Teaching my daughter basic stuff

[aluokaloo]

I always figured that I wouldn't teach my daughter much of anything unless she wanted to know. However I find myself teaching her little things, like very basic animism. For example, plants/wind/animals have spirits. She often will pat or hug a tree, at one point, there was smoke in the house, cause something had burnt in the oven, and I was thanking the wind for getting the smoke out of our room for bedtime by casting herbs on the wind, she saw me and wanted to thank the wind herself. She talks to the rocks, crystals and stones, and wants a lot of them, probably cause they are pretty though. :hahugh: I have even begn to teach her a little bit of shielding, she has created her own cool little shield, for now I hold it in place so to speak. I can't help but wonder if I'm, doing the right thing, exposing her to this, because I had always resolved to let her own way, and this seems to be conflicting with it. how can I allow her to find her ownpath, when I'm teaching her what I believe already? I know I found my own path straying from christianity to paganism, but paganism simply complimented quite a few of my beliefs. comments anyone?

[Saphyre]

Letting our children see us just being ourselves is a good thing. I don't know how old she is but unless she's asking specific questions about your faith, I would go on just being you.

I have a lot of books on religion and spirituality, a Bible and a Torah, etc. that are out in the open for my kids to read anytime they want to. I am a firm believer in letting my kids make their own decisions. I encourage them to research their questions in addition to asking me, so that they can have numerous points of view. My 17 & 15 yo kids are Catholic, my 11yo is most definitely pagan (he just doesn't realize it yet!) and my 6yo is too young to care.

As for your little girl ~ She could grow up having similar beliefs as you, having been around them her whole childhood. You could be starting a new Family Tradition and not even know it! She could also grow up thinking her mom has lost her mind!!!(like my 17yo daughter). LOL Either way - when she's old enough to question things, and she WILL question things because her friends will have all sorts of different beliefs, be sure to give her options and let her explore.

Isn't parenting FUN?!?! :lol:

[Shanti]

For starters its only natural for our kids to imitate us and question us. The best thing we can do, I feel, is be open and honest in our thoughts and practices. Our kids see others and differences. They will ask questions of the whats and why's of others as they grow and venture more. How can they find their own way if they no of no way?

My kids agree with some of my views, they are 6 and 8. Some things they don't bat an eye at. Thats where finding they own way comes in, I think. Allowing them to follow you or choosing not to, or mixing it all up to find their own ideas.

Kids are very observant. An example is the way I am with animals and plants. I'm an animist so I believe they all have spirit and feelings. It shows in my daily interactions. Our family, grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, cousins, are different. They don't behave the same way toward plants and animals as I do. My kids have seen this difference and asked questions about it. I tell them the truth and let them ask grandma and grandpa the whys and such. My kids have chosen, themselves, to believe as I because they just don't feel that animals and plants have no spirit and are here for us to do as we please, like grandma and grandpa believe.

My adult kids were raised the same as my youngest are being raised. They have grown and found their own opinions. Each of my grown kids, 3 of them, all believe different than I because they can! :) Only one shares my basic animistic ideals but with different spiritual beliefs. So far none of my kids are Taoist. My 6 year old is the only one leaning that way. My 8 year old has a fascination for Mary after she found a necklace with a pic of Mary on it. I told her all about Christianity and the beliefs that go with it. Most of it she doesn't agree with but she feels Jesus tried to teach love and Mary was the same way. As she put it, "I think Jesus and Mary were really good people but no one would listen."
Grandma thought my daughter would be a Christian like her, but my daughter said no. She feels according to her reply to grandma, "Jesus and Buddha were the same type of people. Jesus was just misunderstood." ( She feels Jesus wasn't the son of any god. He was just another Buddha.)

To me just allowing them to see and ask about the world and other people around them, then forming their own conclusions, is letting them find their own way. Its when we try to make them see it our way that I feel we are not allowing them personal choice.
Nothing wrong with a child wanting to follow the parents beliefs. Nothing wrong if they change and grow away from their parents beliefs either. :)

[Lyrien]

Your DD isn't choosing her faith today, she's actually doing what most kids do....even the Christian ones. Most kids talk to trees/plants/rocks/stuffed animals...it's natural to them. So as for the activities she's doing, kids do things like that. It's just that most people call it 'using your imagination'.

You shouldn't hide yourself or your practices from your children. Well, unless you are sacrificing babies or something. LOL All children imitate their parents. Be thankful you are setting this example and not something terrible, hurtful, or potentially embarrassing if she repeats it at school or grandma's house.

[ladyalpha]

I am raising my children with beliefs of all paths. I have had them in the circle with me and they watch everything I do, as mentioned above it is just natural for them to do so. I do not feel as though they are being forced to follow our beliefs as they are always given a choice to participate or not.
They know that I run a religious teaching/tolerance site and that they are free to read through all the pages that I have on the site. And they are free to read all the books I have at home. I have also talked to them about others beliefs and answer all their questions they present to me.

They go to school with mostly Christians of various paths. From Jehova Witnesses to Pentacostle. The main messages I have given to my children is that there isn't "one" way and to always have an open mind. While they may not personally believe the same way someone else does, it does not make the other persons belief invalid.
As of right now just by watching and listening, my 10 year old is very pagan and according to her she will always be on a Pagan path. My 8 year old seems to lean towards Christianity, but not all the beliefs. My 3 1/2 year old son doesn't care one way or the other right now. lol
We let the kids go to church with family if they choose to go. Nothing is forced on them, therefore what they do or don't do, is their own personal choice.

I would not beat yourself up over anything that you or your daughter is doing at this time. Your not being a bad parent by showing your beliefs to her. It gives her information and a point of reference. I personally think it is impossible to not show your beliefs to a child, no matter what the beliefs are. They will see things and hear things that are being said. Honesty and respect is what is needed and are the best things to show/teach children..imo.

[Willow Rosette]

It sounds to me like she is finding the path for herself. Will she stick with it? Who knows?? But I think as long as they have the freedom to change their minds as well as ask questions then there isnt a problem. I have a 4 year old daughter and have taught her from the very beginning. But I taught her things like respect for the tree's and to give thanks for what we have. She now has a relationship with Freya that she founded on her own. Did I encourage it? Absolutly because I do believe that her relationship with the Goddess is in her best intrest. Having said that if she were to say she wanted to go to church with Grandma I would absolutly allow it.

Ok I dont know if I made sence but what Im trying to say is as long as she is free to decide/change her beliefs then she is finding her own way. :hugz:

[Ravenna Angellin]

I have to agree with the others here. Kids will naturally imitate their parents at some point in time or another.

I am very open about my beliefs with a lot of people. In fact there are maybe two or three people in my life who don't know that I am a pagan. My children's father would prefer it if I wasn't so open about it, and has flat out forbid me to teach my children anything formally. While I respect his intentions, and I don't formally teach them anything about my beliefs or practices... they still learn from me by watching me.

My boys are 6 and 2 years old. Finn (the 2 year old) could care less, but he likes the dirt, he loves bugs and is very much a boy. Aiden (the 6 year old) on the other hand is a very sensitive boy and talks to the land a great deal. Last year he even asked me if he could be a boy witch, and was there such a thing? It was adorable! And then their father decided that he couldn't control their hearts. There is nothing wrong with being pagan! It's beautiful and it fulfills me, and right now, it does the same for my kids.

I still don't teach them formally. I'm not going to make their religious choices for them, and right now, it's not their job to choose a religion. Just being kids and growing up is hard enough. We have lots of conversations about religion when my oldest asks me questions about it, and that is good. My job is to help him learn, to arm him with information (as unbiased as possible) so that when the day comes and he wants to choose a religious practice to follow, he'll do so with his eyes wide open (hopefully!). But he will always carry a love of nature, because that is how is raised.

Teaching your daughter basic stuff is great! Give her a strong love for the land, for animals... for people of all walks of life and you will have done a better job than a great deal of people. Teach her how to meditate and you will have given her a gift of finding her center in stressful situations. Teach her what you know with love, and everything will fall into place. Even if you never teach her formally... she will still learn from you, because you are who you are... and it is a good thing.

I hope that helps... I seem to be rambling, but I just wanted to share my thoughts. Good luck and many blessings to you and yours!

~ Ravenna Angelline