Concerns with teaching Greek myths to young childrenLink to yr 1 thread"
Customer question from forums:
Is there anyone out there that is uncomfortable about teaching your k-2nd grader about Greek Myths?
I enjoyed them when I was in High School, but to be honest, I want my kids to know and spend time w/ the Bible and all the great, REAL things God has done and not some "myths".
I would love your views on this. Right now I'm trying to sale my book and if anyone has a different view I welcome it. But just don't tell me I need to "expose" my children to different things....I agree, just not when they're 5 and 7.
Responses:
Personally, I find my 6 yo very able to distinguish between truth and fiction, especially if I make the point. With something like the Greek myths, I would explain that this is what the Greeks believed about the way the earth was created, and why things happen the way they do, but that it is not what we believe. Then I would do either or both of these: 1) encourage my dd to notice some of the differences between the Greek "gods" and our great God; and/or 2) Point out some differences as we read.
I grew up in a strongly Christian, missionary's home, and I knew these stories pretty well. But they were treated very differently from the Bible. It was the truth - they were just stories. (Incidentally my parents treated Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny the same way - we had fun with them, but we always knew they were fiction and the Bible was the truth.)
However, that said, if you still feel uncomfortable with using them, you probably shouldn't. ("Whatever is not from faith is sin.") Since they are used only in one chapter of CHOTW and in the read-alouds for a short time, I would skip the chapter and replace the read-aloud with something else. There are many interesting books about ancient Greece that would be fun - or pick a book from SLK or a sequel to one of your favorites from SLK or SL1.