Family's religious views and your child

Idk if this is in the right forum, but I really would like some other mama's opinions or experiences...

I was raised Roman Catholic and always felt like my religion was shoved down my throat. I really DO NOT want to put my son through that. My SO was also raised Roman Catholic, but unlike my experience, his parents gave him the opportunity to explore other religions and always let him decide what he wanted to believe in in regards to religion.
For months now, I've been fighting with my family (most specifically my older sister) about how my SO and I have chosen to not baptize our son because we don't want to force any religion on him. We want him to learn about different religions and decide which one is best for him or decide that none of them are for him. It's been a constant struggle to get everyone to respect our decision.

Has anyone been through a similar situation? How did you handle it? Sorry, if my post is a little confusing, but I'm really upset about this and I'm typing pretty fast. Thanks in advance for your stories, opinions, and advice  

What my husband and I believe is that we "guide" our kids. But we dont force anything on them. We teach him what we believe, and if he chooses to take a different path as an adult, then that is his choice.

I wouldn't ever force a religion on my kids.. I'm more pagan than anything else.

I teach them about lots of different religions like Christianity, Buddhism, Muslim.. as many as I can.

I'd ask your family to respect your wishes, you know what you are doing and that's the last you want to hear about it.

Good luck mama.

yep... I was in the same situation as you. I was forced into being a catholic, baptized, first communion, confirmation and all that good stuff. I hate going to catholic mass now. My DH and I are like yall, Aiden will be allowed to explore all different religions and choose what is best for him.
My dad's parents are VERY religious, when I first got pregnant the first thing out of their mouth was "are they getting married?" and when Aiden was first born they wouldn't stop asking about when he would be baptized. We pretty much just kept blowing off the question until they got the hint and stopped asking altogether.
Good luck mama! I know it can be very frustrating!!

My husband and I are both catholic, his mother works in a church and has for the last 20 years. My husband and all his brothers were alter boys. and they were forced to go to church every sunday and his family is very religous. My family never made us go to church and to be honest im the worst catholic there is i dont know anything about anything. but i never really asked questions either. However my husband and i decided we were not going to force a religion on our children either. I agree with you its there choice and now a days there are soo many religions out there that i myself dont know what to believe let alone teach my children. even tho its going to kill my grandmother becuase she is very religious and kill my mother in law were not forcing a religion on our kids.

...wanted to add:we havent baptized our kids either. We want that to be their choice

Quoting Chris is preggers:“ Idk if this is in the right forum, but I really would like some other mama's opinions or experiences... ... [snip!] ... but I'm really upset about this and I'm typing pretty fast. Thanks in advance for your stories, opinions, and advice  ”

I've been through all kinds of shit with my family over religion....it's fucking ridiculous. I don't believe in a higher power, so I don't teach it to my kids. If they as a question, I answer it. When they are old enough to go to church without me they can if they want to. It's up to them.

My family was pushy and rude as well. They finally got tired of me telling them exactly where they could shove their opinions. Sometimes the only way is just outright tell them to shut the fuck up, plain out and rude like that.

I actually just went through this with my family. They are devout JW's and I was basically in the same boat as you growing up. They want Yasmine to learn but I KNOW them and they would do the same to her as they did to me. I asked them previously over and over not to talk to her about religion because I dont want her to feel obligated or have to chose between parents and grandparents. (They have no relationship with me because I left their religion, so I am exiled from the family.) Since they cant respect that they lost privileges to spend time with her, and can only see her under supervision and at our house. (there is a lot more to the story but I dont feel like going into it. sorry)

anyways, I dont know what to tell you or what advice to give you. But that is my experience. GL!

Sorry ur so upset! My personal opinion is that you need to just tell them all that the two of you are his parents and will raise ur child as u see fit. Family members tend to overstep their boundries especially with first babies because most of them feel like they are "oh so much more experienced". I think once you tell them how you really feel they will back off a little.

Trust me they WILL get over it!!! Try not to stress urself too much, it will all work out in the end!  

Quoting Chris is preggers:“ Idk if this is in the right forum, but I really would like some other mama's opinions or experiences... ... [snip!] ... but I'm really upset about this and I'm typing pretty fast. Thanks in advance for your stories, opinions, and advice  ”

My husband's family is Catholic, my family is not. My husband and I go to a non-denominational church. It has been a fight with his family since my daughter was born about having her baptized. We don't believe in baptizing a child until they are old enough to make their own decision. All I can say is stand your ground momma

Quoting Chris is preggers:“ Idk if this is in the right forum, but I really would like some other mama's opinions or experiences... ... [snip!] ... but I'm really upset about this and I'm typing pretty fast. Thanks in advance for your stories, opinions, and advice  ”

I wasn't brought up in any religion because my mother had religion forced on to her and she swore she'd never do that to her kids, my dad just wasn't very religious, so I saw no need to baptize my child. My husband and his family are very very very catholic, very...His mom and dad have been pushing and pushing for her to get baptized. My husband wants her to be also, but he wants it more so she has something to learn about, basically doesn't want her to be ignorant like me when it comes to religion. So instead of fighting about it I just left it at this...

I told my husband and his parents if they want to have her baptized that is fine, but not to expect me to be a part of it or even be at the church. His mom kind of flipped a shit, because I think she was thinking she could get me to get baptized at the same time, which she has been pushing on me since I met my husband. All that said, I was kind of hoping when I said they could do it but I wasn't going to be part of it, I was thinking they would back down, but that backfired. The set everything up and she is getting baptized when we go to NY on holiday in November.

Quoting Chris is preggers:“ Idk if this is in the right forum, but I really would like some other mama's opinions or experiences... ... [snip!] ... but I'm really upset about this and I'm typing pretty fast. Thanks in advance for your stories, opinions, and advice  ”

Both my mom and DH's mom are catholic and wanted us to baptize our LO... we told them from the start that we were not going to baptize her and that they needed to respect that since WE are her parents.... luckily our moms are good people and recognize that she is our child, not theirs... so even though they don't like it, they respect it....

Quoting Chris is preggers:“ Idk if this is in the right forum, but I really would like some other mama's opinions or experiences... ... [snip!] ... but I'm really upset about this and I'm typing pretty fast. Thanks in advance for your stories, opinions, and advice  ”

Tell the family to stuff it.
Your child SHOULD have the right to choose their religion.
Or lack of religion.
Whichever pleases THEM.

Thank you all so much for your advice and experiences! I finally told my sister today to drop the damn subject because it's not even open for discussion. End of story...Hopefully, that'll be the last I hear about that. My mom has been pretty supportive which shocked me...so hopefully this is the last of it. I'm just going to ignore them next time they bring it up (if they do) lol

I was raised 7th Day Adventist, and it was shoved down my thoat too. They really "scare" you into praying.... "you'll go to hell and burn if you don't do A, B and C".... I turned to learning about Wicca for about 7 years, but now I'm not sure. I believe most aspects of the Bible though... I'm going to teach my daughter about all the religions and let her decide. Who am I to force her to do something that's not her?! She would prob rebel like I did.... Do what you feel is right.