dabossman: I have no issues with schools asking kids to dress up in any color whatsoever on any particular day of the week. But my neighbor's kids got sent back home because they were not dressed in red and white on Val's Day.

That, I have a problem with.

dabossman: I have no issues with schools asking kids to dress up in any color whatsoever on any particular day of the week. But my neighbor's kids got sent back home because they were not dressed in red and white on Val's Day.

That, I have a problem with.

thatchic: Kini big deal. Granted I don’t live in naija, but I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill.
I have young kids and on val day all the kids in each classroom bring candy/treats and cards. There is no pairing , you have to give all your classmates the same thing. My kids also made cards for my husband and I.
At hospitals (the children’s hospital) the sick kids all receive a big bag filled with treats ,toys, books, pencils, stickers , teddy bears and personalized valentine cards. Volunteers also go from room to room with cupcakes.

ileobatojo:

+1. I agree. While it is different than we are used to as Nigerians you also need to remember it is not being presented as a romantic thing to these young children. It's just about sharing with your friends. They start exchanging candy on valentines even in the toddler rooms in daycares. I don't see a reason why they should dress special for valentines day, the passing out candy is enough (I find it annoying because I don't like giving kids candy) but I don't think it's teaching kids to be promiscuous. These people just like finding any reason to amuse themselves. My kids school did not dress special. They did not even have the candy exchange. Woohoo!!

thehunted: @sagamite,
Everybody know say u be mad man. LOL

thehunted:
@jidegirl12
I weep for the man that paid your bride price. Chikena.

Sagamite:

It is still wholly irresponsible even if they were merely passing candy and akara about.

The fact they select that day to pass it around is irresponsible.

In society, it is a date for amorosity and such acts imprints that date in the memory of the kids. Soon when they grow up a bit more (just short of hitting pubescence) they would quickly realise what the date really is about, it is not about candy. And it is something they have been encouraged and trained to participate in at any age.

DON'T AMUSE MY KIDS THAT WAY! .

ileobatojo:
I agree with you that once they are in school there really is no credible reason for valentine day celebration, when one really thinks about it. I really appreciated the fact that the day wasn't even acknowledged in my kid's school. Would I withdraw him from his excellent school though, if it were? I'm not sure about that.

ileobatojo:
As for amusing the toddlers and preschoolers, ain't no thing to me. They amuse themselves on Easter, Halloween, Christmas, st Patrick's day e.t.c. I see no need to quit my job and become a stay at home mom just so my 2 yr old doesn't get candy and make a card for mommy and daddy on Val's day.

Sagamite:
If the school decides to celebrate some Ifa/Sango day with chocolates wrapped as sacrificial concoctions, asking your kids to come into school with white wrapper and beads, would that also be a "ain't no thing to you" too?

ileobatojo:

If valentines day is the equivalent of Ifa celebration day to you then by all means, blow up the school if you have to.

I bet if they had Greek mythology day, you would be the first one to dress up your kid as Zeus. Difference?

Sagamite:

That does not answer my question.

Please do answer:

If the school decides to celebrate some Ifa/Sango day with chocolates wrapped as sacrificial concoctions, asking your kids to come into school with white wrapper and beads, would that also be a "ain't no thing to you" too?

ileobatojo:


My answer was in my previous reply. Don't participate in something that offends your sensibilities simple. Val's day candy for 2 yr olds ain't no thing to me apart from the sugar concerns. To you it might be different. That's the beauty of the world we live in. We're not all one minded robots.

If you want a more direct response, please use a more realistic analogy. There's no limit to the wild scenarios that could be made up for the purpose of fearmongering.

Sagamite:

That does not answer my question.

Please do answer:

If the school decides to celebrate some Ifa/Sango day with chocolates wrapped as sacrificial concoctions, asking your kids to come into school with white wrapper and beads, would that also be a "ain't no thing to you" too?

jidegirl12: Times have changed from your own school days.
We ( my whole family) ALL wore red outfits to work & schools yesterday , kids packed cards & treats individually for their friends, we spend over 2hrs reading cards and sniffing roses that was given to us from friends too. call it funky as I don't really care.

Everything Nigerians don't recon with is a taboo/ bad parenting . Let anybody do whatever with their kids , if I like I dress them in mini skirts and mini mouse jumpers, MY kids , MY call ! if you can't deal face front.

OP I'm not sorry but just had to vent a little . Thank you.

uche13: I'm still asking those in support of this modern trend in our schools.

What happens after the "innocence" of primary school and the child enters adolescence and is in secondary school? Do you still encourage the celebration of val at that dangerous and critical age? Or do you then advice the child to wait until the time is right?

If your answer is the latter? What explanation would be given to the child to drop a practice adopted even at the nursery level?

Tgirl4real:
Sango wetin?

I can't take my kids where they are extremely religious not to talk of a Sango day.

I remembered a sch I went to make enquiries last week. The sch had a sticker with "I am covered with the blood of Jesus" on one of the receptions doors. That put me off immediately.
Very nice and modern sch o...owned by an American. Unfortunately, she wasn't around at the tym. But, I remembered telling them my opinion on the matter before leaving.

I'm a Christian, but I don't support any form of extremes around me not to talk of my child.

uche13: I'm still asking those in support of this modern trend in our schools.

What happens after the "innocence" of primary school and the child enters adolescence and is in secondary school? Do you still encourage the celebration of val at that dangerous and critical age? Or do you then advice the child to wait until the time is right?

If your answer is the latter? What explanation would be given to the child to drop a practice adopted even at the nursery level?

Tgirl4real:
Sango wetin?

I can't take my kids where they are extremely religious not to talk of a Sango day.

I remembered a sch I went to make enquiries last week. The sch had a sticker with "I am covered with the blood of Jesus" on one of the receptions doors. That put me off immediately.
Very nice and modern sch o...owned by an American. Unfortunately, she wasn't around at the tym. But, I remembered telling them my opinion on the matter before leaving.

I'm a Christian, but I don't support any form of extremes around me not to talk of my child.

IYA NGBALI: the more reason whe world is upside down today

Sagamite:

Some of them don't have the brain to think that far.

That is too complex for their brain.




That was to test the logical thinking of someone that had the audacity to try and insult my intellect.

She is obviously not going to answer the question because her answer would be "No" as the scenario proposed would not stand up to the funky philosophy and be overlookable.

She had the audacity to insult my intellect by trying to tell me because schools get kids to celebrate Xmas, new year blah blah blah, then it ""ain't no thing" if they get the kids to celebrate valentines. That is the simplistic analogy she had the audacity to put to me. So I gave her a simplistic analogy to help her see her folly.

When schools celebrate Xmas etc, the values (spirituality, celebration, family etc) they are celebrating are not one that I particularly disagree with for my kids at any age even though I am not a Xtian.

But when a school celebrates Valentines, the values (amorosity) they are celebrating is one I would rather my kids are not instigated to join in until they reach a particular age.

So it is RIDICULOUS to come with such simplistic 'well they celebrate other things so it "ain't no thing" if they made to celebrate valentines'. It is not about the celebration, it is about the values espoused.

And she finally got that (I think), when I gave her an example of one with a value that she did not approve of and was not funky enough for her. So celebrations are not just about celebrations, we should look at the values under-pinning it.

Next time, people should bring intellectual analogies to me. One they can defend.

ileobatojo:
Lmao! Someone's really in pain isn't it? See bitter epistle!!

First of all, I did not answer anymore because the previous answer was more than adequate. As a matter of fact you pretty much just used a million words to say the exact same thing I said in my answer. Lol

Second, the point you were trying to 'trap' me into shining with is a failed one. It's blown apart by the fact that 'amorosity' is NOT what is being celebrated in the toddler and preschool room.

Third, my answer to that question, as irrelevant an analogy as it is, is not no.

So yeah, your intellect is still questionable.

Oh! And they also celebrate Mother's Day, Father's Day ..........

ileobatojo:

If valentines day is the equivalent of Ifa celebration day to you then by all means, blow up the school if you have to.

I bet if they had Greek mythology day, you would be the first one to dress up your kid as Zeus. Difference?

Sagamite:

You did not answer because you saw your folly and decided to dodge the question.
D

Your second point is actually silly considering I had already lectured you about kids growing up and learning what the date they are required to engage in is about. AND the fact the school required them to wear red. It does not take much brain power to figure out the significance of red is in our society. Lets even ignore the lack of necessity to make kids be part of such celebration

ileobatojo:

I did not answer because I had answered you twice already and was not interested in going round and round in circles. The fact that you did not like my answer was not really my problem. Once again, the irony is that my answer was the exact same thing you said.

ileobatojo:
Once again amorosity is not being taught in the toddler/preschool room. I don't know what is my business with wearing red in school when you have not seen me expressly promote this. I'm talking about the candy exchange for little kids. Unless you're trying to tell me my kid is going to be a hyper sexualized teen because he was given red candy at the age of 4.