A lot of people who read this post will probably disagree with my stance on the following story but can probably relate to how I feel if the situation were reversed.
During spring break, one of the moms of a friend of Megan called and asked if we could get the girls together to play. I hadn't heard very positive things about this lady, but I had never met her so I didnt have much of an opinion. The mom mentioned how she worked out of her house and would be doing her taxes that day, so I grudgingly agreed to have her daughter over at our house. Well, it turned out that the other two kids and Jake were sick that day, so Megan went over to her house instead. The mom came to pick Megan up but I never met her (Jake did) because I got tired of waiting and instead, went to go work out (she came an hour later than she said she was going to come).
Two weeks later, we were in the car and Megan mentioned that the subject of monkeys came up when she was at her friends house and that the mom asked Megan if she believed we came from monkeys or from god. Megan quoted the mom as saying "You don't believe that we came from monkeys, right? Because you know that god created yo.? People say it was from a big explosion but its really not. Whoever tells you that is wrong."
Regardless of what someone believes, it is absolutely not their business to preach to a 7yr old, ESPECIALLY one that is not your OWN child. I was furious! Imagine if HER daughter had come over to my house and I explained how what her mom is telling her is a bunch of bologne and that she was just being brainwashed. Then I could have provided her with scientific charts explaining evolution and the massive amounts of evidence supporting it. The difference is that I wouldn't do this because I am more respectful than that.
I think what affected me the most was what Megan told me after I asked her what she said to the mom when she asked her this. Megan said "I just told her I agreed because I didnt want her to think I was a bad person." Basically, my daughter was intimidated into believing (or pretending to believe) a certain thing because she was too afraid of someone thinking negatively about her. I want my daughter to be a strong and intellegent woman who doesn't let others or society determine her path in life. It killed me that she would have felt that way because of what this mom was saying.
I had to explain to her that being a good or bad person is not based on what you believe, but rather, on how you act. I also spent a while explaining that there is no conclusive evidence supporting either theory, therefore nobody can claim their beliefs are right or wrong.
There is no doubt in my mind that this woman went too far. So my question is, do I confront the mom or let this go?
I agree with you. A persons beliefs should be their own and they should not be preached at by anyone. It makes me wonder what she would have said if Megan said no. Would she have sent her home, scorned her or what. She has no right to preach her beliefs on to other children.
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