Teaching Our Children

It's Important!

Published on March 6, 2008 By OckhamsRazor In Misc

Just a quick blog to emphasize a point that I'm sure we all agree with. It's very important to teach our kids what to think about a lot of stuff. After all, they aren't born with the ability to reason, so things like religion and political affiliation and other various belief systems need to be put into them while they're young.

That's the great thing about having kids. You've already got it all figured out, and so it saves them a lot of trouble if you just tell them what to think. And then later, when someone is railing against your way of life, your kids are right there to back you up because you already taught them what to think! Strength in numbers, you know?

My oldest is 17 now, but I remember back when he was just 3 or 4 or so how I'd tell him that in life if you didn't obey the law, then you went to jail and other men would either beat him up or sexually abuse him. He's scared to death of going to jail now, which is awesome!

As far as religion goes, I'm raising him as an atheist. He lives in the Bible Belt, so I knew that I had to catch him while he was young...you know, before he could possibly make any decisions about the subject himself.

So at least he'll be well prepared when he enters college and will have a solid barrier against ideas that I know are bad for him. The way I managed to do it was to make sure there was plenty to be afraid of, and I reinforced that fear on a daily basis for years and years. Now the way he acts is a matter of second nature.

So teach your kids, people! It's important and it works!!

Actually, the whole thing above is a facade. I haven't taught my kids any such thing, nor have I ever used fear as a tool. I consider indoctrination to be just another form of child abuse.

Why would anyone ever label a child a "jewish child" or say "I'm raising my kid to be a republican" anyway? Why would we teach them to not think for themselves? Where do we get off abusing the fact that children are dependent on us for their survival, and as a result, they will believe almost anything an authority figure tells them?

Indoctrination in any matter where the child is not yet of an age to reason on their own is child abuse. For me that's a black and white issue.

Comments (Page 1)

OckhamsRazor

on Mar 06, 2008

First!

ParaTed2k

on Mar 06, 2008

Yes, we do need to teach our kids what is important to us. I've never understood the whole, "I won't teach my kids any religion, when they get old enough they'll make up their own minds". To me, the lesson the kids get from that is, the parents don't think religious beliefs are important. We wouldn't say, "I won't teach my kids personal hygiene, when they get old enough, they'll make up their own minds".

The problem today is, the schools want to teach kids that what their parents do is wrong. That isn't the job of the schools and no parent should put up with it.

Jythier

on Mar 06, 2008

I teach my son the colors. I tell him trees are trees, I tell him snow is snow, I tell him all sorts of things. I'm indoctrinating him into the English language. He could have thought for himself and came up with different ways of expressing all those things (no doubt he has anyway!) but I want him to learn English, because I'm evil.

I also teach him about God and Jesus, and we pray together. Why? Because it's as true as a tree being a tree, or snow being snow. So why wouldn't I tell my son the truth? Because YOU are not sure it's the truth? Because someday HE might not be sure it's the truth? That doesn't change the truth. And I won't feel bad at all raising my son with this knowledge.

As if kids don't grow up and start to think for themselves anyway. How many children run away from God, from the church, from their parents? How many fail to realize how true it all is and what it really means? I know I was raised going to church, but it didn't faze me at all. I know I still fail to grasp the reality of prayer. I know I still fail to grasp the full reality of God, of what Jesus did for us. One might never be able to fully understand.

Maybe if I start my sons off on the right path, someday he'll understand a lot more than I do.

Zoologist03

on Mar 06, 2008

Of course Ock, I see your point. We have to brainwash...err...teach our kids all about our values and ways of seeing the world. I mean, if they don't turn into little versions of us with all our viewpoints and outlooks on life, then I think as parents, we have failed.

These kids don't need to decide for themselves, that's too hard. We've spent time deciding things, I think the nicest thing we could do is instill in them everything we think we know.

I mean, we've got all the answers, and they got us this far...why give them the chance to follow their own way? They might screw up and learn something new. *psh* I'll have none of that.

~Zoo

ParaTed2k

on Mar 06, 2008

Zoo:

These kids don't need to decide for themselves, that's too hard.

How does teaching our own kids keep them from thinking for themselves?

Zoologist03

on Mar 06, 2008

How does teaching our own kids keep them from thinking for themselves?

Depends on how and what you teach.

There's a difference between actual teaching and...well...brainwashing.

If a teacher is good and fair, then the child learns to think. If the teacher is bad or let's say has an agenda to push, then the child does not think, but merely parrots what it has been told.

~Zoo

Texas Wahine

on Mar 06, 2008

Nice article.

OckhamsRazor

on Mar 06, 2008

Ok, to be honest...I'm not being fair here. There's a hidden message. Literally hidden. Can you find it?

There's a hint in the first response which is mine. (Which is why I placed it there)

Zoologist03

on Mar 06, 2008

Ok, to be honest...I'm not being fair here. There's a hidden message. Literally hidden. Can you find it?

Well, there was a hidden message. Like visibily hidden. Haha!

I didn't even notice 'til I went back to check...I thought the tone of your article said it all...guess I got the hidden meaning without reading the hidden part.

~Zoo

ParaTed2k

on Mar 06, 2008

Ah Ock, then I see you are one of those who don't care what your kids are brought up with, as long as you don't have to teach it to them.

If you don't teach your kids what matters to you, all you have taught them is that nothing matters to you.

Kids will grow up and decide for themselves what they want, teaching your kids doesn't change that. If fact, no matter what you "tell" your kids, your actions will teach them anyway. If you teach your kids to go to church by dropping them off every week, you have taught them that church is only for kids. If you tell your kids that doing homework is important, but never help them when they need it, you are teaching them that homework really doesn't matter.

It is not only the right of every parent to pass their beliefs about life on to their kids, it is the parents' responsibility... and yes, that means atheism too.

I think one of the reason so many kids today don't respect anyone but themselves is they are being raised by parents who teach them exactly that.

~~~

I will add though, the "Fear" aspect of your article did seem awful heavy handed.

OckhamsRazor

on Mar 06, 2008

Ah Ock, then I see you are one of those who don't care what your kids are brought up with, as long as you don't have to teach it to them.

That's a really poor assumption Ted. Care to try again?

Jythier

on Mar 06, 2008

I saw the hidden message before I posted.

Ock, how long are your kids going to do harm before they think for themselves that they should do no harm?

Jythier

on Mar 06, 2008

Good ol' Peppers.

Zoologist03

on Mar 06, 2008

If you don't teach your kids what matters to you, all you have taught them is that nothing matters to you.

Teaching is fine. If you sit the kid down and say, this is what I view as right and wrong, this is my philosophy, this is my religion. Do you have any questions? Would you like me to teach you about these things? Or maybe a more informal environment when you're walking around with your kid and you decide to share some of your wisdom. That's not a bad thing.

Also, teaching your kids the basics...speech, how to walk, how to tie their shoes, etc. It's all good stuff.

The problem I see Ock having is telling kids what to believe without giving any support or letting them have any reasoning to it.

Let's take racism for example.
"Blacks are bad people."
"Why?"
"They're just bad people."

Rinse and repeat with variations and not so wholesome language and you succeed in turning an innocent child into a racist. Kids tend to trust the adults that they're around...so whatever they say often becomes law...at least when they're really young. While teaching them right and wrong is cool and all, but pushing other junk into their heads that doesn't make sense to them when they're that young is basically training them to become tiny versions of you, not their own person. That could mess up a kid later in life when they have to confront the world and make their own choices and decisions. At that point it's not what Mommy or Daddy thinks is right, it's what I think is right...and if they've never been allowed to figure things out for themselves...well, then you've got yourself a problem.

Or at least I think that's what Ock was getting at.

~Zoo

Tova7

on Mar 06, 2008

My kids learn what's important to me by how I arrange my time, my priorities.

As for teaching them what to think....My husband has one mantra he has pounded into both my boys since birth....and I will share it with you...though the glaring wisdom of it may cause blindness....ready...

"Good sons pay for their father's golf membership every single year."

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