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Saying Grace


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Just out of interest I wondered how many of you say grace (or do some sort of song) before snack time in your groups. This isn't something I do (and don't intend to) but was out visiting a nursery the other day and they did. I know that religions a bit of a sticky issue and don't want to start any arguments but would be interested in your views. :D

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we say a small prayer at the end of session, used to be grace but snack time is now cafe style so doesnt work .

we have lots of religions and some parents who say they have none in the setting and they are all supportive of the practice. we always ask parents to ensure they do not object and we inform them of the prayers we use.

so far as long as we use a prayer to God not Jesus in the wording they are happy, (some religions only pray to god not Jesus.)

many of our children do attend the catholic church and school where we use the hall but only about 50% of them

 

The one time we do not use it is when we have a child attending who is a Jehovahs witness. But then if any other parent objected we would change the practice.

 

Inge

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We sing the following song:

 

Drinks are coming!

Drinks are coming!

Are you ready?

Are you ready?

Fingers off the table

fingers off the table

Lips shut tight

Mm. Mm. Mm. (last line hummed with fingers to lips)

 

The tune is that reliable old favourite Frere Jacques.

We find it calms the children down before we start giving out the cups etc.

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we say a little prayer before snack time - it's something that they did when I took over as Leader and don't think it would go down too well with the committee if I stopped it. (We're a Church group)

 

No parent has ever made any comment about it - well other than favourable comments which we've had!

 

It goes like this .....

 

Thank you for the world so sweet

Thank you for the food the food we eat

Thanks you for the birds that sing

Thank you God for everything

 

Amen.

 

janice :o

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Hi

I work in a C of E school. Initiailly I followed the established routine (children sang a song, Thank you lord), but I felt that this was monotonous and had lost any meaning. I found it tricky to always find/ think of a simple prayer to follow the theme for the week. Instead I link the thought/ prayer to what is happening in our unit or react to incidents that may have occured. I have found a really useful book called God and Me. It has a short scenario with lots of 'what if or how would' you feel type questions and pictures. After this there is a very short prayer. The text encourages an interactive approach- you have to give time for the children to think and respond before you lead onto the prayer. I also share the delivery with a volunteer, dinner supervisir, teaching assistant and myself (with varying sucess, but hopefully this will improve as they see how we deliver this learning opportunity). Anyway this book has been really useful. I had hoped to set up a book/ bank of thoughts from the children (suggested to me by a teacher from another school), but haven't had time to implement this yet.

 

Lisa

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Rea,

 

that particular parent was very insistant that no prayers were said whith the child in group. She was happy for us to celebrate Eid and Hannukah and Diwali and chinese new year, but not christmas or carnival!! She would not explain why, ( in this area we have a large carnival in november, not even a religious festival. and I do mean large, floats the size of double decker buses and enormous lorries and lit up with thousands of light bulbs so you can feel the heat from them, and about 100 floats, it travels around the local towns for about 10 days)

 

we did not wnat the child to feel isolated or singled out by removing her for prayers so it was simpler to not use them when she was prsent. we had mum take her out for christmas period as she objected so much to that, even with a winter theme/slant on it. Birthdays we found a job for her elsewhere so she did not paricipate. Mum even objected to us giving her a leavers present as we do to all children in July !!

 

It takes all sorts

 

Inge

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Thats quite sad really :o , somewhere along the line the child will realise she is being treated differently. I was at school with a JW in the juniors, he wasnt allowed in assembly or to receive cards at christmas, although funnily enough I do remember his birthday was Ocotber 1st and he was allowed cards then! xD:D

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In that case the child was already aware (at 3) that she was not allowed birthdays and presents (although others we have had attending have allowed gifts so long as they were not related to a celebration)

she did feel that she was different and the other children would talk about events in the family and at home which she did not participate in.

 

I still wondered about the non religious events and why were the other non christian ones ok ?

 

Inge

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Do Jehovah witnesses have any specific celebrations that the parents could have shared?

 

I had a JW child attend my setting and as long as he was not directly involved in birthday celebrations mum was ok, he would help one of the staff set up the next activity or something like that, he appeared to feel special for being asked to be with / help a grown-up. :D He stayed away at christmas, but was offered additional sessions in the new year.

 

In answer to my question (partly) I do remember mum telling me about how the children are involved in celebrating their parents wedding anniversary, he received a present at this time of year, they valued the marriage as a whole family celebration, which I thought was quite nice.

 

Peggy

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Just remembered as well, the parent would not sign for emergency consent, for us to call an ambulance. I asked her to state what she expected us to do in the event of injury. She insisted that we contact her and wait for her to arrive before contacting an ambulance. I said I couldn't agree to this and understood her reasons regarding blood transfusions and other medical procedures, but the initial action for injury is 1st aid. I explained that I had to consider the staff and other children witnessing an injured child not receiving medical care and what this may do to them. I reassured her that I would contact her immediately at the same time as the ambulance and that I would give the ambulance people her signed non consent and let them decide whether the child could stay, in the ambulance at the preschool until mum arrived and that if the child needed to go to hospital, I would accompany the child and ensure all hospital staff saw her non consent form. In other words I tactfully passed the responsibility to the medical profession. She accepted this ( although reluctantly.)

 

Anyone else had any experiences like this?

 

Peggy

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Sue R, maybe catch up with us when you get back, would be interested to hear your experiences.

 

Have a great time if your weekend' s a "jolly", don't work too hard if its not.

 

Peggy

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Committed to who?, where? white straight jackets or what??????

 

I shall purposefully post a new topic in EVERY section, how dare you desert us for even a few days. Only jocking :D:D

 

miss you already :o

 

Peggy

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Jocking. :o . I mean Joking... had a few....( surprised I can even type( bad day,...but hey, will be better tomorrow, positive thinking and all that xD

 

Peggy

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