My 7yo's school homework for Easter break? Religion problem.?

Question

Susann, I don't preach my religion to you, so don't preach to me.

If we don't wish to believe in God, that is our decision. As for a child being God's creation, I thought my Husband & I made our kids??

Answer 1

DIVORCE!!! Just joking! Talk to your son in private and teach him about it, let him be a good boy you want him to be.

Answer 2

If you all acknowledge easter in your home  then just do the homework , easter is a religious holiday after all. If easter is not something you celebrate then send a note letting the teacher know you dont celebrate this holiday because youre all atheists.

Answer 3

Id just do it. your husband can still ring up compaline etc but the child might get emabrsed as hes only 7 and all his friends have done it

Answer 4

Why do you take holidays you should go to work at easter and christmas if you dont believe in God. Do you realise how real God is. If you really look at the world and the intricacies in it you cant deny that there is a God. Look at a new born baby their head has a soft spot which causes the skull to move together for better access out of the birth canal. Look at the placenta a life support system as big as a piece of meat. Never have they been able to duplicate this. A life support system fits in a hospital room with hundreds of wires etc imagine how many people could live if they could carry this in their pocket. Give your little boy the chance to know this real God. he came to earth as Jesus and died for us. I know where im going when I die. Do you? Give him a chance and I guarantee he will change your life

Answer 5

does it hurt for your son to learn about the beliefs of others? It is not going to hurt him. It is not going to make him believe. My kids are christians but I have taught  them about Hindews and buddhists  but that does not mean they believe in it.

What would annoy me most is that it is the holidays and he has homework!! That  annoy's me. It is holidays, give them a break from work

Answer 6

OMG- What the heck is wrong with people. Its a friggin Easter Bunny! Who cares if your an athiest or a bible thumper. Dumb parents are the problem. How is your child an athiest? It reminds me of those southern idiots that raised their children to be prejudice. Your man is wrong, if he wants to be an atheist, that is fine. But shaping a young childs mind to one narrow point of view is ridiculous. Also, I highly doubt that the politically correct school system would require a proposterous homework assignment about Jesus. It sounds like your husband turned a "draw the Easter Bunny assignmnet" in to a worship Jesus or else arguement-

Answer 7

He should. They CANT make your son do an assignment that has to do with religion unless its a religious studies class (he's 7 so its not) anyways. there can be a MAJOR law suit with that one cause its church and state. the teacher can also lose their job

Answer 8

Well children in schools here learn about all faiths - in fact I think that it is part of the National Curriculum whether they attend faith schools or not.

I can't see the problem at all - excepting that,as Rachel says above,they shouldn't be doing homework projects in their holidays anyhow.

Answer 9

Well, I think it should depend on the assignment.  If it's about Jesus's life, or good works or whatever then your husband should not have a problem with it.  Jesus was in fact, an actual person.  He's a historical figure.  Whether or not he was the actual son of God is the popular debate.

Many religions (and Atheists) acknowledge that Jesus was a real man.  He didn't preach what we know today as Christianity (since the religion didn't exist then), but he did  preach many, many good things.. treating each other with respect, don't judge, love everyone, etc.  If the project is JUST on Jesus, the man, then how would it be different if the project was on, say.. Columbus?

Honestly, your husband shouldn't be so worried about it.

Answer 10

They can't force the child to do an assignment about Easter, but it seems silly.  If they are doing a history of Easter assignment, then explain to him how secular holidays, Pagan holidays and Christian ones all make up Easter.  Use this as a learning experience for your son, not a complaining one for his teacher.

And mention to your husband that when your kid gets to university he will benefit from knowing about how Christianity influences western thought and literature, not as a religion, but as a cultural characteristic.

Answer 11

I don't think it hurts children to learn what Ester is all about even in a non-religious school. Christian holidays are part of Western culture and heritage, and children should know it's not just about Easter bunny. This has nothing to do with Christian indoctrination. Perhaps you can talk with your husband again. At least he should not make his childe bear the conflict he has with the teacher's assignment.

Answer 12

I  would let my kids do it.  I tell them about religion all the time and they know they have a choice to believe or not.

Answer 13

You said your husband and children are atheists - does that mean you are not - are you a Christian or do you just believe that there might be something else out there.  I can understand that you say your Husband is an Atheists - but your 7 year old?  - Your son obviously hears what his father says.  Your children are going to learn a lot at school - not all that you will like or agree with but what about letting your son do it to broaden his own ideas and values - even if your Husband doesn't believe in God - maybe he might appreciate that a lot of the values associated with God and the Christian faith are probably a good thing for your children to learn about.  Although I don't think you should do your son's homework and send it in behind your husbands back, if he really puts his foot down then maybe get him to go in and talk to the teacher if he feels so strongly about it.  But does your husband take time off over Easter?  Why does he think that he is having the time off - to celebrate the Easter Bunny?!

Answer 14

children will often follow in there parents footsteps and if Dad thinks religion is a whole of baloney then it stands to reason that his children will to/

The reason that we have state schools is to seperate state of religion that is that the beliefs of the sate(atheism) should not be mixed with that of the church therefore the teacher should not be giving children homework that involves some kind of religious angle.

however it is also wise to teach your son that there are two meanings for Easter and that although you and your husband do not believe in the religious side of the celebration that some ppl do and he should be given the opportunity to be able to hear this side of the story, this alows him to learn that just because he has been bought up to believe in him self other ppl have beenbought up to bleive in God or Buddah or Mohammed.

Am I making sense?

I would go and see the teacher and try to explain why you dont want your son doing his homework and maybe come to some sort of deal where he could research about the ancient Egyptian Fertility festival which is what the easter bunny is all about.

what ever you do DO NOT DO YOUR SONS HOMEWORK because then he will expect you to do it all the time.

good luck with your husband and your sons teacher.

Answer 15

Without seeing the homework it is hard to say whether or not your son should do it.  If it is asking you and your child to go against what you believe in then you should just send a note to school stating that your child did not do the homework as you do not believe in religion.  

If people with religious beliefs were asked to do something as homework that went against what they believe in I am sure that they would not do the homework so it should work both ways.

I did not send my kids to a school that was religious based as some of them in our area expect the kids to do 3 hours of religion a week and when you don't believe in it, that sure seems a waste of time.  

I do feel sorry for you as you seem to be in the middle as you obviously do believe and have married a non believer.  But since you have allowed the kids to be raised as non believers then I think your husband does have a point.