Daughter begins Kindergarten

[Elskidor]

Tomorrow. I wonder how long it will take for her to come home asking about God and Jesus. I'm currently living in a bible belt area called Christian county. Any predicting to be had? I recall it was third grade for me and I had nightmares of hell for a long time after. I'm dreading this more than the sex ed talk in a few years down the line.

[Jenny A]

Probably not as soon as you think. But if I were you I'd beat the Christian kids/teachers to the punch. Get a children's illustrated Bible and teach it as myth and explain that other mostly rational people think it's true, but they're crazy about this issue. My parents and in-laws are devout and sent such things as gifts. We used them, just not quite as intended. We have two well adjusted atheists in their teens.

[rexbeccarox]

I agree with Jenny.

I had kindergarten and first grade at a private Christian school. We had bible study every morning. I'd come home from school, spouting something I'd been taught that day, and my parents laughed, calling everything I said the "Gospel According to Miss Connie", "Miss Connie" being the teacher. My mom, still a Christian, still laughs at some of the stuff I used to say.

[Cato]

Exciting times!

I agree with Jenny. Your daughter may be exposed to the idea of God, usually in the form of loving Jesus at that age, but you can control how your daughter is taught about religion.

Children that age are naturally inquisitive and if they're asking questions then you can begin to teach critical thinking skills. You can always find ways to explain how things work to young children, even if they don't have the capacity to fully understand intricate details. Take for example where the rain comes from? Angels pouring the water out or the hydrologic cycle?

Not necessarily aimed at religion, but I hate when adults are condescending towards children with the blase "you wouldn't understand" excuse. In my experience, the adult usually doesn't have a firm enough grasp of the subject matter to sufficiently break it down so someone can understand and offers instead bullshit in place of explanation. Again, not religious specific.

Have no fear, you'll manage fine. Keep in mind that a majority of atheists here in the U.S. were indocrtinated at a young age. Your daughter has the added advantage of your guidance.

[Minimalist]

If she has never heard about it from you I imagine it will be at the top of her list.

[vorlon13]

I'm extrapolating that maybe telling kids about many religions might be a good idea too. Once it is apparent that there are literally thousands and thousands of them and they are all massively inconsistent with each other, it isn't that big of an intellectual leap to the realization they are all crapola.

And always point out they are all equally valid, especially Pastafarianism.

[Jenny A]

I'm extrapolating that maybe telling kids about many religions might be a good idea too. Once it is apparent that there are literally thousands and thousands of them and they are all massively inconsistent with each other, it isn't that big of an intellectual leap to the realization they are all crapola.

And always point out they are all equally valid, especially Pastafarianism.

Not sure about pastafariansim or frisbtarianism either, but explaining that more than more religious myth exists and how many people believe other myths is a very good idea.

[The Grand Nudger]

My youngest girl starts kindergarten thursday. My middle girl started talking about god in kindergarten - as a character in a fairy tale. Almost gave my father-in-law a heart attack when he went to say grace;

"Everybody knows that all the gods are gone pawpaw" "Mommy made this chicken pawpaw" "Why do you talk to yourself all the time pawpaw" - she's got dozens of em now.

[Dystopia]

I don't know how it works where you live, but here it is very simple, most public kindergartens and even private ones don't teach religion, and if they do, you need to sign up a separate paper saying 'I agree that religion X is taught to my kids'. If not, I'd just walk on the kindergarten and say 'How about no!?'

[MJ the Skeptical]

It's good to tell your kids what you think and where the evidence leads. If you're more conservative in your approach, wait 'til your daughter brings it up to you. Or if you know she's being taught or coerced into religion then have an elementary discussion about it.