Posted on 09/24/2008 5:57:23 PM PDT by incredulous joe
My son is in forth grade and his class has been assigned a book by children's author Judy Blume.
The teacher, who is has several years teaching experience, but is in her first year at our school (a private Christian School), has prefaced her overview of the book and project to follow by stating that their is a 'spoiler' in the novel; essentially the book reveals the true nature of Santa Claus.
His teacher has gone to some pains to express to parents that the children wil not have an opportunity to find this out? I'm not exactly certain how she intends to cover this.
My son still believes in Santa and my wife and I would like to see if we can get another year of this for our boy. It all goes by so fast!
Our boy also devours books like bon-bons. He reads several grades over his head. If the book is put in front of him he will read it all the way through. I am not certain what the teacher's plan for avoiding the disclosure is, but if it were me in the class I would play it safe by making certain that they simply DO NOT read such a book.
I'd like to be loaded for bear when I discuss the issue with the teacher. From what I have heard about Judy Blume, I can tell you that I am not a particular fan, but I do not know that much and have only skimmed some of the author's work. It seems to me that there is so much great children's literature out there ~ why get caught up with a problem like this?
I have not got a copy of this book. Can somebody tell me about "Super Fudge" by Judy Blume and the Santa Claus disclosure?
Maybe I'm making something more of it than I should, nut I'd rather be certain.
We don’t have TV in our home.
Adult experiences are different than childhood experiences. If incredulous joe's son devours books, at some point he's going to read Ulysses or Tropic of Cancer or (God forbid) Lolita. Those books aren't suitable for children. But an adult can read whatever he or she wants to read in a free society.
What kind of books does your son have access to?
This is the kind of stuff that I have heard.
There are so many great books to read ~ why invite trouble. Why start your kids up as first time buyer for an author who’s body of work for older children guides them in realms that should be the sole responsibility of the parent?
“at a certain point a child will understand that you have lied about SC”
I don’t believe that. I never felt that way about my parents at all. I was told in the 4th grade on Christmas Eve.
I have a buddy whos wife, a bubblehead, told all of his kids the straight dope from the word go ~ they have never had Santa Claus among their 3 children, now age 4, 7 and 9.
What a shame!
A few years ago, Santa brought my youngest kid a thing called a "Stomp Rocket" which was this plastic bladder connected by a tube to a launch pad that you would put the projectile onto.
When he stomped on the plastic bladder, the air pressure would launch the rocket about 40 feet in the air.
We played with that thing for a while, and on the way back home he told me "this was my best day ever."
I remember every day he told me it was his best day ever.
He still told me he believed in Santa Clause. I knew he didn't. It's infinitely more important that he believes in Jesus Christ.
I used to teach in a small private Catholic school.
6 out of 7 of my homeroom 6th graders believed.
The one respected the fact that he would not disclose to the others.
In the 7th grade of this school, only one or two of the girls believed. Again, the other students did not make fun of the girls or disclose the truth.
My personal opinion is that you're overreacting. That said, he's your kid and it's your right to raise him as you wish. I'm a reader and there is NO WAY I would skip a part of any book I was enjoying, especially if I were told to skip it. So, I think you need to either settle this issue with your son before he reads, resign yourself to a discussion after he reads it, or remove him from reading that particular book.
BTW, if not for Judy Blume, I would have known nearly nothing about puberty. It wasn't my parents most comfortable subject. The books are well written and serve a good purpose for many kids. It was the public librarian who should have had a complete fit when I checked Wifey out of the library in 8th grade.
Teens believing in Santa Claus?
He’ll read anything of military history, especially the Civil War (we live a 45 minute drive to Gettysburg and a half hour from Harpers Ferry, WV). This summer he settled into “Grant comes East” by Newt Gingrich. I told him it was abit over his head and he just kept reading. I don’t think that he took it in.
Redwall, Scott O’Dell, Stephen Ambrose wrote a book for youngsters called “The Good Fight” about WWII. I think that my boy is about ready for “The Red Badge of Courage”.
I know. I didn’t believe it myself and nearly blew it with the seventh graders one day. A couple of the kids gave me “the eye” and pointed to one of my sweethearts in the class and mouthed the words “She still believes!”
I made a quick recovery.
I can’t say that I think that it is necessarily a good thing for middle schoolers, but it’s precvcious that the kids were looking out for and were genuinely concerned about the innocents.
Please get and read
Ender's Game
by Orson Scott Card
I think it will stun you, not because of the story (which you may or may not like), but because the main character is 8 when the story starts.
Definitely not suggesting it for your son.
are you sure that your son really does believe in Santa? i know that children sometimes play along for their parents’ sakes...
as an adult, i'm not a Judy Blume fan... however, i did read several of her books when i was a youngster... Blubber, Freckle Juice, Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great, Starring Sally J. Friedman as Herself and Iggie's House... my son has read two of my old, tattered books that were about 30-years old--Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great and Freckle Juice... he has no clue that Forever and Wifey exist... we do homeschool, so i have a good idea what he's exposed to... i also think that girls are more likely than boys to read those adult Judy Blume books... i consider children's books like the ones by Judy Blume, "drivel," or, "twaddle."
Because Nicholas of Myra is a real champion of the early Church and not only fought against Arianism, but actually hit Arius personally.
The story of his generosity and the subsequent legends that grew up surrounding Saint Nicholas teach children important lessons about being good, about having someone watch out for them, and about the magic of anticipation.
Anticipation in particular is a lesson sorely missing from out instant gratification society.
A child without fantasy and legend to get giddy about; without imagination and unbridled realms that their mind can run in, grow up to be very dour and serious, to the point of silliness, adults.
Paul said, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought as a child, I reasoned like a child.”
He didn’t condemn childishness in children.
I’ll look into it. I’ve got a stack now! Is that a recently published book? I think I just seen Mrs Joe about the house with that in recent weeks.
I have great input and response from FReeps on books and books for kids.
By the way, if you have little ones, or if you like it yourself, we are in the middle of a read called “George Washington, Spymaster: How the Americans Outspied the British and Won the Revolutionary War” by Thomas Allen.
It’s kind of the National Treasurized version of a GW book. Many stories you have probably already heard, but placed all together in the same work.
I’ll look for Ender’s Game and let you know what I think, but it will probably be after Christmas.
Ender’s Game came out in 1982, I believe.
I’m not certain. He’s not a scoffer, but he could be hedging his bets.
He loves doing presents for baby Jesus, milk and cookies for Santa and we throw corn out on the lawn for the reindeer. But it seems to me that he may derive the same pleasure in pretending for his little sister that Mrs. Joe and I get from doing the whole Santa thing for the both ot them.
I figure he may be on the cusp and if he does’t know, he probably will after this year. Some of the other parents in the class are equally concerned.
Mostly, Id on’t think it’s this teacher’s place to spring something like this on my kid. It would seem to be to be poor judgement? There are enough landmines teaching people’s children without looking for trouble.
We
“Don’t you send them there so the won’t believe stuff like this?”
No.
I think I know where your coming from. I don’t suspect that we are going to agree on very much on this line of questioning.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.