A question about what your kids read *warning mild religious content*

[sparks19]

Ok I just have to ask this.

We are friends with a couple that are also pregnant with their first and expecting in November. They are very nice people and we love them to death but they are VERY different from us. We are polar opposites lol.

They do not believe in christianity AT ALL. and that is fine with us just as it is fine with them that we are christian.

However, a curious thing happened the other day. We were at their place looking at their completed nursery and they had a shelf of books. I was looking at the books they had.... I love kids books. and I saw that they had these books titled "Dear God...."

I pointed them out because we have a very similar set. They are kids books and they are very cute. Just little things like "Dear God why did you put the rainbow in the sky" and then it explains in kid terms the story of Noahs Ark. When I pointed them out they said "Yeah my aunt gave those to us but we are going to read them first to see if they are books we want Jordan looking at or not."

Now this struck me as very strange.....

Why would you not allow to look at those books? I mean perhaps if it was like "If you don't believe in God you will go to Hell" lol but they aren't.... they are just kiddie books. But they didn't want her reading any religious content. Why? I mean I know they don't believe but I don't believe in the big bang theory but I wouldn't stop my child from reading about it. Nor would I not allow my child to read about Judism or Muslims or anything else. It never crossed my mind that someone would want to shelter their child from that just because they didn't personally believe. I mean yes I will make sure books are "age appropriate" but I wouldn't filter out content like that just because it was not something I personally believed in. I don't believe in monsters under the bed but if my child wanted to read a book about it I wouldn't tell them they couldn't.

It just seemed wierd to me. Is this normal practice? Am I just too free and willing to let my kid learn about their options?

 

[~Jessie~]

Would you want your very young child looking at Wiccan books? Or books saying that there was no such thing as god?

I personally wouldn't want my child reading books about how god created things because I don't believe in religion. I don't think it's weird in the slightest bit to screen the books.

Edited to say:

I think that young children are very impressionable, and I would wait until they were older to give them opposing views on things. There are so many childrens books that explain things without bringing religon into the picture.

 

[Laurelin]

I personally would want my child to be well rounded and well read. However, I might want to wait until the kid is old enough to understand before handing them serious material.

 

[squirtsmom]

I would assume that they will teach the child what they believe or don't believe.

 

[sparks19]

Would you want your child looking at Wiccan books? Or books saying that there was no such thing as god?

I personally wouldn't want my child reading books about how god created things because I don't believe in religion. I don't think it's weird in the slightest bit to screen the books.

Honestly? It really wouldn't bother me. I mean really.... I want my child to be able to decide for themselves what they believe. If my child reads a book about Wiccan beliefs after learning about God.... they will have questions and I think that is a great thing. and I would have to be honest with them and tell them that different people believe different things. Some people believe Wiccan Teachings.... some people believe Scientific teachings.... some people believe christian teachings.... but all that really matters is what YOU believe. Then I would explain why I believe in God.

Like I said.... I don't believe in monsters under the bed either but if they wanted to read about them they can. I don't believe in lots of things but I wouldn't stop my child from learning about them. Knowledge is power and the more educated they are in their options they better equipped to make an educated decision and not just follow the crowd on a whim.

Just because I don't believe in it doesn't mean I am going to shun my child if they believe in it.

ETA: Our child will be brought up in a Christian setting but I am not going to shelter them from other beliefs just because of my own. I would rather them learn and make a decision than blindly follow a faith they don't really believe. Of course I would make sure books are age appropriate. I wouldn't read them a Christian book as a child that said "If you don't believe in God you will go to hell" lol but I just don't see the harm in Noah's Ark etc etc. I will teach them my beliefs.... but I don't know enough about other faiths to really teach them anything else.

 

[~Jessie~]

When I was a very young child, I believed in most everything that I read/heard. If my mom told me that the sky was blue because a bunch of horses painted it that color, then I would've believed it. Very young children take what they learn very seriously, and if they are told that god made the sky blue, they will believe it. Now, why would a non religious person want that?

 

[Renee750il]

Wow, Sparks . . . . you're on a good track

 

[~Jessie~]

Honestly? It really wouldn't bother me. I mean really.... I want my child to be able to decide for themselves what they believe. If my child reads a book about Wiccan beliefs after learning about God.... they will have questions and I think that is a great thing. and I would have to be honest with them and tell them that different people believe different things. Some people believe Wiccan Teachings.... some people believe Scientific teachings.... some people believe christian teachings.... but all that really matters is what YOU believe. Then I would explain why I believe in God.

Like I said.... I don't believe in monsters under the bed either but if they wanted to read about them they can. I don't believe in lots of things but I wouldn't stop my child from learning about them. Knowledge is power and the more educated they are in their options they better equipped to make an educated decision and not just follow the crowd on a whim.

Just because I don't believe in it doesn't mean I am going to shun my child if they believe in it.

Many very young children DO believe in monsters under the bed. Even when their parents assure them that there is no such thing. Many young children have imaginary friends, believe in lands full of magic, and think that cartoon characters on the TV are real. Young children cannot form their own opinions on serious issues yet.

 

[sparks19]

When I was a very young child, I believed in most everything that I read/heard. If my mom told me that the sky was blue because a bunch of horses painted it that color, then I would've believed it. Very young children take what they learn very seriously, and if they are told that god made the sky blue, they will believe it. Now, why would a non religious person want that?

Well that is when it is the parents job to answer a child's questions HONESTLY and not just leave them to their own devices. More often than not a child will have questions about what they read and learn.... YOU as a parent have to be there to answer the questions as best you can.

That child is going to learn about different things one way or another.... especially when they start school. I would rather my child be exposed to the fact that different people have different beliefs rather than send them to school only to hear her friend tell her there is no God and have my child be upset by that because they weren't prepared for a different opinion when it is so easy to GIVE them the knowledge that there are different opinions out there.

 

[sparks19]

Many very young children DO believe in monsters under the bed. Even when their parents assure them that there is no such thing. Many young children have imaginary friends, believe in lands full of magic, and think that cartoon characters on the TV are real. Young children cannot form their own opinions on serious issues yet.

I know they do....

and children are not as stupid as you seem to think they are. So you shouldn't teach your child anything because they are not capable of forming an opinion (even though I largely disagree with that analysis) Children are BRILLIANT creatures and are far more capable than you give them credit for.

I believed in monsters under the bed at some point but I don't now but I will still read them "The monster at the end of this book".

EDUCATE your children.... don't shelter them and don't treat them like they don't have minds of their own because they DO.

 

[bubbatd]

I believe in good night prayers and then when questions arise , bring on the books . Until then , nice children books with happy thoughts and lots of pictures .

 

[~Jessie~]

Please don't put words into my mouth. I VERY much agree with education. I learned to read when I was 3 years old... and read and read and read. My school wanted to skip me a grade, but my parents wouldn't let them because I was TINY. Children are smart, and I NEVER said that they weren't.

I said they were very impressionable. There is a vast difference.

I'm talking about young children... children who are younger than preschool age (2-3). When I was 2, I believed that the Sesame Street characters were real. If I read about Noah's Ark, I would believe it as well. Little kids love and live to learn... and if they read about how god made the sky blue, then I'm sure they will believe it and then tell everyone what they learned.

And honestly, who cares what books your friend is giving/not giving her children. That is her right.

So are you planning on bringing your child to churches of different religions on a rotating basis? Since it's quite important that they see all views.

And no... I don't think that a 2 year old can form an opinion on religion yet.

 

[Squishy22]

Would you want your very young child looking at Wiccan books? Or books saying that there was no such thing as god?

I personally wouldn't want my child reading books about how god created things because I don't believe in religion. I don't think it's weird in the slightest bit to screen the books.

Edited to say:

I think that young children are very impressionable, and I would wait until they were older to give them opposing views on things. There are so many childrens books that explain things without bringing religon into the picture.

I agree with you 100%. I believe children are very impressionable and believe whatever they are told and what they read.

I also want to say that when I was a child I read books that mentioned god. One in particular mentioned noahs ark and I beleived it. When I turned about 12 I changed my mind and decided not to believe it, because I was old enough to form my own opinion and not believe everything I hear. Just because a child believes one thing doesn't mean that they are going to believe it forever.

EDIT: I am not saying children cant change their mind until the age of 12. Thats just the age I was when I did. I think children are capable of forming their own opinions much younger than that. It also depends on what their parents teach them. I believed my parents much more than some book.

 

[Squishy22]

Please don't put words into my mouth. I VERY much agree with education. I learned to read when I was 3 years old... and read and read and read. My school wanted to skip me a grade, but my parents wouldn't let them because I was TINY. Children are smart, and I NEVER said that they weren't.

I said they were very impressionable. There is a vast difference.

I'm talking about young children... children who are younger than preschool age (2-3). When I was 2, I believed that the Sesame Street characters were real. If I read about Noah's Ark, I would believe it as well. Little kids love and live to learn... and if they read about how god made the sky blue, then I'm sure they will believe it and then tell everyone what they learned.

And honestly, who cares what books your friend is giving/not giving her children. That is her right.

So are you planning on bringing your child to churches of different religions on a rotating basis? Since it's quite important that they see all views.

And no... I don't think that a 2 year old can form an opinion on religion yet.

Does it matter what a child under the age of 3 believes in? I personally dont think so. Just my opinion.

 

[HoundedByHounds]

we have a relation that insists on giving us kid books that are religious. I keep them because they are books.

But when we read them...at say 4-5-6 years of age, we read them together and I pointed out how when one is telling a story...anything can happen.

Imaginary things are fun to read about. Just like when you watch a TV show and someone flies...that's not real or possible.

When we read science books like 'read about the tropical rainforest' those are actual facts and such.

That's how we handle it. My daughter likes to look thru those books...and she has a coloring book about Buddha as well. She knows different people have different "gods" and she can pick one or none when she's a grown up.

 

[~Jessie~]

Does it matter what a child under the age of 3 believes in? I personally dont think so. Just my opinion.

I completely agree. My kids will have the right to pick their own religion when they are old enough to do so.

 

[Boemy]

Presumably if they didn't believe in what the books were teaching, they wouldn't read them to the kids. I mean, I know if some Jehovah's Witness had given my parents a kiddie book that said, "God loves you very much and only 144,000 people are going to get into the highest level of heaven" (or whatever it is they believe) then my folks would never have shown us that book.

 

[Dekka]

Speaking as a parent. And as a parent who's child is in a Catholic school (tho we are not catholic..its just a really really good school), so we are not against religion. I didn't read religious books to my kid when he was little. I wanted to foster the idea that the world was full of questions (its the scientist in me) not full of answers. Why is there a rainbow..lets go play with the hose and make one ourselves. It has nothing to do with God, but how sunlight is really full of other colours, and the water droplets are splitting the light. IMO that is a better answer, than God put it there are part of a promise.

 

[Squishy22]

I completely agree. My kids will have the right to pick their own religion when they are old enough to do so.

I dont think children are able to pick a religion being so young, even if they do read books about god, so I dont really see the point in screening books out. Thats like saying... let me screen books about fairies, because I dont want my child to believe in something thats not real. When they get older to form their own opinion... they will, whether or not they read those kinds of books. Just how I see it.

 

[sparks19]

we have a relation that insists on giving us kid books that are religious. I keep them because they are books.

But when we read them...at say 4-5-6 years of age, we read them together and I pointed out how when one is telling a story...anything can happen.

Imaginary things are fun to read about. Just like when you watch a TV show and someone flies...that's not real or possible.

When we read science books like 'read about the tropical rainforest' those are actual facts and such.

That's how we handle it. My daughter likes to look thru those books...and she has a coloring book about Buddha as well. She knows different people have different "gods" and she can pick one or none when she's a grown up.

Bravo... see I think that is a great approach.

I think that is great. Eventually she is going to meet people that have a different belief. I want my child to KNOW those people exsist and that they believe something different than our child might believe. I don't want my child to meet someone who doesn't believe in God and then my child feel the need to tell the "non believer" that they are wrong because my child does believe in God. I want them to know that there are different people with different beliefs so they are prepared to meet these people in life.

I certainly will run my household with my belief but I will not stop my child from reading about other beliefs. When they are prepared to make a decision about their faith they will be educated about their options and can choose their own path. That's why our child will not be baptised as a baby.... they can do that if they so choose when they are an adult.

Jessie, I am well aware it is my friends right to choose what her child reads. I didn't say anything to the contrary. It just never occured to me that it would be an issue and I was wondering if this was the norm.... wondering if perhaps I was too "free and easy" with my thought process of allowing my child to learn of other beliefs. Just like I don't really believe in evolution but if someone gave my child a book about it I wouldn't throw it away. but I told her that if she wants to get rid of those books we will buy them from her No sense in books going to waste.