Holiday Arts and Crafts
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Anonymous
Because I don’t want someone introducing my child to beliefs and traditions they (the adult) don’t follow. That treats these deeply held beliefs as a shallow show—no more meaningful than making a turkey for thanksgiving. I hold my own faith more dearly than that and give others’ faiths that dame level of respect. Once you have a proper understanding of what you are doing, guided by someone who is an actual follower of that faith, then an art project is a fun way to illustrate your new understanding. But if making latkes or playing with a dreidel is all you know and it was taught you with no real belief or culutural context behind it, by a non-believer who is doing it 100% recreationally, it is disrespectful and not how I want my kids to approach different beliefs. My kids have many friends with different beliefs, and we learn about other faith traditions by going to festivals put on by mosques and synagogues and temples, and by celebrating other holidays with friends who follow those beliefs and by reading and watching media with characters from diverse backgrounds. |
Anonymous
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Op here, thanks for all your feedback. I think I will stick to Christmas related art projects for now and next Christmas, I will ask the parents about teaching the children about the other holidays- they’re only 17 and 18 months so they’re too young to even understand what Christmas is about let alone the other holidays.
As I’ve mentioned earlier, I come from daycare, so I am well aware of other religions and the holidays that are celebrated. So if I was to introduce/ talk about the other holidays, I would actually show pictures, clips, sing songs and read the many books that I have, related to the holiday’s- I celebrate Christmas btw. This is in response to the pp who stated that if the caregiver is just going to do crafts and doesn’t know about the actual holiday and religion behind it then no, don’t introduce it. But I didn’t think about not so much of introducing another holiday/religion to a child but if that family doesn’t celebrate the holiday, it could be tricky displaying such in ones home vs at school/daycare. I have babysat many children from my daycare and they have rooms filled with all the art work including the ones related to holiday’s they do not celebrate and then I have witness parents throw away art work (related to holidays) before they even leave the center. |
Anonymous
Whatever. I think your explanations are nonsense. |
Anonymous
I agree. But in the end, if parents don’t want their children learning about the culture of others, that’s their problems. |
Anonymous
Did you even read my post? I am happy for others to teach my kids about their own culture. But I would not want my nanny to teach my kids about cultures that are not her own. Perhaps it is because my branch of christianity is often maligned and I know so many intelligent people with very false ideas about what we believe, or because my hindu SIL has had similar experiences with people spouting off “facts” about her religion that are false or misunderstood, but I very much want my kids to “learn about the culture of others”—FROM THE ACTUAL BELIEVERS THEMSELVES. OP’s statements that she knows all about these religions because she worked in a daycare do not exactly inspire confidence. Bright Horizons is not a Divinity School. |
Anonymous
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Wow.
If mom and dad seem a little nutty about this stick to snowmen and penguins. If they were so crazy they would sit down and talk to you about offensive crafts I would put in my notice after the first of the year. |
Anonymous
Op here, I don’t know about different religions because I worked in daycare. I know about the many religions because I read, have family and friends of ALL ethnicities and faiths/beliefs and I went to school! However, my last Center, where we did not discriminate, gave all families the opportunity to come in and share/ drop knowledge on their religion and holiday celebrated- I learned even more. I worked at a very diverse center, so if the teachers wanted to celebrate the holiday, we had to incorporate ALL holidays! Now, you are untitled to your own opinion, and how you want your children to be raised; and what you want them to learn. However, I don’t think because one is a Christian, that they can’t teach a 2,3,4, 5 year old what Hanukkah is all about- if they in fact know! That’s like saying, oh you can’t teach my kids Spanish, because you’re white or black- my Spanish teacher was an African, who spoke FRENCH (he was so cool and I learned a lot- okay, back to the topic). If you are capable of teaching and are knowledable about the subject, what’s the problem? Again, I’m talking about young children, who don’t need to know ever detail about ones religion and how it came about. P.s.. I chose to stick to Christmas related projects and next when they’re two, I will talk to parents. Thanks for your time! |
Anonymous
Honestly, I think the parents would be okay with it. I just thought I’d ask and see what other nannies do around this time- this is my first nanny position. I’m going to make sure to post their responses next year, when I ask lol. |
Anonymous
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