do you take your kids to church?

[mothertheresaslovechild]

I'm a lapsed Catholic and have moreorless rejected the Catholic faith. I'm nonetheless quite spiritual although I still haven't quite worked out the God thing. I gave up church-going a long time ago but then started again when my DD (now 9) was old enough to know what was going on. The reason? I wanted to expose her to the Christian faith and its practices so she could make her own mind up about things. She attends a lovely C of E school which places a strong emphasis on Christian values and we attend the local C of E church (a beautiful abbey actually!), to which the school is connected.

Over the last few months I've become increasingly disenchanted with the whole organised religion thing however and I only take her to church once every couple of months. I don't tend to discuss religion much with her either and am beginning to feel somewhat of a hypocrite in continuing to attend church. I'd be interested to hear from any of you in a similar situation - has anyone continued to involve their children in some way with church-going and associated activities despite their own very ambivalent feelings?

I'm a lapsed Catholic and have moreorless rejected the Catholic faith. I'm nonetheless quite spiritual although I still haven't quite worked out the God thing! I gave up church-going a long time ago but then started again when my DD (now 9) was old enough to know what was going on. The reason? I wanted to expose her to the Christian faith and its practices so she could make her own mind up about things. She attends a lovely C of E school which places a strong emphasis on Christian values and we attend the local C of E church (a beautiful abbey actually!), to which the school is connected.

Over the last few months I've become increasingly disenchanted with the whole organised religion thing however and I only take her to church once every couple of months. I don't tend to discuss religion much with her either and am beginning to feel somewhat of a hypocrite in continuing to attend church. I'd be interested to hear from any of you in a similar situation - has anyone continued to involve their children in some way with church-going and associated activities despite their own very ambivalent feelings?

Perhaps you're going to the wrong Church - there's plenty of choice out there - try another.

Personally I'm sure God doesn't mind which denomination you attend - but you must feel comfortable about it and you don't sound it.

Good luck and keep perservering xx

What sort of things are giving you a problem with organised religion? And what does your daughter get out of going, or want to get out of going? To an extent, if she's going to the children's groups, its better to go regularly as that way she would get to know people. But if neither of you are feeling like you're getting much out of it, then I'd either not bother at all (if she's getting plenty of exposure at school, she'll know enough to make a choice), or else find a church which suits you both better.

We go to church as a family every week. We always have done. My kids don't know anything else. We are also involved in the full life of the church.

we do we go weekly as a fam to a christian fellowship

IMO, if she's going to a church school that's more than enough exposure.

If you don't want to be there, she'll pick up on that, so regardless of whether organised religion is a good or bad thing, its probably better that you don't take her.