Talking To Kids About God And Religion

[carrdero]

When is an appropriate age to talk to kids about God and religion?

Are you capable of talking to your kids if they had any questions about God?

Do you think that kids should adopt their parent’s viewpoints or learn for themselves?

Are your kids enrolled in a Sunday school program?

Do you object to other adults or parents of different faith talking to your children about God or religion?

Are you honest to kids about the Bible? Are there some passages that are unsuitable for children?

[homeschoolmom]

[quote name='carrdero' post='1247787' date='Apr 18 2007, 01:47 AM']When is an appropriate age to talk to kids about God and religion?

Are you capable of talking to your kids if they had any questions about God?

Do you think that kids should adopt their parent’s viewpoints or learn for themselves?

Are your kids enrolled in a Sunday school program?

Do you object to other adults or parents of different faith talking to your children about God or religion?

Are you honest to kids about the Bible? Are there some passages that are unsuitable for children?[/quote]
1. From the beginning
2. yes
3. yes
4. not as such, but in the past yes.
5. depends on how old my children are and what's being said
6. honest in what way? I don't read bedtime stories from the books of Judges if that's what you mean.

[Sojourner]

I don't have kids, but will answer from my perception of what my parents did with me.
[quote name='carrdero' post='1247787' date='Apr 18 2007, 12:47 AM']When is an appropriate age to talk to kids about God and religion?[/quote]
From the beginning. In utero, even.

[quote name='carrdero' post='1247787' date='Apr 18 2007, 12:47 AM']Are you capable of talking to your kids if they had any questions about God?[/quote]
If I had children, I would be. My parents were more than capable to answer my questions.

[quote name='carrdero' post='1247787' date='Apr 18 2007, 12:47 AM']Do you think that kids should adopt their parent’s viewpoints or learn for themselves?[/quote]
I think parents should convey their religious views to their children, but should also teach them how to think critically about faith and come to a point that they adopt faith for themselves, not merely because their parents believe it. I, for example, am Catholic, while my parents are Protestant. Their faith was the foundation out of which my own faith has grown. So I see it as a combination of both.

[quote name='carrdero' post='1247787' date='Apr 18 2007, 12:47 AM']Are your kids enrolled in a Sunday school program?[/quote]
I was as a child in Sunday School up through high school.

[quote name='carrdero' post='1247787' date='Apr 18 2007, 12:47 AM']Do you object to other adults or parents of different faith talking to your children about God or religion?[/quote]
I think it depends on the individual child and the individual adult. At some point, your kids are going to hear other religious viewpoints. The key, in my opinion, is to maintain an atmosphere in which you can discuss what your kids are hearing. For me, my parents were pretty careful about sheltering me from other viewpoints through high school.

[quote name='carrdero' post='1247787' date='Apr 18 2007, 12:47 AM']Are you honest to kids about the Bible? Are there some passages that are unsuitable for children?[/quote]
My parents were quite honest about the Bible and we read all of it (Protestant version) at some point during nightly family worship. I got great joy out of asking my father what it meant to be "circumcised" because he got embarrassed every time, but would still answer it.

[cmotherofpirl]

When is an appropriate age to talk to kids about God and religion?
[color="#4169E1"]You start praying for your kids BEFORE you even have them, and then talk to them about God for the rest of their life.[/color]

Are you capable of talking to your kids if they had any questions about God?
[color="#4169E1"]Of course, I am their parent. If I don't know I will simply ask someone else.[/color]


Do you think that kids should adopt their parent’s viewpoints or learn for themselves?
[color="#4169E1"]THe kids have to make that choice.Once they see how its logical and all hangs together, its not quite as hard to explain it.Their understanding changes as they grow and they choose their paths in life.[/color]

Are your kids enrolled in a Sunday school program?
[color="#4169E1"]They were when they were little.[/color]

Do you object to other adults or parents of different faith talking to your children about God or religion?
[color="#4169E1"]It depends on their age. My Baptist aunt told me I was going to hell every chance the subject of religion came up when I was little. I certainly would not expose a little kid to teachings contrary to the Church.Way too much carp out there.[/color]

Are you honest to kids about the Bible? Are there some passages that are unsuitable for children?
[color="#4169E1"]I read everything in my parents library before the age of 10: the Bible, Shakespeare, Freud, Plato, the Illiad and Oedessy, Marcus Aurielous, Chaucer etc. Then I branched out .My kids have always had free rein of my collections as well.I simply can't spell or pronounce the stuff[/color]