How much control should you give your kids over their personal decisions and belief systems? Do you feel that kids should be able to make choices based on their own feelings about the world? Or do you believe that your children should always follow your teachings, even if they don't necessarily believe in them?
What do you do if you are a die hard Republican raising Democrat kids? Or if you are a Buddhist raising Christian kids? Or a Christian raising homosexual kids? Or a vegan raising kids who want cheeseburgers and hot dogs for dinner? At what point do you let them stray from your beliefs, if at all?
When children are young, they want nothing more than to please the people they love. They are clay and we are the sculptors. They (generally) do as we say at the time. They accept our lifestyles as truth, even if the rest of the world disagrees. We are responsible for turning them from little blobs of cells to decent productive adults. Many of us don't even deserve this privilege. Some of us didn't necessarily want or expect it in the first place. But nonetheless, it is the parental unit that ultimately decides the fate of their children. And in my opinion, too many people find a way to screw it up.
As kids get older, start school, and interact with their peers and adults other than their parents, they become exposed to the morals, ideals, and beliefs (or lack thereof) of people who may not share those morals, ideals, and beliefs that they have been taught. What then? Do you teach your children that your way is the only way? Or do you teach them about diversity and how differences don't have to be negative? At what age is it appropriate for your child to choose his/her own religion or lifestyle?
This is a controversial topic, I know, but I wouldn't be me if I didn't encourage an intellectual debate now and then. I would love to hear your opinions on the subject. But I do ask that you please keep it clean and respect the views of others, even if you don't agree with them.
What do you do if you are a die hard Republican raising Democrat kids? Or if you are a Buddhist raising Christian kids? Or a Christian raising homosexual kids? Or a vegan raising kids who want cheeseburgers and hot dogs for dinner? At what point do you let them stray from your beliefs, if at all?
When children are young, they want nothing more than to please the people they love. They are clay and we are the sculptors. They (generally) do as we say at the time. They accept our lifestyles as truth, even if the rest of the world disagrees. We are responsible for turning them from little blobs of cells to decent productive adults. Many of us don't even deserve this privilege. Some of us didn't necessarily want or expect it in the first place. But nonetheless, it is the parental unit that ultimately decides the fate of their children. And in my opinion, too many people find a way to screw it up.
As kids get older, start school, and interact with their peers and adults other than their parents, they become exposed to the morals, ideals, and beliefs (or lack thereof) of people who may not share those morals, ideals, and beliefs that they have been taught. What then? Do you teach your children that your way is the only way? Or do you teach them about diversity and how differences don't have to be negative? At what age is it appropriate for your child to choose his/her own religion or lifestyle?
This is a controversial topic, I know, but I wouldn't be me if I didn't encourage an intellectual debate now and then. I would love to hear your opinions on the subject. But I do ask that you please keep it clean and respect the views of others, even if you don't agree with them.
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