Christian retreat holiday

[washngo]

My lovely mil has invited me and my two dcs (not dh as he is working) to a Christian seaside retreat which she goes to in half term. My dcs are 2 and 3.5, and there will be other children there they could play with, plus the beach and probaby other organised activities.

Only problem is that I've never been on a Christian retreat and am an atheist. I would like my children to have a rounded experience of life, and make up their own minds about religion, so not sure where this fits with that? Plus I would feel a bit awkward and uncomfortable if required to join in with bible studies etc. Would it be very awful to go and enjoy some aspects but opt out of others?

Not sure what to do as think it's a nice opportunity for dcs to spend a bit more time with their grandma too, but I just feel a teeny bit uncomfortable about it all. What do you think?

Maybe go this year while they're young and not likely to get too into questioning any Christian teaching that goes on there, and if it's a disaster you will know to find an excuse in future years?

If you PM me the name of the place I can probably advise on how 'full-on' Christian it is

I would avoid. There must be other ops for your DC to spend time with their grandmother. If you are an atheist, you are going to find it hard or frustrating to bite your tongue 24 hours a day, so not much of a holiday for you.

WRT to the whole argument of 'exposing' your DC to the reality of a world where many people participate in religious activities, I don't think spending a weekend at a Christian retreat is an appropriate way to do this.

As an atheist myself, I too want my children to have a 'rounded experience of life' and they are aware that their DGM is a practising Christian, that their other DGPs are non-believers. They sometimes participate in Xmas/Easter festivities at school (which is nominally CofE) and other important religious festivals such as Diwali (at their less monocultural pre school). They have some friends who are believers (of various sects and levels of engagement) and some who are atheists.

I tell them that I personally don't believe in a God, and encourage them to take a more rational, scientific approach to their outlook on the world. I tell them that for the sake of peace, I respect other people's right to worship. However it stops there: no way would I want people of faith indoctrinating my DC, and I also take pains to discuss with them the cultural and historical bases for various faiths (from Greek mythology to current world religions) as much to show them the impossibility of any one group being 'right', as to engender a sense of tolerance.

So - in a nutshell - I wouldn't do it.

Thanks HolofernesesHead i've PM'd you. Still not sure what to do but will give it some more thought.