tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087863006286473810.post1814482310358707315..comments2023-05-04T21:55:20.904+10:00Comments on head vs desk: Breaking the Santa spell... and should we?james royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044438216337471085noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087863006286473810.post-76929778519132571642013-01-17T15:32:22.962+11:002013-01-17T15:32:22.962+11:00There's clearly no judgement being made on the...There's clearly no judgement being made on these children in your post, James, and no intention of malice in your actions. I, too, share your surprise that year 5 kids would still believe in Santa Claus. Indeed, many of the conservative Christians I have known over the years have been very anti-Santa, so given the school you were in, you could easily have assumed that you were on safe ground.Misrulehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00005874586861016523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087863006286473810.post-70308090502387770132012-12-29T19:16:37.481+11:002012-12-29T19:16:37.481+11:00Thank you for your comment, Anonymous. But I must ...Thank you for your comment, Anonymous. But I must urge you to re-read the piece, in which I say that I was in fact trying NOT to offend or insult or upset. As ever, being cruel was the furthest thing from my mind, and I certainly didn't set out to 'destroy' anything. As I say towards the end of the piece, I have modified my talk accordingly, having recognised where I inadvertently went wrong on this occasion.<br /><br />Finally, Anonymous, when you say "One of those children, at least, that you 'awakened' on your visit, did not enjoy his Christmas as much this year", am I to take it that your son was one of the boys in that Year 5 class? If so, I unreservedly and sincerely apologise for diminishing his Christmas experience.<br /><br />JRjames royhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14044438216337471085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087863006286473810.post-30998902826067281372012-12-29T17:25:35.147+11:002012-12-29T17:25:35.147+11:00This is miserable. To be invited into a school and...This is miserable. To be invited into a school and then make judgments on our children like that and then to destroy a belief or idea or whatever it is that might be dear to our children's hearts is cruel. Yes, your children might be believing in different things but it is not a clever idea to judge the wider world by what your children do/think/believe in. Your account of this suggests to me a pettiness that is disturbing, especially in someone who writes for children. Please, go more gently, and accept that people and our children are all different, and try not to spoil childhood for those who still want to have it. Narrow-minded cynicism is a negitive force. One of those children, at least, that you "awakened" on your visit, did not enjoy his Christmas as much this year.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087863006286473810.post-89484041418723407152012-12-24T19:16:22.033+11:002012-12-24T19:16:22.033+11:00James I dropped the easter bunny thing when it was...James I dropped the easter bunny thing when it was clear Adelaide didn't believe it any more and she was outraged. I said, but you donlt believe in it. She said, but you are supposed to pretend I do! I was gobsmacked and yet at some level, I got it- after the believing phase comes this shared joke believing phase which i think actually ameliorated the fact that you lied about the bunny ( or santa or whatever) because they are complicit in the lie- sharing the fun of make believing. And I skipped that stage ...<br /><br />isobelle carmodyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087863006286473810.post-66899222651394766262012-12-24T18:46:29.581+11:002012-12-24T18:46:29.581+11:00Nice one James. I am not immune to "foot in m...Nice one James. I am not immune to "foot in mouth" in the classroom either.<br />Daviddjbozhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17259718646531651639noreply@blogger.com