Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Ritual with Children

[From our new Pagan Parents SIG]

How much do you include your children in ritual, worship, or other aspects of your religious path? Do you have special rituals or practices that are for the little ones, in addition to your solitary or group ritual/worship? What are some ways you share your religion with them?

I am not raising my children (ages 6, 4, 2, and 14 mos) to be any particular religion; but I'm also not raising them with no religion. We attend an awesome UU church and they are exposed to, and free to explore, any and all paths. I've no interest in indoctrinating them; it's not my path to convert anyone to anything. there is a lot of value in what I believe (or I wouldn't believe it, LOL) and I think that it can apply to - or at least inform - their own unique paths.

I'm pretty adept at answering questions, and introducing concepts, and having discussions with them. However, I've only been Pagan for a year and a half... any kind of Pagan Smiley. So while my children hear lots of discussion about different theology and beliefs, and they have their questions answered, I haven't really succeeded in building a practice that truly includes them.

Starting out, I read a bit of Circle Round and it seemed good. I wasn't at a place to even begin It's been a while now though, I would have to borrow it again to see if it has ideas that are relevant to my path now (which started out being "earth-based, maybe Wiccan?" and has developed into something different.)

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