h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

OK..as many of you know, I spent the last couple weeks in England. That required my kids to be minded by relatives, and the kin in question this time were my ex-in-laws (ex- as in parents of my late husband). They also happen to be mormon, so I shouldn't have been surprised that the kids came home saying that their daddy is with the 'heavenly father.' Needless to say, well if you know me that is, this grates on my ear..but the best thing i could say in reply was that that's what grandma and grandpa say and that mommy says that we don't know..i feel bad because i want to be honest with them, and a lie is always worse than an 'i don't know', but still..they're three and four, and they want easy to digest, easy to repeat information..

any suggestions?

Say that Daddy lives in photographs and all the things he left behind. Like writers live inside books, and artists live inside paintings.

*is obsessively posting tonight*

Something along the lines of "well different people think different things and that's ok, you'll work out your own ideas in time"?

Hope you enjoyed your stay here - were you in Southampton for the snow? Bit of a rare event!

Tell them what you really think. Don't lie - that'll cause all sorts of problems when they hit adolescence, assuming they remember this when they're older. They wouldn't understand either at their ages, I'd say, not with any sort of real understanding, but what you think is easier to explain when they hit a point where they can converse about such things than what you believe is a lie.

I think what U said is fine. Were they satisfied with your answer?

I think that what you said was fine too, it's very similar to what I say to my son when the school teaches him one thing and I'm teaching him another. The only difference is that I say 'believe', rather than say. He is a little bit older though, 8.

I too agree that was you said sounds fine! It's best always to just be honest and they'll make up their own minds.

I got brought up in the Mormon religion, and was quite surprised yesterday to see The Book Of Mormon being advertised on telly yesterday! That's the first advert I've seen for a religion, they've definitely got one up on the Jdubs!

Queegle (now agnostic)

I'd also say you're on the right track. Preschool is a good age to get this business started. It's great if kids can learn that you can't disagree with other people's personal beliefs, you may just think or believe something different to theirs. There's no point arguing, but there's evry reason to respect someone else's views. The moment they start school they will come up against so many different schools fo thought, that it's good if they've got a grounding in how to deal with it. Within my immediate circle of *very* good friends, I have Catholics, Methodists, episcopalians, Presbyterians, pagans, agnostics etc. I admire them all and respect their views, and I'm hoping that the Cloviskitten will benefit from this tutti frutti of beliefs!

Sorry. I just have to say this : BOO to religion. It really would be nice if kids could just learn things and not be confused by belief systems at such an early age.

I think if they were satisfied with her answer then they have enough info for now. It kind of like sex questions with Young Ones,they ask and you stay simple and honest. Do not tell more than they know to ask.

The Mormons have been advertising on tv for eons here. The uninitiated might easily overlook those ads, however, since they're for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The LDS part is the giveaway.

OR the whole there being another testament of Jesus Christ thing *rolls eyes*

Saturnine - can I say BOO to calculus for being confusing?

As for Nyssabird, I'll agree with others and say that what you said was good. There's nothing wrong with telling your kids you don't know something occasionally. If they show actual interest in what happens when you die, then you could explain that different people think different things - to my mind that's better than "If you're nice to people and eat all your vegetables you'll go to heaven."