Religion

[Bathsheba]

Mummycate: our family are non-denominational Christians... well my DH considers himself a Christian but isn't really certain what he believes. He was never taken to church as a child and didn't actually enter a church until he was about 20. He says he feels quite uncomfortable entering a church. His parents figured he could become 'religous' if he wanted to as an adult as well. It never happened. It was all too far outside his comfort zone and by the time he was 20 his ideas of religion were a result of the broader Aussie perceptions (ie generally to be avoided unless attending weddings and funerals and the notion that anyone 'religious' was a 'God botherer' etc).

My family were not regular church attenders either however my nana attended every Sunday and she was the family member I trusted the most and admired. Several families in our street sent their kids to Sunday school and so I asked my parents if I could join them (as it seemed to be a fun thing to do) and they agreed. So I had a limited experience.... it entered my comfort zone.

I think it's really important to establish positive comfort zones for your kids. The places you visit as a child become the places you feel comfortable visiting as an adult. Generally speaking. For this reason I take my children to church so they can attend Sunday school and expereince the atmosphere and the community spirit. They have found it to be welcoming and safe place. This will register deep in their subconscience. They probably will drift away from church when they are in their teens but I feel confident that because of this positive experience they have had as children they are more likely to return as adults than if they had never attended at all. As I said, we are non-denominational but we attend a Uniting Church at the moment. At our church our minister shares information about other faiths including the Jewish and Buddist (to name a few) on a regular basis. For me this is hopefully providing the optimal form of spiritual nurturing that my children require. I feel that if something tradgic occurs, that at least they will have some knowledge of possible everlasting life and hope that may comfort them. My 12yo I think drew on this when her 2yo cousin was run over and killed in 2002.

uh oh... gotta help my DH settle our 1 yo...

ETA: so, in summary: I believe that it is possible to offer your children spiritual nurturing without "choosing a faith" as such. I think children need at least some knowledge of this very important aspect of life. It, I think, is a very important piece of the huge jigsaw puzzle of life and that they need this guidance to make sense of the world around them.