My nephew is 4 years old and he got into a physical altercation with a 5 year old at preschool about religion. I don't even understand why they would have been talking about it but maybe the other boy goes to church a lot. anyway my nephew told the boy "my mommy says there is no god and no jesus" and the other boy told all the kids in the class what my nephew said and they were all making fun of him and he started to cry then the other boy came up and hit him and told him he was going to hell.
my nephew is a nice little boy who is very shy and quite and only wants to be friends with everyone and he can't understand why they are being so mean to him. i realize it isn't my place to say anything to him but his mother is a bit unbalaced and i try to look out for him so what should i tell him? how should i help him? please don't say "help him find god" or "take him to church" because as you may have figured out we are atheists.
2007-11-30 17:39:19 · 11 answers · asked by Shelby L 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I'm not against explaining different religions and tolerence but i need it in kid terms.
2007-11-30 17:40:00 · update #1
at what age should kids be told about different religions?
2007-11-30 17:40:49 · update #2
its upsetting just to re-read what i wrote, i can't help but cry for him, he is so sweet. i thought christian where supose to love everyone i mean i know that isn't the truth but shouldn't that 5 year old have been taught that?
2007-11-30 17:52:02 · update #3
Perhaps say that some things are personal and should not be discussed at school. I am shocked that his mother would put her child in a situation where something like that could happen ... that is a very unfortunate situation..
BUt, unfortunately, kids can be extremely cruel. I was a school teacher for several years, and I have seen their cruelty first-hand.
Hopefully, this will die down, and perhaps the other kids will eventually accept him again.
I am so sorry that a 4 year old is being treated this way... scary!
2007-11-30 17:46:36 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm an atheist as well, but I believe that kids should be explained about religion. There are very good children's bibles and qurans out there.
I intent to read my future children from both books, to make sure they know a little bit about it when they grow up. I think 4 or 5 years old is a quite a good age to start with that. Specially the bible has beautiful stories that kids will like. Noah's Ark, the story of Jonah, even Genesis, it's nice stories for kids. I think they'll enjoy it.
But that's just a start. Explaining religion and their influence on our planet is a lot more complicated. If I were you, I'd just relaxedly sit down with him, and talk to him about it. About how others believe that the world is created by God, maybe use a globe to illustrate, or online pictures. Also explain him that nobody really knows it all, and that it's good to have different opinions and views.
4 year olds understand a lot more than we assume, really.
2007-11-30 17:53:11 · answer #2 · answered by ? 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The only suggestion would be to talk to the teacher and monitor his life now that this has happened.
My son was called 'gringo' until they grew bored and moved to newer unknown children to test/tease. Children always try out the terms adults use to see what they do to others, and adults reactions.
If a child says something about the skinny or fat kids and is punished usually they stop because they found out that adults find this 'bad' - if adults laugh and approve this behavior will be locked in as 'good' and will be hard to stop.
Religion is in news - so everyone is talking about it. So are children. That's why my parish has a children's mass, where they are ushered out to avoid listening to adult terms, and they get the children version of the readings.
12 is the age of reason. Younger than 12 and the child does not have responsibility or full understanding.
When you explain a subject to your child varies for each child.
2007-11-30 18:13:03 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like the circumstances have made it necessary to talk about it now. I'm an atheist, so I deeply sympathize. It shouldn't hurt to introduce religious ideas to children merely for educational purposes. Sorry about what happened to your nephew. Good luck.
*Edit* -- Oh, sorry. Didn't catch the last part of your question. At that age, it shouldn't be necessary to put it in "kid" terms. It is better to talk to children like adults (with some obvious exceptions). Start with, "Some people believe..." and explain it from there. Encourage him to ask questions so you can fill in any holes you might leave.
2007-11-30 17:47:44 · answer #4 · answered by Pull My Finger 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To answer your actual question, the right age is when they start asking about it. You just need to respond in a way they can understand. I have a 5 year old and he hasn't really brought it up but I figure if he hasn't by about 7, I'll probably go through all the major religions and explain them and talk about how many varying beliefs all kinds of people have including my own (atheist)
2007-11-30 18:04:53 · answer #5 · answered by Tony AM 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Never. Kids are smart, he'll figure it out on his own. Look at what he's learned already. Kids who believe in God and Jesus might hit you and tell you you're going to Hell because of things you say. That's the truth, he experienced it for himself and I think that, even at his age, he understands why it happened. Kids are atheists by default. I'd be more concerned about the little zealot who hit him - that sounds like a kid who's been rather...mismanaged.
2007-11-30 17:43:11 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
How sad for your little nephew.
Personally, I feel the first explanation of religion should come in the first words the baby hears the mommy say "Thank you God"
2007-11-30 17:49:02 · answer #7 · answered by bin there dun that 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
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2016-10-18 11:05:41 · answer #8 · answered by pienkowski 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Around the same age you tell them about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.
2007-11-30 17:43:03 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
That is aweful!!!!!
I answer questions as they come and STRESS that everyone believes something different and none of them are wrong.
2007-11-30 17:46:01 · answer #10 · answered by ~Heathen Princess~ 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋