Comments on: Raising Pagan Children http://wildhunt.org/blog/2007/03/raising-pagan-children.html Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:29:08 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Erica http://wildhunt.org/blog/2007/03/raising-pagan-children.html/comment-page-1#comment-832 Erica Mon, 02 Apr 2007 15:50:00 +0000 http://wildhunt.org/blog/2007/03/raising-pagan-children.html#comment-832 I was born and raised in a pagan household, my mother is a pagan high priestess and my biological father is roman catholic, when they divorced my father attempted to use her religion against her. It did not work. But in all of my years growing up (going on 22 now) I have never had a large problem with being pagan, and I have been out of the closet for many years. I grew up in the Bible belt of the South and people would think that I would be ridiculed and such but the worse I had were uninformed people telling me that I was going to burn in Hell. I have had friends who grew up in the same area have much worse treatment but I think times have changed a little bit and now people are able to get information quicker, and from a more reliable source than their 70 year old preacher who has never taken a step out of their state. People as a whole are more informed about different things. We attend Pagan gatherings often and always as a family, and with the rest of our circle, we are a Traditional Family Witchcraft circle made up of families with children and some with grandchildren. Many of us are generational witches, and when we go to gatherings and get-togethers I feel exceedingly safe. My circle includes children in on almost all of our rituals and we even have a teen circle, children are a very big part of what we do, for they are our future, our growth and our vision. Without them then we as Pagans would die out. I think we need to teach our children how to think for themselves, how to make an educated opinion and how to stand up for what they believe. Without going door to door or anything like that. I was born and raised in a pagan household, my mother is a pagan high priestess and my biological father is roman catholic, when they divorced my father attempted to use her religion against her. It did not work. But in all of my years growing up (going on 22 now) I have never had a large problem with being pagan, and I have been out of the closet for many years. I grew up in the Bible belt of the South and people would think that I would be ridiculed and such but the worse I had were uninformed people telling me that I was going to burn in Hell. I have had friends who grew up in the same area have much worse treatment but I think times have changed a little bit and now people are able to get information quicker, and from a more reliable source than their 70 year old preacher who has never taken a step out of their state. People as a whole are more informed about different things. We attend Pagan gatherings often and always as a family, and with the rest of our circle, we are a Traditional Family Witchcraft circle made up of families with children and some with grandchildren. Many of us are generational witches, and when we go to gatherings and get-togethers I feel exceedingly safe. My circle includes children in on almost all of our rituals and we even have a teen circle, children are a very big part of what we do, for they are our future, our growth and our vision. Without them then we as Pagans would die out. I think we need to teach our children how to think for themselves, how to make an educated opinion and how to stand up for what they believe. Without going door to door or anything like that.

]]> By: Tracy http://wildhunt.org/blog/2007/03/raising-pagan-children.html/comment-page-1#comment-828 Tracy Thu, 29 Mar 2007 18:38:00 +0000 http://wildhunt.org/blog/2007/03/raising-pagan-children.html#comment-828 One of my children was in a non-demoninational day care for his early years and is now in public school (he's nine). The 5 year old is in a Lutheran preschool because it's affordable and close to my home. While they come across to me as tolerant, I also show my little one where many of the Easter and Christmas rituals came from. He seems confused about this, so I'm going to maybe teach him when he's a little older. <br/><br/>I have brought both children to public and private rituals but I would never dream that someone would try to take them from me simply due to my religion....that is horrible beyond words!<br/><br/>Also noticed - not many books about Paganism/Wicca geared toward the younger set. I know there are a few for teenagers; if I could even write, I would dash out a couple for elementary schoolers!<br/><br/>I agree with Noddy - separation of Church and State must...MUST...be upheald. One of my children was in a non-demoninational day care for his early years and is now in public school (he’s nine). The 5 year old is in a Lutheran preschool because it’s affordable and close to my home. While they come across to me as tolerant, I also show my little one where many of the Easter and Christmas rituals came from. He seems confused about this, so I’m going to maybe teach him when he’s a little older.

I have brought both children to public and private rituals but I would never dream that someone would try to take them from me simply due to my religion….that is horrible beyond words!

Also noticed – not many books about Paganism/Wicca geared toward the younger set. I know there are a few for teenagers; if I could even write, I would dash out a couple for elementary schoolers!

I agree with Noddy – separation of Church and State must…MUST…be upheald.

]]> By: Noddy http://wildhunt.org/blog/2007/03/raising-pagan-children.html/comment-page-1#comment-824 Noddy Wed, 28 Mar 2007 17:28:00 +0000 http://wildhunt.org/blog/2007/03/raising-pagan-children.html#comment-824 I think it was much easier to raise children Pagan 25 years ago than it is now. I raised mine Pagan and had virtually no problems with it. Certainly no one ever threatened my children for being Pagan even when they wore their Pagan T-shirts. Our home and vehicle were never vandalized. I never had any issues when I brought my children to Pagan gatherings. My children range in age from mid-20's to late 30's.<br/><br/>Now, if I were just having children, I'd be much more cautious about it both in the Pagan community and at large in the non-Pagan community.<br/><br/>The blending of government with one of our many religions has led to an oppressive and violent atmosphere that is troubling, and I fully agree that we need to re-emphasize and strentgthen the separation of Church and State if only to ensure the safety and sanctity of our families. I think it was much easier to raise children Pagan 25 years ago than it is now. I raised mine Pagan and had virtually no problems with it. Certainly no one ever threatened my children for being Pagan even when they wore their Pagan T-shirts. Our home and vehicle were never vandalized. I never had any issues when I brought my children to Pagan gatherings. My children range in age from mid-20’s to late 30’s.

Now, if I were just having children, I’d be much more cautious about it both in the Pagan community and at large in the non-Pagan community.

The blending of government with one of our many religions has led to an oppressive and violent atmosphere that is troubling, and I fully agree that we need to re-emphasize and strentgthen the separation of Church and State if only to ensure the safety and sanctity of our families.

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