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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Re: kid related V-day confession
Hallmark or not, its a no brainer to me that a Jewish school is not going to celebrate a holiday of Christian origin.
Our school doesn't do anything except hand out valentines at circle. no party or anything.in fact they learn about all holidays at school, but don't celebrate any, which is fine with me. and them actually, they don't care.
They learn about doing nice things for others in other ways. If your kid only learns how to do nice things for others by doing it on holidays then that's pretty sad. For example, in E's school they each made a Tzadakah box which holds money they donate to charity at the end of this month. I think it's to plant trees in Isreal- I'm not sure. He goes to a Jewish pre-school because it was the best option for us right in our town, not because we're religious. The alternative in town was a program I wasn't thrilled with. I'm not religious in the least and I'm learning all this stuff along with him. He's going to be a minority the rest of his life learning about other people's holidays and traditions. I don't mind him in a learning environment that focuses on his own heritage/religion at his age now since he's never going to get it again outside of private religious instruction. If I was concerned about him missing Halloween and Valentines day I guess I'd send him to a secular school but he seems pretty nice of a kid without them.
I think it's a ridiculous argument to say that you have to celebrate "Hallmark holidays" based in Christianity to be appreciative of other religions/cultures and to know how to be nice to classmates. Programs that don't celebrate that stuff just find a more creative or different way to do it.
Learning about and celebrating are two entirely different things. I will be sending Alana to public school after jewish pre-school and I fully expect that she'll learn about holidays and observances from different religions. But, I would be entirely more comfortable if she didn't have to celebrate them. And, since the act of celebrating Valentine's Day is sharing cards and candy, I'd prefer that not to happen. We can celebrate love and friendship on a day that is not deemed as the day to do it by a pope.
Even though most Christians don't know about or associate religion strongly with Valentines's Day doesn't take away its origin. Many Christians don't celebrate the religious aspects of Christmas. This doesn't make it any less of a religious holiday.
Not a newbie, but, had to create a new account - formerly LBR_NJ
My Blog - "Helping Make Sense"
I agree with you. I have no idea how it got to this level.
Blame it on Pinterest. I fell victim to it and made heart shaped crayons for the other kids but the teachers aren't getting anything.
I never saw it as a big thing IRL and we had 2 kids in preschools and 2 kids in real school. We never made or received anything but cards and the kids had a little party in class.
Oh wait - I didn't realize he was in JEWISH school. In that case it completely makes sense why they don't celebrate SAINT Valentine's Day. I retract my initial comment.
When Alex was little we only did cards. Now I'm home, have a bit more time and made about 20 heart shaped crayons. I printed out ther card to attach to the bags with their names already on it. No biggie. I'd rather do this than give out candy. I'll end up picking through any candy that they receive, give them one each, keep my favorites and toss the rest. But I do agree with you that a bigger deal is being made as the years go by. It's like a competition on which mom is the most creative. Whatever.
Totally agree. My kid is taking in his Spiderman pre-printed lolipop valentines and the cherry jello cups we signed up for and calling it a day. No other crafts, gifts for the teacher (except for the 'teacher card' that comes in the pack!) are happening..
It's a little odd though.. Toby's been giving me a countdown to when ValentTIMES day is all week, "Mommy, did you know there's only 4 days left until ValenTIMES day!?" It's kind of cute!
When I taught I used to receive a few gifts for Valentine's Day. They were mostly chocolate roses or small heart-shaped boxes of chocolate. I didn't receive as many gifts as I did at Christmas, but I always received a few and I worked in a low-income school.
As for all the crafts and "extravagant" cards, I don't understand how that happened either. Molly's school said to just send in cards so that is what I did, the cheapy old-school ones. I was fine with that.
Just thought I'd point out that I learned a TON about Judaism in Catholic school and CCD. I explained Hanukkah to my son and my husband was like "holy crap. That was why better than I'd explain it. Where did you learn that?" Um, in CATHOLIC SUNDAY SCHOOL.
just saying...
We were told the cards with nothing attached because they made mailboxes to put them in. But I can bet she'll still come home with 8 bags of "stuff" which i can't stand.
From some of the posts on here it does sound like xmas
Well then you had a very inclusive experience and that's great. Learning about other holidays is awesome. But they learned about Hanukkah, didn't celebrate it. And I'm fairly certain many of the people that I grew up with didn't learn a thing about Judaism.
I agree. We are doing cards and the infamous crayon heart instead of lollipops or candy. Teacher is not getting a gift and it never occurred to me to do it!