Welcome!
As a first-generation atheist parent, I have spent many years wondering how to find my way through the morass of religion when moving through our family's life. How to handle holidays. How to address religiosity. How to impart integrity and ethics. How to create family traditions and customs. How to avoid the knee jerk instinct to claim deity involvement in day-to-day activity. How to pass rational thought on to my children. How to inform them of the religious movements in the culture around us. How to interact with believers honestly and respectfully. Who can I look to for guidance and wisdom in my parenting endeavors.
I found myself frequently asking questions for which I seemed to be the lone voice. Like-minded people were few and far between.
The internet is such an excellent tool as long as we use it well.
Check them and and PLEASE leave a comment!
Bloggers love your feedback in terms of questions, comments,
Bloggers love your feedback in terms of questions, comments,
commiserations, confession, acclimation, compliment or salutation!
If you like what you read, please share the goodness on your blog,
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Darlene at her website A Life Out Loud is a feminist, smartass, progressive secular liberal, humanist, volunteer,
Mensan, stepmom and homeschooler, animal lover, bookworm, interested in
almost everything. If you can dig Emile Zola's quote If you ask me what I came into this world to do, I will tell you; I came to live out loud you will enjoy Darlene's blog. Her post on a family social justice event called Justice answers the question What did you do on your summer vacation?
Warren at Running Gamak: Warren Sender's Blog wanted to support this carnival by offering this blog post entitled Growing Up Atheist. His eco-friendly blog is right up your alley if you are wanting to be informed about climate change. Warren Senders is a musician, teacher, and environmental activist who lives outside of Boston. He describes growing up atheist, remembering his atheist scientist parents, reflecting on a life spent without gods, and talking about how he and his wife are raising their daughter as a freethinking individual.
Grundy over at the popular Deity-Schmeity blog includes this blog post entitled Not Alone #7. This post is also available in it's entirety at The Not Alone Project, a blog sites that gives atheists a safe place to come out of their atheist closet. Grundy started his Deity-Schmeity blog as a place to share his thoughts on atheism. On his blog, Grundy supports a new blog undertaking called The Not Alone Project. According to Grundy's blog post, (The Not Alone Project) a platform for atheists to post their stories in an effort to show
those who think we live in a God-fearing world that many have nothing to
fear. I, for one, appreciate his efforts to support the atheists out here in the ether. Thank you, Grundy, for participating in the carnival this week.
Wendy at the eponymous blog Wendy Thomas Russell is one of my favorite atheist parenting bloggers out there. Wendy's most recent blog post entitled Embracing Religion 'For the Sake of the Kids' is a post that many of us can relate too. I have had so many instances such as this that I almost think of them as normal. I want to recommend about ten other blog posts on this site for you, but let's just go with this one: Survey: Nearly Half of All Parents Uncomfortable Talking to Kids about Religion. Please, let's cut that percentage in half!!!!!
Jen over at Knitting Interrupted was enthusiastic about this blog carnival and submitted two blog posts from her blog that celebrates Life, the Universe, and Knitting! First is Humbug! A post that nearly every one of us could write. She rants on about the claim that atheists are sabotaging Christmas. Come one. We LOVE days of equal dark and light. Many of us celebrate it with a tree in the house! Next Jen offers a blog post entitled 9 Ways to have a Happy, Secular Christmas. Here she reminds us all to go forth and enjoy the end of the year!
Jen, thank you for participating this week!
And CONGRATULATIONS on that gorgeous new baby girl of yours!
WELCOME Baby Talia. I'm sure you are keeping your momma busy!
Karen at Homeschool Atheist Momma blog (me) submits a post called How an Atheist Discusses Religion with their Children. This post has gotten many, many viewings already. It is simply one parent talking about a subject that many atheist, secular parents spend a great deal of time thinking about. I think you will like it! Also check out one of my favorite posts of all Ninja Freak.
This carnival is now available at this website.
Join up so that you are among the first to get the carnival.
Warren at Running Gamak: Warren Sender's Blog wanted to support this carnival by offering this blog post entitled Growing Up Atheist. His eco-friendly blog is right up your alley if you are wanting to be informed about climate change. Warren Senders is a musician, teacher, and environmental activist who lives outside of Boston. He describes growing up atheist, remembering his atheist scientist parents, reflecting on a life spent without gods, and talking about how he and his wife are raising their daughter as a freethinking individual.
Jen, thank you for participating this week!
And CONGRATULATIONS on that gorgeous new baby girl of yours!
WELCOME Baby Talia. I'm sure you are keeping your momma busy!
This carnival is now available at this website.
Join up so that you are among the first to get the carnival.
If you enjoyed this post, you may also like: CAP: Carnival of Atheist Parenting
Thank you for this thoughtful post! I was raised without religion and never felt like it was very relevant. When visiting my husband's family recently, his aunt and uncle stated their firm belief that it's "impossible" to raise a child with ethics without the support of a church. I was really hurt. I don't understand this at all. When babies are born, they are completely selfish, which is as it should be. You help them grow into empathy by prohibiting behavior that his harmful to others, encouraging kindness and always explaining that they need to consider others. It's kind of insulting to Christians, actually, to imply that their kids don't learn empathy, they just learn to behave because otherwise God will punish them. Religion is not needed to have a sense of right and wrong. Religion is however deeply interwoven with cultural identity, so it's been important to me to share holiday traditions with my son without worrying that we somehow can't claim them as our own if we don't believe anything in particular. I've never felt awkward about celebrating holidays along with my community. As an adult I've learned not to be fearful of joining in local celebrations of holidays that are not part of my heritage, such as the Chinese New Year. My family has always been welcomed.
ReplyDeleteLaura
Laura, it is a wonderful thing to be raised without religion! The freedom of thought is a thing that many people do not enjoy.
DeleteSomewhere around here I talk about secular holiday making...Let me know what you think!
THANK YOU so much for reading.
I hope to see you again.
I wanted to thank you for the courage to proclaim my athieism. I was talking to 2 great grandmothers, one of whom plays organ for her church, it came up that I homeschool and they said "that's how to keep your boy withJesus." First time ever i said, actually I'm an athiest. They were quiet for some time but got over it.
ReplyDeleteAA, I am SO THRILLED FOR YOU!
DeleteIt is so wonderful and freeing isn't it?!
Thank you so much for tell me that I had even the smallest part in that; that means so much to me.
<3
This is so awesome, Karen! We are an atheist family as well. I've noticed that most bloggers I communicate with are more or less involved in churches, which I respect. We are not. Most of these wonderful people respect that as well. Still, we have been called servants of satan, evil, haters, and other things on and off the internet. My mom has accused me condemning our children to hell. Well, since we're not believing in hell or satan, this doesn't get to us. Other personal attacks, however, do. Back in the States, we had a wonderful atheist parent group. Here, we're mostly alone, or better, we and another set of parents are up against the might of Bavarian traditionalism. Thank you for starting this carnival, I'm totally and so in on it!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat to have you on board, Stephanie!
DeleteI recently went through a very unpleasant period with Mom while she claimed to NOT KNOW ME because I am an atheist.
It was so painful for both of us. We are much better now!
I do hope to see a submission from you for the upcoming carnival!
Karen