Explaining 'Religion' To 5 Year Old

HesterPryne

Hope you all don't mind my barging in here like this..haven't posted for a long time. YES I am of the LURKER CLASS..lol

Now what I a hoping you all can help me with:

Last week my grandaughter, who is 5. went to my mothers and began singing Away In A Manger. This led my mother into her rant about how Christmas wasn't Jesus's B-day, it was Pagan...blah...blah. Turned into a scene.I have tried to answer my grand daughters questions honestly and smple enough that she can understand. Tonight she ask me "What is a Jehovah's Witness. I told her it was a religion. So....now I am explaining religion to her. We started with what I had on hand.....a short story on the beliefs of the Lakotas. What I need is a book that tells children that age about the different religions of the world. So....can any of you help me out? Is there such a book?

Thanx......~HP~

SixofNine

Mankinds search for God?

*ducks*

Where'd you locata book about the lakota? *groan* so souix me! *bigger groan*

Try this: Honey, religions are like clubs where people get together and let a few people, usually men, read from really old books that no one knows who really wrote, and decide from those books what all the people in the club and in all the world should do. But since only the people in the club really know and believe what these men say, the people believe that all the other people in the world are going to die with no hope of getting whatever the men who read the old books decided on as a grand prize for believing in them. That makes the people in the club really really really want to believe.

Now lights out. Kiss, kiss & say your prayers like the men say to.

Satanus

A book called religion for dummies (seriously) to be published next february might do it, if you dont find something before then. See . http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764552643/qid%3D1009087986/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F0%5F1/104-8454449-0151154

unclebruce

G'day HP lurker,

Hows about:

Well little girl, it's like this. Some people's brains don't work very good. We call these people religious. They are people who can't grow into adults and think for themselves because that part of thier brain doesn't function properly. When you're little its wonderfull to have a mommy and daddy to look after you but these people never really grow up and they think there is a big mommy and daddy somewhere up in the sky who will come and solve all thier little problems one day. This is very very funny. But we mustn't laugh at them or else they might get mad and hurt us or cry so much thier clothes will get all wet and sticky.

Shall we have some icecream now?

unclebruce

Frenchy

It depends a great deal on the child herself as to what she can grasp at that age. A good place to begin is with her grandfather. (smile) Do you understand what religion is? Can you explain it? Do some research. Since you obviously know her far better than anyone on this board possibly could, you will know how to do it.

patio34

Hi ya Hester!

It's sooo good to hear from you again! I really miss your posts!

Now on to your question:

#1. How does your granddaughter's mother feel about all this or do you have pretty much custody of your granddaughter?

#2. Couldn't you treat it like questions about sex? In other words, just answer the questions as they come up, not give the world view of it? After all, if no one is teaching her religious stuff, she may just need a couple of answers.

#3. Couldn't you tell YOUR mother to butt out? It's not her business to crush a little child's song. Maybe your granddaughter could use protection from religious fanatics who have no tact.

Great to see you again! Hope to see some more posts by you soon!
Pat

patio34

P. S. Another thing. I now have a new motto in my recovery from co-dependency with my daughter: If you can't treat me with respect ALL the time (she can't), then you won't have me--period. I am now, after years of being trampled by her, refusing to interact with anyone who won't treat me with respect. And that means all of me, respectfully responding to my views. It sounds as if your mother could use the same lesson.

Respect me or lose me.

Pat

HesterPryne

Thanks to everyone for your responses.
My main goal with my grand daugter is to answer her questions honestly and without warping her in regard to religion. I don't want my own beliefs to influence her in her spiritual choices. I also want to instill in her respect for the beliefs of others while establishing the fact that each individual has a right to his or her choice in such matters.
My grandaughter is very bright and a never ending well of questions. I would much rather be the one answering religious questions versus my devout JW mother. For now she is satisfied with my explainaton of what religion is

SixONine
I have had the book about the Lakota for years. It is a childrens book about Native Americans. I save everything...lol
Patio34
I see my grand daughter everyday. We are very close. She has been curious about what is going on with my mom and I for about a year now. She remembers when she and I use to go to my moms and visit. She started out asking about why I didn't visit my mother. I can't just brush her questions aside. That would make me like my parents. I want to answer my grand daughters questions about everything. Week before last it was periods and tampons. I love those TV commercials...lol My daughter loves my mom and doesn't want to argue with her. It is getting more difficult for my daughter to visit my mom. Mom has gotten a lot pushier with her JW crap in the last few months. On this occasion my mom was told to put a sock in it.
Unfortunately I can't tell my mom anything....I am 'shunned' woa is me......not ~HP~

mommy

Hey Hester
I have a 6 year old and a 7 year old I am trying to explain this to now. They have a JW gramma that is willing to dish out some info to them, but never follows through with the rest of their questions they have. She gives them teasers, like explaining her idea of afterlife, and her ideas on what a person should and shouldn't do, but I fear this just confuses them more.

I do not take my children to church, but I have allowed them to go to church with others, and they know that I no longer believe in the god of the bible. But I do not teach them there is no god. I feel they are too young to be given a narrow view of this world. They should decide on their own, eventually what beliefs they will want to carry. I explain to them in a very open way that everyone has different beliefs. Some people like certain colors better than others and along those line there are alot of different religions that people can choose from.

Kids are easily molded now, especially at 5 years old. I think it is important to give them an oppurtunity to make certain choices on their own. You can give her a great foundation on being an open minded person if you allow her to experience many different cultural ideas now. I know my children are getting alot of education now as to the way different religions celebrate this season. And they even have educated me on the history of the menorrah...lol

I know it is a hard thing to do, but please remember that if you give her an absolute now, such as the JW's are wrong, this will shut down her ability to make her own decisions on this matter on the future. Kids are way smart and they can usually determine if you are giving them an answer to shut them up. I feel if we give absolutes at this age group then they will end up taking on anothers opinions and not make it their own. Know what I mean? Well that is the outlook I have with my kids now. I give them a chance to experience all and they have plenty of time to make a choice as to what they will do.

I do know that Ginny Tosken who posts here has given some great reading suggestions for children and religion. I think it is for an older age group, but maybe you can email her, she is a wealth of information.

Good luck and enjoy your grandaughter, they grow up so fast!
wendy

When I leave, you will know I have been here

GinnyTosken

Hi, Hester,

I think Mommy is a bit confused about my posting reading suggestions for children and religion. Awhile back I posted about a book I would not recommend:

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=10059&site=3

I did look around a bit on the net to see what I could find for an eight-year-old. I found a children's book list used by a Unitarian Universalist church:

http://www.uua.org/re/reach/curriculum/our_chosen_faiths.html

When I looked at some of these books on Amazon, I could also look at links to similar books customers had bought. Sacred Myths: Stories of World Religions by Marilyn McFarlane looks promising, and is offered at a special price with another book by Peggy Fletcher Stack called A World of Faith.

With my own son, I first tried to expose him to a diversity of beliefs. Before he started school, his daycare provider was a Muslim woman. When he was very young, we lived in student housing and his two best friends were from India and Finland, so this helped in acquainting him with other cultures and beliefs. When he asked questions, I tried to be fair and present the answers as "Some people believe . . ."

I think your using a book about Lakota Sioux is a wonderful idea! Once your granddaughter understands that there are many stories that try to explain the beginnings of the world, why things are as they are, and what happens to us when we die, she will be more apt to do some comparison shopping before she decides on a religious practice.

Ginny

Explaining 'Religion' To 5 Year Old

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