Do parent teacher their kids to be atheist? I never did. I just tell them that I am an atheist but I don't care what they believe. I'll take them to a church if they want. I wanted them to explore the world and figure it out for themselves. I figure my job is to teach them critical thinking. Then they can pick to believe whatever.
I didnt, they knew that neither I nor their father had a god, nor any of our wider family that they came across - We moved around a lot when they were little and also lived in communes My daughter and son are now 50 and 49 y.o and I can't remember the subject ever coming up - I always let them look for themselves to find their own schools Children know better than adults I think what they are looking for because they are the ones in that school era- my daughter always nosed out the toilets and cloakrooms first my son the games facilities.
This works, JeffB, just saying, I'll vouch for having had this upbringing myself and I'm extremely comfortable with my beliefs, now.
Atheistic father and spiritual libertarian mother, we got to explore religion, myth and science at our own behest. Talked philosophy and logic around the dinner table and were allowed to read any book we were interested in.
Out of it, seven children in the family, all of us are open minded and believe in something more but none follow a religion.
Unless you don't think what you've come to believe is important, I wouldn't say that you don't care what your kids believe. (You do care, don't you?) Instead, I would tell them that it's up to them to figure out what they believe, but that you think you've got it right. Tell them why you believe what you believe, and why you don't believe in what others believe.
I told mine that religion is ridiculous. I told him why it was ridiculous. Then I told him that I'd love him even if he believed in things I don't.
He's a well-adjusted little atheist.
My kids aren't really old enough. I've told my 8yo that people believe many things and that I don't particularly believe any of them and that's about as far as we've gotten. It's mostly a non issue in our house.
Posted by kdmomNavajo Baby’s First Laugh Ceremony Obviously I don’t care about the spiritual/religious roots of this, but I love the idea of the tradition over all.
Posted by OpposingOpposumI love this.
Posted by OpposingOpposumNo big lesson or anything,I just wanted to share the cuteness of my son and great niece.
Posted by OpposingOpposumNo big lesson or anything,I just wanted to share the cuteness of my son and great niece.
Posted by OpposingOpposumNo big lesson or anything,I just wanted to share the cuteness of my son and great niece.
Posted by OpposingOpposumNo big lesson or anything,I just wanted to share the cuteness of my son and great niece.