe can both come across as abstract to children so young, but introducing them to fairy-tale stories and the like probably doesn't do much harm at this age, as long as they are explained as is appropriate. Here is an opportunity to for him to learn the difference between real and made-up. It seems a lot like children learning the difference between Jesus and Santa at Christmas. Good job catching it. I bet a lot of parents miss these teachable moments.
Ohhh wise one, good luck with this one.
Remember, I'm the one that knew how much you loved Santa and kept it going until you cornered me in the 3rd grade, then I answered honestly.
I'd probably let this pass unless he brings it up again, then answer honestly about leprechauns as a St. Patrick's day story, like the 3 Little Pigs, told to teach a lesson. Answer what he's asking... don't take it further than his 5 1/2 year old brain needs or wants.
LOVE that this is an opportunity to impress or remind Ryan that the Bible is truth as written, one of the things he can always, always count on 100% because God says so, way more important than anyone else.
I don't think I'd make a big deal about it. I'd probably non- chalantly explain that lebrachans are stuff of stories. You're showing and teaching them the reality of Christ every day of their lives....Leprechans won't come up very often, I suspect. ;)
It's always fun coming here, Katie. You never run out of interesting things to talk about.
We once drove our car full of kiddos around chasing the rainbow to see if we could find the pot of gold. :) IT was a fun time...the kids who knew better just played along...
I think that succombing to flights of fancy and fairy tales and believing in a little bit of "magic" (not sorcery, but wishes and dreams and GOD-planted miracles)are absolutely a part of childhood.
The very thing that allows some children to believe in the myths and the mystery are the things that make them open to believing in God Himself. That is why God's word says we need childlike faith to come to know Him...
I think the moment of clarity on this issue for me was when I trying to teach my kids to trust people and believe what they say as long as it wouldn't harm them in any way. I always want my kids to believe first in the goodness of mankind, but to be vigilant to the dangers and to be cautious in their choices.
As long as you have laid a foundation in your home and in your lives...where you arm your children with knowledge and truth and protect them from danger...and they know that you only keep things from them when it is to surprise or bless or otherwise inspire them to creativity and the use of their own imagination...then they will never doubt the genuine love of God that pours out of us as parents!
Funny, this was the same topic posted on Stuff Christians like this morning: http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/03/2471/
Don't you guys do Santa in your house, too? I kind of see this as a similar thing. Honestly, I probably would have loaded up the wagon with a net and gone for a long walk to the end of the rainbow. I'm thinking the fresh air, exercise, quality time, and imaginitave play would have done lots more good than any harm that might have come from believing in a leprechaun. I guess it seems cute and harmless to me because I've never actually met an adult that believed in them, but I've met lots of adults that believed in Jesus. Likewise, I've never met an atheist who attibuted his lack of faith to early childhood acceptance of leprechauns. :)
I'm pretty sure our kids are smart enough to figure out the difference.
I have to say as a teacher in today's more mature society, I love the fact that he values his teacher and her/his integrety. Now on a side note, it makes me sad to squish out the holiday fun characters like Cupid, Santa, Easter Bunny and of course the Tooth Fairy. This is hard too since the much populated Elf on the Shelf idea too! My 2 cents...listen to your Mom, she did an excellent job raising you!
You should check out the books by Paul Maier about Christmas, Easter, The Flood, Creation, etc. He addresses this concept through the dialogue of parents and their son - and the message of these stories are told in a profound, historically accurate way. I've used it w/ my 4 year old son and been pleased with how well he gets it.
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