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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote]As I stated earlier, the word "indoctrination" may be used accurately as you interpret the rearing of children by these particular posters, but does not support the "discussion" you had described upthread. There is no good way to use it if you expect others to engage you on a mutually respectful level.

The word does not sting me. I am not indoctrinating my children. I am raising them in a family that holds faith in high regards. Let's imagine we do keep faith out of our parenting completely. What you're saying is that if my kids become adults of deep faith then that's fine, and if they become adults with no faith then fine. But if we (my spouse and I) conduct our lives as adults guided by faith and our dependent children notice this and ask questions and we answer to the best of our abilities with love and respect for others we are still doing them a disservice?

I don't understand being asked as a parent to step back and raise them without something we see as important on the off chance that something will stick that wasn't completely organic to them. We also emphasize a healthy diet and exercise -- is that bad? Why can't my kids learn on their own whether they want to eat less produce and more Velveeta by the bowl.

It seems to me you're coming from a place where religion is inherently bad or dangerous and children must be protected from it until they are strong enough to repel it on their own.

I may be off-base, but harping on your justification for the word "indoctrination" just seems odd to me. [/quote]

At no point have I said that you (or anyone) should remove faith from parenting or your lives, or that you shouldn't discuss it with your children, have them participate in it, etc.

I objected to the way a few parents described how they are handling it - and I described that as creepy and indoctrination. How I describe the way those particular parents are handling it (and I wasn't the only one to react to it), is unlikely to change how those parents do it. But if by pointing out that those examples are going to extremes, I might cause other parents to look at those practices in a new light, then I'd call that a good thing.

But to go with your diet and exercise example, if your child goes through a phase where they refuse to eat vegetables, do you force them in their mouth, or make them sit at the table with the vegetables on the plate and make it a battle of wills, or do you figure out another way to get them to eat a balanced diet?

Going back to the example someone else used with the violin, if you loved the violin and it enriched your life, but your kids hated you for making you take violin lessons, would you keep forcing it, or would you maybe take a step back and see what it is about the violin that enriches your life, and try to find something your children love that would achieve the same thing?

If faith is important to you and central to your family, that's wonderful. The question is whether you are trying to force it onto your kids, as it's clear some of the prior posters are, or are you encouraging their growth. Are you trying to force them onto a path of your choice, or are you supporting them in finding their own way? And if they chose a path that is different from the one that works for you, are you communicating a message that you will support them in their choice, or are you communicating a message that if they chose differently from you, they risk sacrificing their relationship with you?[/quote]
LOL! I am 15:14 AGAIN. I just realized, and found it funny that for a person who says they do not believe in God, you sure have a lot to say about parenting and faith education of those of us who do.

HAHAHA[/quote]

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