Child raising and touchy subjects.

[pocaracas]

t i fear that someone will teach them when talking about their religion with them while i`m not around (i am not with the mother).

After 3 kids, you called it quits? tss tss tss

Well, then you can't do much about what the other side will do to them.
On your side, you can take them to museums, watch National Geographic or Discovery with them... yeah, kids just want to watch cartoons, but some are really curious about the animal kingdom. My eldest devours anything about dinosaurs... and then I asked... so... Adam & Eve, huh?.... where were the dinosaurs back then? RE: I don't know. Have to ask mum.
Noah's ark?... dinos went in Richard's ark, I guess... the one that sank!

My 5 nephews have to go to church every Sunday... The eldest, is in 3rd grade and, for his last birthday, I got him a book with the history of science for kids... He liked it so much, he kept it around all the time!
Teach them curiosity, proper history, proper science... they'll figure whatever they want to for themselves.

[My imaginary friend is GOD]

Just encourage what comes naturally to kids, questioning and curiosity. Those are powerful weapons against propaganda.

[justin]

Thanks y'all. You're right asking questions is important. When I was younger I remember asking questions in church didn't go well. i think that was just another thing i feared after a while.

[KichigaiNeko]

I taught my kids (while they were very very young) about fairies and protective dragons until when they were about 5-8 years they promptly told me that I was making it all up...... I was so proud of them. At around that age they were exposed to the whole god bit via school and it didn't stick for them mainly because I would answer their questions honestly and if I didn't know we Both went to look it up from a legitimate source.

This was how my mother raised me (protestant) she never realised that she was raising me to be an atheist

[Rahul]

Well i was thinking of actually teaching them ahead of time about different religions...

No, we can't do that. We don't have objectivity. It would fail. A true believer would state it in a way you and I could never do so.

I'd rather introduce my girls to real believers, let them talk to them, begin to indoctrinate them ever so slightly, and then take them home and discuss.

We'd come off like, "Ok, some retards actually believe this shit..."

Of course we wouldn't say that, or have the tone of our voice imply that, at least to the best of our ability. But humans are really amazingly good at detecting even the slightest hint of deception. And 99% of us humans miserably fail at trying to hide bias.

Exposure to true believers and then ask them piercing questions. I think, and this is just my opinion, should be the most effective way of approaching religion with your kids.

[festive1]

I told them the story, minus the killing of the first born,

Why leave that out? Makes god look like a prick. Kids can figure that out.

I thought it inappropriate for a 5 year old. Plus, he is the first born in our family, didn't want him to think the giant, boogey-man in the sky was coming for him

@Kichi, I second finding good sources when I can't answer their questions. YouTube and Google are great (in safe mode)! An added benefit: Mommy doesn't know everything, but we can find the answers!