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Another point I want to make in all this is that when my kids were little, I did homeschool them. I didn't have to teach about all that alternative family stuff because it was just us and we lived in a very small community anyway. Now they are 21 and 24 and so much has happened in the life of our small family. Dad and I divorced though I had such a strong belief in commitment and thought he did too but he came out gay 7 years ago and is now married to a man. Six months before that our daughter came out gay--she was 16. Now she is not so sure and is keeping her options open.
My point is that protecting your children from the idea of gay families is not going to change the final outcome of what happens in your family and it is best to show acceptance of what may eventually occur in your family dynamics anyway. Lack of acceptance is what drives the suicide rate of gay teenagers. Showing different family structures will not cause your child to become gay.
so last week at dinner my daughter (who is in kindergarten) asked me if she can marry another girl and then she asked if men can marry other men. me and my wife were caught off guard and we tried to figure out why she was asking about that. apparently, her kindergarten teacher read this book "Families, Families, Families" and in that book there is various examples of families. they included several non-traditional families including two moms, two dads and an unmarried couple. i took pictures to post but then realized there is a copyright issue.
now, i feel obligated to explain that I support equality for everyone and believe I am teaching my daughter to not discriminate against people who are different. i dont have an issue with the message. the issue that i have is that the school (i am not sure yet if this is the schools thing or individual teachers; i know the book is available in the library) has decided that they will introduce topics that they know not every parent wants them to introduce to children before most parents have discussed them. i dont think that is at all accidental. the way i figure it, they want to be the ones to teach kids before either prejudiced parents teach their kids wrong or even non-prejudiced parents teach their kids that it is even an issue. i imagine they dont even want it to be seen as an issue worthy of treating in a special way. well, maybe that is how it will be eventually but they know that isnt what parents want today. i want to answer those questions and explain things to my daughter. they intentionally beat us to the punch. my wife is puerto rican and raised catholic, she also believes in equality but is more upset than i am about someone else talking to our child about it. why is it necessary for them to do this in kindergarten?
i am not sure how many people are bothered by this. not the message but the school asserting itself where i (and i think most parents) do not think it belongs.
You gave up all your rights to control what, when, and where, with respect to messages and ideas that reach your children. When did you give up those rights? When you supported, paid for, and matriculated your kids in PUBLIC SCHOOLS. So no, you have no complaint. You are not in charge of the ideas that are placed into the brains of your children. The State does that for you, because you said yes.
1. facts are allowed to be discussed in school
2. It's your responsibility to A) make sure the curriculum suits you before enrolling the child B) answer your kids questions truthfully
you presented this post at whether the school's teachings should be reevaluated, but I and many others believe you should be looking inward.
Also, your daughter gave you the perfect opportunity for you to brainwash her as you like. I'm not sure what more you could want? Do you want her in a bubble? That is not going to work if you send her to public school.
While I understand the OPs concern this is a good opportunity to say "Honey you can do anything you want to do when you grow up" and let it go at that. Female empowerment sort of thing.
My daughter is also in kindergarten and I am not about to introduce her to the subject of same sex marriage. Call me old fashioned but she will only be told of a mommy and daddy. Never a mommy and mommy or daddy and daddy. It's our choice. We are keeping her an innocent child as long as we can and there is no reason to bring that lifestyle choice to her attention. We are tolerant of it but do not approve of it. Kids need two parents (one of each sex) to grow up normally. They benefit from traits of each sex. And don't start coming back with some crazy stuff like"it's better to have two moms than a violent dad". I am not talking about that.
Just because you are not talking to your daughter about certain topics in no way means she is not being exposed to them. It merely means you are sticking your head in the sand.
Talk to your kids often about all sorts of things, listen to your kids without interjecting. You may actually learn a thing or 2.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stepka
Another point I want to make in all this is that when my kids were little, I did homeschool them. I didn't have to teach about all that alternative family stuff because it was just us and we lived in a very small community anyway. Now they are 21 and 24 and so much has happened in the life of our small family. Dad and I divorced though I had such a strong belief in commitment and thought he did too but he came out gay 7 years ago and is now married to a man. Six months before that our daughter came out gay--she was 16. Now she is not so sure and is keeping her options open.
My point is that protecting your children from the idea of gay families is not going to change the final outcome of what happens in your family and it is best to show acceptance of what may eventually occur in your family dynamics anyway. Lack of acceptance is what drives the suicide rate of gay teenagers. Showing different family structures will not cause your child to become gay.
1. facts are allowed to be discussed in school
2. It's your responsibility to A) make sure the curriculum suits you before enrolling the child B) answer your kids questions truthfully
you presented this post at whether the school's teachings should be reevaluated, but I and many others believe you should be looking inward.
Also, your daughter gave you the perfect opportunity for you to brainwash her as you like. I'm not sure what more you could want? Do you want her in a bubble? That is not going to work if you send her to public school.
As a parent, you should know what your child is being taught. That is the right of EVERY parent. Parents know when to introduce certain subjects to their children. And that is the parent's right.
Wanting to discuss certain subjects on a different timetable or in a different way does not mean that children are in a "bubble." It means that the parents want to parent. Ans you are right about public school because as a parent you really do lose parental control. You are giving your child to an institution that will follow political leanings in the name of "education."
so last week at dinner my daughter (who is in kindergarten) asked me if she can marry another girl and then she asked if men can marry other men. me and my wife were caught off guard and we tried to figure out why she was asking about that. apparently, her kindergarten teacher read this book "Families, Families, Families" and in that book there is various examples of families. they included several non-traditional families including two moms, two dads and an unmarried couple. i took pictures to post but then realized there is a copyright issue.
now, i feel obligated to explain that I support equality for everyone and believe I am teaching my daughter to not discriminate against people who are different. i dont have an issue with the message. the issue that i have is that the school (i am not sure yet if this is the schools thing or individual teachers; i know the book is available in the library) has decided that they will introduce topics that they know not every parent wants them to introduce to children before most parents have discussed them. i dont think that is at all accidental. the way i figure it, they want to be the ones to teach kids before either prejudiced parents teach their kids wrong or even non-prejudiced parents teach their kids that it is even an issue. i imagine they dont even want it to be seen as an issue worthy of treating in a special way. well, maybe that is how it will be eventually but they know that isnt what parents want today. i want to answer those questions and explain things to my daughter. they intentionally beat us to the punch. my wife is puerto rican and raised catholic, she also believes in equality but is more upset than i am about someone else talking to our child about it. why is it necessary for them to do this in kindergarten?
i am not sure how many people are bothered by this. not the message but the school asserting itself where i (and i think most parents) do not think it belongs.
Lol, how did I know it was a teacher?
Just tell her, "I'm sure you won't want to do that," and change the subject to something your kindergartener should be thinking about instead of sexual relationships -- being a child.
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