re: religion and kids not believing

Quoting PeanutButter*superkink*:" I'd never force my beliefs on my child"

Everyone "forces" some belief on their child, whether it be religion, ways of eating, dressing, etc...

Quoting Bangtail:" Everyone "forces" some belief on their child, whether it be religion, ways of eating, dressing, etc... "

To some degree, however with religion forcing serves no actual benefit, when eating, and dress can.

Quoting Bangtail:" Everyone "forces" some belief on their child, whether it be religion, ways of eating, dressing, etc... "

As a parent you make choices for your child, but as they grow they start making their own choices on what to wear, what to eat and what they believe.

Quoting Bangtail:" Everyone "forces" some belief on their child, whether it be religion, ways of eating, dressing, etc... "

Not really. My kids pick and buy their own clothes and eat what they please to eat, the decision is 100% all their own. And that goes for religion as well in my house.
I dont believe in anything, my oldest is catholic and my middle is Christian, and lo is only 9.5 months when she can decide she wil pick her's too.

I will always respect my children's beliefs, and I will encourage them to be knowledgeable about other beliefs to instill respect for others. However, in my home, we observe certain beliefs and that is that. Once they hit their teenage years, they will have the choice not to participate. I'll let them have the freedom to find religion on their own because if it is forced down their throats, they won't have a true belief. If they believe, I want it to be because they found it in their hearts and not just because they were used to going through the motions.

I think it's natural for kids to want to explore things outside of what they were taught. When parents stifle that curiosity they tend to push their children away instead of bringing them closer.

Quoting Coupon Lady:" Not really. My kids pick and buy their own clothes and eat what they please to eat, the decision ... [snip!] ... my oldest is catholic and my middle is Christian, and lo is only 9.5 months when she can decide she wil pick her's too."

So, you'll let your kids live on cookies if that's what they want? Or choose not to go to the dentist? Or choose not to do their chores?

Quoting MysticWitchKat:" To some degree, however with religion forcing serves no actual benefit, when eating, and dress can."

Well, that's kind of my point. We force certain beliefs on our kids because we think that those are the right tools they need to be happy, healthy adults. I agree that forcing religion on your child has no benefits, but exposing them to it on a regular basis doesn't hurt. Or, on the same note, choosing not to expose them to it because it isn't what you believe doesn't hurt them, either.

Quoting Bangtail:" Well, that's kind of my point. We force certain beliefs on our kids because we think that those are ... [snip!] ... hurt. Or, on the same note, choosing not to expose them to it because it isn't what you believe doesn't hurt them, either."

Depends on how they feel about it however. If they hold an entirely different belief system it can be quite offensive to them.

Quoting Coupon Lady:" Not really. My kids pick and buy their own clothes and eat what they please to eat, the decision ... [snip!] ... my oldest is catholic and my middle is Christian, and lo is only 9.5 months when she can decide she wil pick her's too."

I do respect that you let your kids make a lot of decisions for themselves without bias. That doesn't happen often.

Quoting Bangtail:" Well, that's kind of my point. We force certain beliefs on our kids because we think that those are ... [snip!] ... hurt. Or, on the same note, choosing not to expose them to it because it isn't what you believe doesn't hurt them, either."

Having a child eat fruit and veggies instead of cookies and candies isn't even in the same area as forcing a child to believe in a deity or not.

It's not forcing a child to believe or not believe, it's forcing a child to be physically healthy. I don't really see how it fits into this debate, to be honest.

Quoting MysticWitchKat:" Depends on how they feel about it however. If they hold an entirely different belief system it can be quite offensive to them."

True, but I'm not going to change my beliefs in my household to avoid offending my teenager. Nope. Not ever going to happen. Now, I won't force them to go to church, but they'll be there when I pray before meals, whether they're actively praying with me or not. I won't ever belittle them for their choices, but in my house, mine will stay them same, if that makes sense.

I think I sound a little bit more hardcore then I actually am. For me, I pray and read the bible alone because that's how I feel most comfortable. We pray before bedtime, but it usually involves them thanking Jesus for transformers and asking that no zombies attack them in their sleep. They are too young to really understand any of it, so right now church is more for playing and coloring.

Quoting Bangtail:" So, you'll let your kids live on cookies if that's what they want? Or choose not to go to the dentist? Or choose not to do their chores?"

My kids are good kids, and actually dont eat cookies ever so, ya. My 10 yr old cooks whole meals by herself like turkeys chickens veggies etc.....my kids get 100% full decision on pretty much every aspect of their lives. And my kids go to the dentist every 3-6 months and love going, actually my 4 yr old asks to go to the dentist every time we drive by. lol

My kids earn $50.00 a week to do chores and dont fight with me over chores and even offer to do chores at others peoples houses cause well they were raised to help others etc....

I dont need to tell my kids what to do or when to do it, cause they just do it.

I am protastin (sp?) lol my oldest's dd dads family is catholic and my 2 youngests dd's dad is Christian, and my klids to the church thing with them but only cause they beg to go, sometimes my oldest goes to the christian church vise versa, but they prefer their own lol It does not bother me at all.

And when they ask me questions I just google cause I am religion dumb, I know nothing lol

because I believe that God does not really recognize or care about organized religion, it's very easy for me to allow my children to explore and come to their own beliefs. I don't believe in hell at all so it's not scary for me to watch my kids make their own decisions about what they want to believe. I can understand how it might be scary for someone who believes that their child will go to hell if they don't believe a. b. or c.

Quoting Coupon Lady:" My kids are good kids, and actually dont eat cookies ever so, ya. My 10 yr old cooks whole meals by ... [snip!] ... It does not bother me at all. And when they ask me questions I just google cause I am religion dumb, I know nothing lol "

Catholics are christians coupon :-P

Quoting wombie:" because I believe that God does not really recognize or care about organized religion, it's very easy ... [snip!] ... understand how it might be scary for someone who believes that their child will go to hell if they don't believe a. b. or c."

To some degree, but I have found it's usually more a power struggle rather then a fear of hell. Plus forcing them to go is not going to get them to alter their beliefs because of it.