Bringing BabyGirl G. to church for the first time today. This should be interesting - so far this morning her and The Boy have already fought approximately 6,894 times. Both children have whined mercilessly about going; the temptation to just say forget it is rather high. But I really want to impress on both of them that this is something important that we need to do.
I've tried to give the Reader's Digest Condensed version of why we go (don't ask; right now it centers around making Santa Claus happy and keeping the Easter Bunny off life support); but the only thing that seems to get through to her is raw, naked bribery: Behave and you get a toy afterwards. Given that she's only going on the days that Mrs. G. has to work, I can live with that...
Next year it will of course be different; she'll be in her first year of CCD and will be going every Sunday with The Boy. Soon enough I'll have to answer the question, though, of "Why doesn't mommy come with us?" That's going to be a hard one - Mrs. G. is an atheist, a recovered Catholic who has lost her faith and her belief. Given that I'm generally distrustful of organized religion, and also knowing the fire-and-brimstone church she grew up in, I'm somewhat sympathetic. I don't agree, mind you; I firmly believe in Him and His son. Which should lead to, shall we say, interesting discussions in the G. household when the time comes...
That's when I'll really need lucky wishes.
That is all.
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4 comments:
Jay, You and I have more in common than I thought. I knew you were a proud dad like me, but this church business is a bit like mine too. My wife is a non-practicing Moslem (from Turkey) and I was a lapsed Catholic. As my kids grew I got back into going to Mass with them. It's developed into a wonderful part of our lives. My little boy is going on 5, so I don't take him yet. The few attempts were just too difficult. I decided from the beginning that growing up with no religion is not as good as growing up with one. It all started there.
You can only do your best Jay, nothing more, nothing less... Your kids will make their own choices in time; all you can do is give them the options.
mike,
You might be surprised just how much we have in common. I'm not a complete and total right wing wacko, I just play one on the internet... ;)
I wanted my kids to have some sort of basis for making a decision about how they worshipped Him. I didn't want to just let them drift with nothing to base their religious experience on.
I chose Roman Catholicism because, well, that's how I was raised so I know all the routines and rituals, and can answer their questions better than, say, were I to raise them as Zen Buddhists (although I do subscribe to a fair amount of Eastern religious philosophy, with a bent towards Taoism...)
old nfo,
Exactly. Just like the Cub Scout motto (Do your best). Love it, hate it, or think it's silly, at least they've had the experience. I approach a lot of things for the kids this way.
Better to experience something and hate it than to remain ignorant, that's how I feel...
(Well, within reason of course. Death and pain they can remain ignorant of...)
Jay,
If you ever want to join "The Tribe", give me a ring. Remember, it all began about 4,000 years ago with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
- Brad
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