freeasabird Posted July 7, 2012 Posted July 7, 2012 Tonight I'm drying my son off after he gets out of the bath. He has this habit as I'm sure a lot of 5 year olds do, of getting right in my face and saying silly phrases. Well tonight he starts repeating "oh my god" over and over in this silly voice of his. I'm sure it's something he picked up at pre-school because I never say that. His mom on the other hand has taken a real interest in bringing goddammit into her vocabulary since her apostasy - probably something to do with being so repressed about blasphemy for so many years. But anyway I digress, aside from that which she tries not to say around him, there's really no use of "oh my god" around our house. So being the kind of dad that I am I simply ask him, "what does that mean?". He quickly replies "just a silly word". It took me only a second to realize the gravity of that simple statement. I was beaming from the inside because to him it was quite simply just a word which he heard and repeated. No dogma. No religion. No baggage. No brainwashing to undo. "Just a silly word". Three little letters that carry so much meaning to adults round the world, but to a 5 year old it is simply a silly word. Inherently a silly word. You see I have taught him nothing positive or negative about religion at all. Neither religion nor god has ever come up in any conversations whatsoever. Wow. Just wow. I'm still trying to process how incredibly profound and beautiful this simple conversation was. 6
mcdaddy Posted July 7, 2012 Posted July 7, 2012 Had a convo with my 7 year old yesterday about not swallowing everything my fundy mom and her church she occasionally goes to tells her. Was difficult trying to say things, without saying too much. Basically, don't let them scare you, they don't know if any of that stuffs real, just have fun while you're young and don't worry about that stuff. We'll talk more when you're older. That kinda thing. 2
Guest wester Posted July 7, 2012 Posted July 7, 2012 Your son isn't named Ludwig Wittgenstein or Juergen Habermas is he?? I was a teacher for a platoon of 4 year olds last year. They are utterly the most profound and brilliant geniuses I have ever met. It takes a lifetime of education to make us stupid. Thanks and Cheers. 2
sarahlee Posted July 7, 2012 Posted July 7, 2012 Had a convo with my 7 year old yesterday about not swallowing everything my fundy mom and her church she occasionally goes to tells her. Was difficult trying to say things, without saying too much. Basically, don't let them scare you, they don't know if any of that stuffs real, just have fun while you're young and don't worry about that stuff. We'll talk more when you're older. That kinda thing. It's good that you're around to show her that there is life outside xianity. that's a bonus that will help her as she's forming her own opinions on things 2
mcdaddy Posted July 7, 2012 Posted July 7, 2012 Had a convo with my 7 year old yesterday about not swallowing everything my fundy mom and her church she occasionally goes to tells her. Was difficult trying to say things, without saying too much. Basically, don't let them scare you, they don't know if any of that stuffs real, just have fun while you're young and don't worry about that stuff. We'll talk more when you're older. That kinda thing. It's good that you're around to show her that there is life outside xianity. that's a bonus that will help her as she's forming her own opinions on things Yeah it's a pretty hard dialogue to get into, but it's obvious the church and my mom had already sunk plenty of religious ideas into her little skull. The good thing tho, is she asked GREAT QUESTIONS. better than I thought she would ask. I'm not overly worried about her. Shes a thinker, like her McDaddy. I do think I'm gonna have to have a talk with my mom though.
freeasabird Posted July 7, 2012 Author Posted July 7, 2012 Had a convo with my 7 year old yesterday about not swallowing everything my fundy mom and her church she occasionally goes to tells her. Was difficult trying to say things, without saying too much. Basically, don't let them scare you, they don't know if any of that stuffs real, just have fun while you're young and don't worry about that stuff. We'll talk more when you're older. That kinda thing. It's good that you're around to show her that there is life outside xianity. that's a bonus that will help her as she's forming her own opinions on things Yeah it's a pretty hard dialogue to get into, but it's obvious the church and my mom had already sunk plenty of religious ideas into her little skull. The good thing tho, is she asked GREAT QUESTIONS. better than I thought she would ask. I'm not overly worried about her. Shes a thinker, like her McDaddy. I do think I'm gonna have to have a talk with my mom though. That sounds like a fine line you have to walk. Have you had any conversations with your wife about your role in their religious instruction or destruction, or is this something you kind of have to do in secret?
mcdaddy Posted July 7, 2012 Posted July 7, 2012 Had a convo with my 7 year old yesterday about not swallowing everything my fundy mom and her church she occasionally goes to tells her. Was difficult trying to say things, without saying too much. Basically, don't let them scare you, they don't know if any of that stuffs real, just have fun while you're young and don't worry about that stuff. We'll talk more when you're older. That kinda thing. It's good that you're around to show her that there is life outside xianity. that's a bonus that will help her as she's forming her own opinions on things Yeah it's a pretty hard dialogue to get into, but it's obvious the church and my mom had already sunk plenty of religious ideas into her little skull. The good thing tho, is she asked GREAT QUESTIONS. better than I thought she would ask. I'm not overly worried about her. Shes a thinker, like her McDaddy. I do think I'm gonna have to have a talk with my mom though. That sounds like a fine line you have to walk. Have you had any conversations with your wife about your role in their religious instruction or destruction, or is this something you kind of have to do in secret? It's understood I just want them to think critically and weigh both sides. If they honestly do that and end up xian, so be it.
jdog Posted July 8, 2012 Posted July 8, 2012 Tonight I'm drying my son off after he gets out of the bath. He has this habit as I'm sure a lot of 5 year olds do, of getting right in my face and saying silly phrases. Well tonight he starts repeating "oh my god" over and over in this silly voice of his. I'm sure it's something he picked up at pre-school because I never say that. His mom on the other hand has taken a real interest in bringing goddammit into her vocabulary since her apostasy - probably something to do with being so repressed about blasphemy for so many years. But anyway I digress, aside from that which she tries not to say around him, there's really no use of "oh my god" around our house. So being the kind of dad that I am I simply ask him, "what does that mean?". He quickly replies "just a silly word". It took me only a second to realize the gravity of that simple statement. I was beaming from the inside because to him it was quite simply just a word which he heard and repeated. No dogma. No religion. No baggage. No brainwashing to undo. "Just a silly word". Three little letters that carry so much meaning to adults round the world, but to a 5 year old it is simply a silly word. Inherently a silly word. You see I have taught him nothing positive or negative about religion at all. Neither religion nor god has ever come up in any conversations whatsoever. Wow. Just wow. I'm still trying to process how incredibly profound and beautiful this simple conversation was. Love it! So simple. Thanks for the post.
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