Raising Children With A Blank Slate

[freeasabird]

Those who have read my story know I was raised very secularly, even though we went to church every week. Nevertheless, god was still something that was just a part of life. The questions of what religion I was and what church I went to always had easy answers. The topic of what god wanted from our lives always, at minimum, had a generally agreed starting point of accepting that there was at least a god. Heads were bowed, eyes were closed, and hands were clasped during graduation prayers. Fraternity inductions which require belief in god were affirmed without question or troubled thought. Pledges of allegiance were spoken without a mincing of words. These are all normal everyday points of life that were all accepted without question growing up.

 

I don't know what it's like to parent with a completely blank slate of no religion. I would like to hear experiences from any of you who have been out long enough to parent most or all of the formative years without religion and what it was like. Did you make an effort to find other non believers, or just steer the conversations away from religion when around the religious? How did you handle discussions about religion when it comes up, like whether a son can join boy scouts? Did you teach your child that religion is silly, or educate them why it's not true, or simply avoid the conversations and tell them they can decide what they want to believe when they are older? This is just the beginning of the questions I have. I would love to hear your opinions about anything on the topic.

[stryper]

While my kids aren't old enough to answer some of those questions, My general attitude toward most things is to answer them directly and honestly.

 

When it comes to religion, I have been thinking to just do the same. I think though that when they are old enough to begin to have those kind of questions they are old enough to begin to evaluate the facts. So give them the facts.

[Exevolt]

While my kids aren't old enough to answer some of those questions, My general attitude toward most things is to answer them directly and honestly.

 

When it comes to religion, I have been thinking to just do the same. I think though that when they are old enough to begin to have those kind of questions they are old enough to begin to evaluate the facts. So give them the facts.

-This I would say would be a great way to raise a kid.

-My parents did this more and more as I got older and now conversations aren't embarrassing or taboo as they've extended into religion, politics (especially so between me, my father and brother), sex, sexuality, morality, science, medicine, nutrition, etc. If you make a certain topic wrong to talk about then the person will either become rebelliously obssessed with it or become completely apthetic about it. My friend for instance was raised catholic, politically his parents are democrats but they hide their political values from him or how the world of politics and idealism works. This has made him politically retarded and apathetic and most of what I say zooms over his head. Same as sex and sexuality. Don't force your beliefs on them but be perfectly open about them and willing to discuss.