DD Teacher Told Her That Mickey Mouse Is Not Real!

[Madi100]

My daughter is in first grade, and her class celebrated Mickey's 75th birthday. For some reason, her teacher felt the need to tell the class that Mickey is not real, but just a person dressed up. I was VERY upset about this. I really don't want make an issue of this, but I think it was uncalled for. To me it's like telling a child that Santa isn't real.

She believed that she was actually getting Mickey and Minnie autographs and pictures. Now, I don't think it will be as magical. She asked me the other day if Belle is the real Belle. I asked her what she thought. She told me that if Mickey is fake then Belle probably is to. She asked me what I thought. I told her it's more fun to believe that they are real. She agreed, and we left it at that.

When I shared with the rest of my family, they all thought I was a bit off my rocker. They don't share the love for Mickey that I do.

Oh well.

 

[cyndibelle]

well that wasnt very nice of your daughters teacher now was it!!! i am sorry but i dont think it is a teachers right to put her thoughts about things such as that on the children of her class..my daughter is in first grade also and we are leaving soon and she asked me a week or so ago if all the characters were dressed up or real and i said well what do you think and she said ....I THINK THEY ARE ALL REAL....AND THAT IS WHERE THEY ALL LIVE...i thought to myself..this is gonna be a great vacation....not only will my son in preschool think they are all real but so will she..i was kinda worried about that..but you know it kinda spoils some of the magic for them when that is gone..but now when you get to our age..adult hood..it kinda goes full circle..you start to act like an idiot again..well at least we do............you know in the teenage age you have to be all cool and all....when we are there in february we will be the family of four with mouse ears on and singing and acting goofy......yep for sure................

 

[Karibeth19]

That makes me so angry!! Why can't some people let children be children, and let them have their sense of magic and wonder? It seems like nowadays, children are expected to "grow up" at such an early age, and I think they're suffering for it. My daughter is in first grade as well, and my husband and I go to great lengths to make things magical for her. In fact, for Christmas she not only got gifts from Santa, but from Mickey as well! He sent her a guest of honor badge along with a letter telling her how he was looking forward to seeing her again and to wear the badge so everyone at WDW will know she's one of his special friends. She loved it! She believes like your daughter, Cyndibelle, that the characters are all real and they all live at WDW and I encourage that at every opportunity.

I'm so sorry that happened to you, Madi100. It honestly breaks my heart.

 

[dmonroe]

That would've made me angry too!

I love that ds (4) thinks that WDW is were all of his favorite characters live. I dread the day that he figures it all out. As a matter of fact, on our next trip we will be traveling with friends whose ds is 2 years older than our ds (mine will be 5.5, theirs will be 7.5 at trip time) I'm actually worried that the friend will tell ds that they aren't real! He did tell ds at an event here that Clifford wasn't real, just someone dressed up in a costume. So far, ds hasn't drawn any conclusions about the characters at WDW.

 

[dsnycrzy]

madi100 I share your love for mickey and I would have been highly upset and would have said something to that teacher. For what other motive could she have disclosed this info but to rip a little childhood away. They're was no educational aspect behind it. . She is suppose to encourage and teach them to dream and there she is being a dream snatcher. What a

I hope your trip convinces her to believe again

 

[Jordan's MOM]

I would to be so mad. My DS belived until he was 8 and I thought it was so great. Our school celebrated his birthday too and it was so magical. My niece is first grade and we are planning for her first trip to WDW. She totaly belives that WDW is where all the real charcters live. We have to tell her however that the real captian Hook does not live there. I goofed in taking her to see Pirates of the Carabean. I can not understand why anyone, much less a teacher who should love children, would want to do something like that.


Jordan's mom

 

[aunties]

My nephew was 4 when I started working for Disney. He was so excited to go into preschool and tell his teacher and friends that his aunties' boss was Mickey Mouse. The teacher tried to tell him that Mickey was not real. Both my sister and brother-in-law went storming into the principal's office the next morning. Who else could be running Disney according to a 4 year old? After a very short conversation with the teacher, things were straightened out. The teacher went back to class and let the class know that she had made a big mistake and that Joseph's aunties really did work for Mickey. And even though she was an adult, when adults makes mistakes, they have to apologize too. And, she apologized to my nephew in front of the entire class. My newphew is 16 now, we are going to Disney this spring, and he is insisting on a character dining! Mickey is still the boss to him!

 

[Madi100]

Thanks for all of the replies. After I posted I was waiting for a bunch of people to tell me I'm crazy and overreacting. My husband won't let me say anything to the teacher. He doesn't think it's that big of a deal. I am just at a loss as to why she felt the need to tell them that? Maybe we can restore the magic. It's so much more fun when you believe.

My daughter skipped kindergarten, so this is our first year with the big school. Quite frankly, I want to keep her home and away from what she has learned. She's growing up too fast.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

I would have been very upset and definetly would have said something to the teacher. What she did is uncalled for. Kids are kids for such a short time. My DS, 4 1/2 at the time of our last trip told me in the limo on the way to the poly, you know mom Mickey Mouse is not real, he's just a man in a costume. I wanted to cry. I asked him where he heard that, but he told me he just figured it out. I thought after that comment he wouldn't want to go anymore. But we have our next trip scheduled for Nov. and he's excited.

 

[Vavasmon]

By the time we made our first WDW visit in Dec 2001 (our DD had just turned 6) she knew the characters were not real. To her, they represented the ideals of who they are dressed as. I am not completely sure how she figured it out (she has always been very logical and the idea that a book/movie character in real life never sat well).

That being said, all of our trips have been very magical. She loves the character dining, autograph collecting, and posing for pictures. She considers it her "big kid" responsibility to not spoil it for anyone who believes.

She also knows that some day could grow up to be any of the heros, princesses, or minor characters!

Also, be aware that once a child can read, many of the guidebooks imply that the characters are dressed people.

Was the teacher out of line (possibily - if it was said to deflate and/or embarass the kids). If it were me, I would schedule a conference with the teacher to explain how he/she upset you and/or your child. They may not even be aware that what they said took away a belief that your child had. The teacher may think that they only stated a fact that is common knowledge. Your analogy to discussing Santa is very approprite.

I think it is cool the kids got to celebrate Mickey's 75th.

 

[BevS97]

I have to say that once kids hit a certain age (5 or 6) then it's pretty obvious to them that the characters in the parks aren't real, to be honest, the costumes are not that impressive, Piglet has a huge zipper up his back and his head didn't fit well. BUT that didn't stop my dd having a wonderful magical time. She is 6 and she said to me, quite matter of factly, that is a man in a suit mummy, because Piglet lives in the 100 acre wood and he's very small, but she was still quite delighted to see piglet in the parks and give him a big hug and get a photo and an autograph, just as excited as I am when I see my favorite - Minnie. Of course, I know it's a costume, but I don't care, I see Minnie and I run over for my photograph just as excited as any kid.

bev

 

[Madi100]

I have to say that once kids hit a certain age (5 or 6) then it's pretty obvious to them that the characters in the parks aren't real, to be honest, the costumes are not that impressive, Piglet has a huge zipper up his back and his head didn't fit well. BUT that didn't stop my dd having a wonderful magical time. She is 6 and she said to me, quite matter of factly, that is a man in a suit mummy, because Piglet lives in the 100 acre wood and he's very small, but she was still quite delighted to see piglet in the parks and give him a big hug and get a photo and an autograph, just as excited as I am when I see my favorite - Minnie. Of course, I know it's a costume, but I don't care, I see Minnie and I run over for my photograph just as excited as any kid.

My daughter is quite smart. I doubt she'll believe in Santa much longer because logically it doesn't make sense to her. That doesn't mean that I will come right out and tell her that he's not real.

 

[Jordan's MOM]

My son never belived in the Easter Bunny or the tooth fairy, He did belive in Santa until about 7 or 8, but for some reason this very logical kid, never questioned that Mickey and all the rest were real. Maybe it's having a Disney crazed mom. EVen after he admited he knew the difference, he still loves the characters and we always do at least one or two character meal a trip.


Jordan's mom

 

[onecoolmama]

I was just talking to my husband about this and he said.."Way to crush a kids imagination...what purpose did the teacher have for telling these kids that?"

I would be upset...and I would say something...but I am vocal. I mean where do people get off telling little kids things like that...what are they really getting out of it. Maybe she was never hugged as a child or something..maybe she wants other kids dreams crushed like hers..who know..but yes..I would be upset.

 

[Schmeck]

Have you asked your husband why he doesn't want you to discuss this unprofessionalism with your child's teacher? What else might this teacher be telling your child during her time there?

I would go right to the principal myself. There should be a policy in place at your school about the boundaries of a teacher's academic content, etc.

Of course, I've worked at the elementary school level for four years, and will be pursuing a Master's in Early Childhood Education next fall, but I remember the unit about cultural diversity/respect for family traditions, etc. from my ECE 101 class like it was yesterday. What your child's teacher did was probably the perfect example of what a teacher is not supposed to do!

Schmeck

 

[Pryncess'mom]

Say it ain't so! My life is over!! Things will never be the same!! How can you pop my bubble like that???

Seriously, as a Kindergarten teacher whole class celebrated Mickey's birthday with stories, videos and Mickey Mouse pancakes, I am appalled! It was not her place to outright say that. When ever a child asks me a question like that, I alway defer to the parents by saying "Well Susie, I think you should check with your Mom. What do you think about it?" I had a child who insisted that his Dad told him Santa wasn't real. I told him it was OK to believe what he wanted, but that he should keep things to himself, and let others believe what they want.

I would bring it up to the teacher. I don't think I would go straight to the principal first, go to the teacher first. Raise your questions, and voice your concerns and let her know that you would prefer to let your DD be a child for as long as she can. In a time where cultural diversity is being stressed, the teacher should have had the professionalism to accept the children's individual beliefs.

As a professional, I am upset by this.
As a Disney FREAK, I am outraged!!!
In the world we now live in, it is the small things like believing in Mickey Mouse that keep us happy, content and normal!!

deb :

 

[Madi100]

MY DD rides the bus to and from school. My main communication with her teacher is through email. Is that appropriate way of communicating this issue? I'm not really outraged about this, but more disappointed. So, the email would not be a flaming email.

 

[tink&cinderella]

Well doesn't that just take the cake!!!!

I would certainly address this with the teacher - if possible in person or at least on the phone. If she thinks nothing of telling her class that Mickey is not real, how do you know she may not do the same with Santa and the Easter Bunny.

My daughter 5 1/2 now has started questioning Santa in the malls and we have told her that those are Santa's helper - the real Santa only visits sometimes and stays in the North Pole to get the toys ready. We had told her that she could tell the real Santa if the beard was real. Imagine my shock and Santa's when she tugged at his beard. Thank goodness it was his real beard and she is now convinced Santa is real.

As for Mickey and Cinderella! At her 5th birthday last July we had a Cinderella come-licenced by Disney through a past Disney Employee's Company. My DD was wanting Cinderella to come from the Castle in Disney World. We told her that Cinderella could not leave WDW because that is where she lived and lots of people count on her to see her. My DD believes all the Characters at WDW are real and those not in WDW are their helpers.

My friends think I am nuts too with this stuff - but this time will be over soon enough and I just hope the magic stays long enough for my 20 months old DD as well.

So sorry you had this experience, but I would definately would mention it or address it in some manner. It's not her place to enlighten the children in this way.

Hope you can save the Magic.

Tink&Cinderella

 

[kbkids]

Sounds just like a friend of mine. She has three kids, has yet to take them to Disney World because she wants to wait until they will remember their trip - they are ages 4-8 My child's first trip was at 18 months - but anyway, one day my daughter came home from staying at their house for the afternoon to inform me that one of the girls had told her that the characters weren't real, that they were only dressed up to look like them, and her mommy told her so. I quickly responded, "Well, now, they have never been to Disney World, so how would she know?" That was enough to satisfy her, and she still believes at age 6, and with her Disney enthusiasm, I don't see that changing any time soon.

P.S. Yes, I would send an email to the teacher.

 

[undertheradar]

I would drop the issue now. Most younger children do not remember the details as much as adults think they do. Send a handwritten note to the teacher reminding her that the children do repeat what they hear. Let the teacher know that you want your child to still have "fantasy" play and not have the escape of character friends taken away. The teacher probably had a bad day and spoke without realizing what she was saying. Give her the benefit of the doubt and move on.