Comment by Tim Palmer on July 12, 2011 at 4:06pm

My son just graduated from a private school. He started there in pre-K, so he was there a total of 14 years. Our reason for putting him there were similar to yours, we live out in the country (Ga) and the local school was having race riots, bomb threats, etc...  We made the decision based more on safety and the fact the school is a College Prep facility.  Sadly it is also a "Christian school". Living in the bible belt is a royal pain in the ass for me. Anyway I said nothing to him until he was in the 4th grade and he brought home a book that I disagreed with. I sat him down and told him there were many different views on the subject, we, I, had been doing that on everything since he was an infant so he never blinked. A couple of years later he was asked by friends why he didn't go to church. He asked me. I told him why I didn't go and why his mother didn't go. I also told him, that if he wanted to attend, I would make arrangements for him to try it. I believe everyone must make their own decision about religion. He declined. Now 17, almost 18, he has never shown any interest in religion of any sort. He has been a A+ student in every science or science related class he's ever taken. My point is I don't think your daughter will be warped as long as you are open about your beliefs... kids do listen to us whether we think they do or not. Also, don't blame yourself for choosing that school. I've HATED my son's school at times over the years but followed his lead... "chill dad, it's no big deal... I'm good"  ;-)

Comment by Stephen Walski on July 12, 2011 at 4:06pm

Never told mine religion was BS. I told him what people believe and why. I answered all his questions honestly and only talked about it when he asked questions. I told him what i felt and why it was my own opinion. I told him why people believe the way they do.

 

Eventually he told me it was BS i didn't have to tell him.

Comment by Shelley Furgason on July 12, 2011 at 4:20pm

First of all I agree you shouldn't feel bad about wanting what's best for your child. However that is exactly what you have to decide. What YOU feel is best for your child.

It sounds like you have a strong relationship, the fact that she expresses sincere interest and asks questions and you have talks with her. Tha's good and you should in my opinion take advantage of that and be real with her. I raised 3 boys who are grown now my youngest just turned 21. I never took them to church once ever though I was raised to go  3 times a week. I never told them they were sinners, I think it's wrong to do so.

Keep in mind who she will become is being formed right now. And right now the formation is being laced with catholicism. I would not underestimate what that is really doing to her psyche. She goes to a place every day where along with reading writing and arithmetic she learns about sin and heaven and hell and how they impact her choices in life. ALL of her choices!

The way that she views you plays into to it as well. Believe me you want your children to be able to talk to you about anything and know you are honest with them. You don't want to stop coming to you eventually because you don't see eye-to-eye. And trust me, in the teen years you don't want anything but an open, honest relationship with her in order to help her grow and be happy ;-) Treasure every second they grow up so fast and good luck, Shelley

Comment by Shelley Furgason on July 12, 2011 at 4:40pm

Watch this entire video, please, just click here ;-)

Comment by MikeLong on July 12, 2011 at 5:40pm

AKICKTOTHEEYE: Could you please expand on your claim that kids "need" fairy tales. You can't stop them from pretending as part of play, but I can't see how it helps to feed them conceptual baloney. I'm willing to be convinced but, to me, when they look up from play, they should experience the real world.

As to the question at hand, I think I would tell her EVERYTHING - including why she's going to a school where they teach fairy tales as fact, and why it's best if she played along for the time being.

Comment by Patti Pender on July 12, 2011 at 7:17pm

I was raised Catholic, and not all the kids in Catholic school with me were Catholic.  Are you sure you needed to lie to the nun?  When I was growing up, anyone who was willing to pay the (quite high) tuition for Catholic school could attend, and non-Catholic kids were not required to take religion classes.  I'm really sorry to say this, and I KNOW you want to give your child best possible education, but lying because you believe you had to to get your child into this school sends the wrong message to both her and the Christians who might learn of it.  Fess up to the school and ask them not to require religion classes for your daughter.  Never lie to your daughter or pretend to believe something you do not.  If you lie, she learns to lie--if it's, you know, important.  THEY say morality comes from religion.  Please don't make them right.  The end, no matter how important it is, never, ever justifies the means.  NEVER.

Comment by MikeLong on July 12, 2011 at 8:42pm

I, too, was raised a Catholic so I can recognise the origin of such firm and dogmatic views. :-)

People lie all the time - and for the purest of reasons. ("Don't you just love my new hair color?")

One very good reason to lie is to prevent harm to oneself and family. Starting at the extreme, if someone held a gun to your child's head and said they'd pull the trigger unless you dropped to your knees and said, "I love the Lord Jesus", obviously even you would lie.

As far as I'm concerned, if someone were trying to cause harm to my family because of their bigotry and outrageous beliefs, I would not OWE them anything - including an accurate summary of my private opinions on the Cosmos. If it would make them treat my family fairly, I would, if necessary, tell such people whatever they wanted to hear.

Comment by Suzanne Olson-Hyde on July 12, 2011 at 9:07pm

Meaghan, as her Mum, you are the best one to know what is right for your child. I took my kids out of secular school, and sent them to a catholic school, as it was the next closest school. I was not the frothing at the mouth, full on atheist that I am now, BUT the school was also not full on like the catholic schools that now abound. I think that religious schools of all persuaions are changing tack, because of Atheists becoming more vocal and teaming up. My children are now all Atheists, but the same dilemma has now arisen. My daughter sends her daughter to catholic school, but the system has changed.

 

Say that there are a lot of people who don't believe, and that is okay, there are many religions, and that is okay, just don't tell her at this stage, that you are an atheist. She has to get through school. Subtle is the key.

 

What I do with my granddaughter, she is six, is give her age appropriate science books, and there are a lot around, send her dinasours to paint, teach her about the universe, just keep sliding things in. I am also really big on fairies and goblins, and have sent some fabulous books on this stuff, then ask her, is this a story or is it true. The only things that fly, are birds and airplanes.

 

I have also sent her prehistoric giant shark teeth - Megalodon Teeth, around 5,00 years old, embedded in rock, also some Prehistoric Invertebrate embedded in rock. Slide in the Science.

But I wouldn't be telling her about the fact that you are an Atheist - she has to survive a full on catholic school.

And keep an eye on the priest.

She will become a critical thinker in the long run.

 

Comment by Kairan Nierde on July 12, 2011 at 9:36pm

Arcus, I could see that cookie thing getting a bit out of hand...  You're going to have fat, happy kids.  :-)

Comment by Chris G on July 12, 2011 at 10:37pm

It sounds like you are to protective.

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