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Does telling children fairytales make them irrational?

(80 Posts)
sunseeker Fri 06-Jun-14 11:33:38

Next he will be suggesting we stop children playing "Lets Pretend" games and dressing up as pirates, cowboys/girls, princesses etc. as this doesn't prepare them for the real world. Let's leave children the magic of fairy tales and Father Christmas.

henetha Fri 06-Jun-14 11:23:02

Adults have been telling fairy stories to children since time immemorial,
and I don't think it has done any harm.

penguinpaperback Fri 06-Jun-14 11:07:15

I loved fairy tales when small, as did daughter and as do grandchildren.
R Dawkins is promoting a new book I believe so something 'controversial' helps perhaps?
I have noticed the 3 bears and any wolves look friendlier in most new books than the illustrations I remember from my old books.

rosesarered Fri 06-Jun-14 10:59:54

I can only speak personally of course, but for me they just used to be literally 'fairytales' that I enjoyed but had no bearing on my life.Looking back on them, some are very dark subject matter, but I don't remember being scared by them. As you say , they may well be subtle lessons in life that we take in without realising it, not sure really.I wonder if children still like hearing about them?For me as a child, it all seemed 'long ago and far away.'

Elegran Fri 06-Jun-14 10:35:27

Or does it help them learn that some stories are not true and could not possible be true, but are just tales to be enjoyed? I'd say that most fairy tales are subtle lessons in life.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-27715735