Mum Wars

I interjected on a group chat with Jacob’s class mums.

Maybe I shouldn’t have but I felt like the topic was getting blown out of proportion and instilling fear into parents about what our children are being taught at school and in turn causing them harm.

The topic was “yoga and meditation“.

I know! I was a little confused at first and may have almost laughed out loud but I genuinely didn’t realise how “offensive” these topics are to a Christian woman and her belief systems. Literally, mind blown.

I’ve seen first hand how these practices have helped me and so many people in my life. Naturally, I am the first person to recommend them to anyone in need. Personally I am so grateful they are teaching this in school, and I have no issue with this being taught in a “catholic” school. Perhaps I’m too open minded. Or maybe as this mum has implied, I am simply “uneducated”.

She was horrified after researching the company who provides the school meditations to find that the woman is both a “psychic” and a “regression therapist”. When I read that I instantly thought, WOW this woman is highly intuitive and is using her gift to spread healing and peace in the most beneficial way to children.

Apparently her interpretation through her psychology degree is that regression therapy implants false traumatic events into people’s memories.

Internally that got my so fired up. She was so wrong in ever aspect of her “research”. I wasn’t going to respond. I probably should have gone about my day and let her play out her ignorant views.

But. It struck a nerve. Emotions are heightened at the moment with everyone in lock down and parents home schooling. They don’t need people inflicting fear into their mind about their children and their education from teachers and a school who only have their best interests at heart.

I felt the need to shut it down. So I poked the bear… gently.

After listening to some of the children’s meditations on YouTube (which I will definitely be playing for my kids at home now that I’ve found them!) I responded:

I know that might be this woman’s credentials but from listening to her meditations for kids it is mainly focusing on breathwork, calming the mind and using their imagination
I genuinely don’t think the school would purposely try and inflict any kind of harm or alternate teaching on them. It’s all purely for their well-being…
I’ve had a past life regression and many reiki sessions and all of those sessions need to be one on one so (and purely focused on healing) I don’t think anyone’s child would be at any risk of being exposed to bringing up any kinds of trauma in their meditation.
Just my thoughts though…

She quickly came back to educate me that without getting into a theological discussion (which she studied at uni and personally on the daily) that these practises are not permitted in the bible/by Jesus. She pays for her children to attend a Christian school and regardless of their intent they shouldn’t be teaching these practises. The meditation she listened to was “anti-christian”.

I knew it was a battle I was never going to win. I’m very conscious of people’s personality types and she would NEVER be wrong. She would always want the last word and her point needed to be MADE, HEARD and UNDERSTOOD. I’m sure you’ve encountered the type.

I knew she wouldn’t have appreciated my opinion as all the other mums seem to either encourage her or simply thank her for bringing it to their attention so I simply replied:

I totally respect your opinion and your beliefs and of course your concerns. I just didn’t want anyone to think the school would purposely do anything to cause any kind of trauma or harm on our children.

She ‘said’ she respected me also and my beliefs but I think we all know she believes I’m wrong and somehow converted by Satan (if that’s in the bible…)

Years ago that would have hurt me, it would have cut me so deep. Someone belittling me and making me feel like I was uneducated and insignificant. It doesn’t anymore. I have enough love in my heart to respect everyone for who they are and what they believe. I can see how someone who has such strong belief systems would be so passionate they have felt the need to complain to the principal and withdraw their children from class activities.

What I don’t think is right is how she went about it. Don’t create a war and build your army against something that doesn’t need to be fought. A school curriculum isn’t something that is thrown together, it is carefully curated to give our children a broad and extensive education over so many planning sessions and with so much thought and effort. Praise these incredible humans for the effort they put in. They are helping to raise and shape your children in ways we have no experience in. They don’t need to be attacked, come in on the angle of compassion and you’ll be greeted with understanding.