Teach them critical thinking skills. Teach them the scientific method for discovery and learning.

Also, be sure to teach them that if a person wants to believe anythign strongly enough they will convince themselves (falsely) that it is true without any prooof.

I am totally honest with my child. We talk about all religions. We have discussions about things. We research everything. Never pressure to make my child feel one way or another. I always ask my child what they feel about things and encourage discussing things with others. I encourage acceptance of others differences. I teach critical thinking all the time.... Not just with some things. I view myself as agnostic but my child currently claims to be athiest.

Teach them all about religions, as practical. Keeps them from thinking there is only one choice. Decreases the possibility of getting attached to any.

They should be exposed to all religions. They more they know, the less likely they are to believe. There is a reason why Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge.

I tried to teach my daughter how to think and not what to think but the one thing that convinced her might have been a bit unorthodox. Her mother is Catholic and so she had exposure to both sides and one day when she was about ten, she asked some questions about the Bible so I just handed her one and told her to get to reading. Start at the beginning. She took it to heart and over the next week she got to the account of Lot. She absolutely refused to read further as Lot’s having sex with his own daughters was just too repulsive. I had said not a word to her about her project while she did this reading. She started identifying as an atheist soon after.

When my kids were little, they were exposed to religious friends and sometimes talked about what god does. When they are young, they believe one day and the other day not.I framed it in the fantasy that it is and relegated it to fairy tales, which they outgrew. My grand children experience the same, in where a friend insists they go to church with them, which is fine. I equate with with the Disney World of the mind and the practice of mythology. The grown ones are all atheists and I know the little ones will follow. So, the answer is that they may believe in god, but it is only like trying out something to see if it fits - when it doesn't they may move on to another belief and eventually abandon it all when they are ready to let go of childish fantasies.

Education!!

I had discussions with my kids while driving in the car. I brought up stories in the Bible, asked them their thoughts on it, and then discussed it. We discussed:

• god telling Abraham to kill his son, and what if I believed in god and thought god told me to do the same thing
• the feasibility of Noah's Ark, considering it would have been smaller than the Titanic (a favourite topic of one of my kids), and since we have pets, getting the animals to and from it, feeding them, etc.
• story of Job, and whether having more kids would make up for the ones that were killed
• whether god existed, and how we could know
• whether Santa exists
• the beliefs of other religions
  In short, teaching them critical thinking and skepticism, and whether religious beliefs that are considered good or wise, really are.

Start by teaching them logical and critical thinking from an early age. There are many sites that dumb down the big bang theory, and evolution so that even children can understand them. If you happen to live in an ultra-religious town and can't move, I'd suggest home-schooling because magical thinking appeals to kids. Other than that, they will have to figure it out for themselves.

Let them seek their own truths and make their own decisions. I think children are smarter than we give them credit for.

My son is exposed here no matter what. We live in Georgia where apparently it is okay for daycares to shove their views down impressionable kids' throats. I try to counter that by offering my son my own points of view that are based on scientific facts (nothing too complex, he's 6) and explain that what the people at his daycare are teaching him is just ONE way to think. He doesn't have to believe it.

What worked for me was to teach skepticism, allow them the liberty to question everything and only to except something based on the evidence provided. Encourage them to investigate what they have been told and to think logically. It is also important that they learn that there is no such thing as real magic everything has a logical scientific explanation even if they don't know what it is. Be open about religion discuss it; understanding and knowledge are often the best inoculatation against it.

I raised my kids to look for evidence. To judge evidence on what could be proven. They still do and all 3 of my sons are atheists. They went to a catholic school for 3 years each ( closest high school) and it seems that 1/2 of the catholic kids are atheists too.

My three sons are adults now.
I couldn't be prouder of them. They're all smart and responsible and treat others with respect.
As children my mother talked me into letting them go to church with her. At that age I was still feeling on the fence so they went...upon returning my oldest told me what he learned in one visit and asked..."Do we have to go back"?
I said no way. They never went again.
I decided then and there I would not indoctrinate them like I was.
They were never taught that they are sinners who need forgiveness for merely being alive.
They were never taught that someone was watching over there every move and judging them. They were never taught nonsense like every animal on the planet survived on a boat for 40 days and nights.
I think being being taught all of that on top of abuses screwed me up as a child.
My children have shown me how wonderful a person can turn out without all of that cult thinking.

Teach children it is okay to be alone, it's okay to be a part of something but never to the point where it controls you. Teach children about that which is evidenced, the Sun, Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Blood and the Moon.

It's never too early to teach a kid how to think skeptically. The younger they are when they're exposed to it the better they are at when they hit adulthood.

I'd like to quote Ms.JLsobel, pls allow me, "Introduce them to everything with an open mind and let them choose for themselves. If my child wanted to explore religion then I'd be there to guide them, not shelter them. I think education will point them in the right direction." . . . and be a good diligent guardian

Introduce them to everything with an open mind and let them choose for themselves. If my child wanted to explore religion then I'd be there to guide them, not shelter them. I think education will point them in the right direction.

I have 3 kids...2 are adults now and the third is 6. I really hate the way that the religious brainwash their children from birth, so for the most part, I try to avoid using similar tactics. Instead, I tell them all of the religious stories etc. and then tell them that "some people" believe those things. I then tell them what I believe. We do this for various religions, not just Christianity, so the inconsistencies naturally come up and they are able to make their own decisions. My two oldest are atheists and I prefer not to foist anything on my youngest, but he definitely doesn't believe in a god now.

The old Christmas movie classic, "Miracle on 42nd St." comes to mind. The no-nonsense mother works in the personnel department of a large department store and is responsible for hiring the Santa Clauses that entice children to reveal what they want in the way of presents for the sake of their consumer parents and the department store. She is a single mother raising a young daughter who has adopted her mother's supposedly cynical views including her disdain for fantasies like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. Of course, the Hollywood view is that the mother and daughter are in need of some mystical magic in their lives and, so, enter the real St. Nicolas who transforms their lives and gives them the house in the suburbs they so long for. I think the mother was on to something and should have been left alone. There is no denying that Santa exists. But not as a fat elf who slides down chimneys. He exists as a symbol of the generosity of spirit that is the hallmark of the season. If parents do not follow the prevailing litany of inculcating their children with fantasies like the Tooth Fairy, the Ginger Bread Man, Santa Claus and the proverbial Bunny they do a great deal in inoculating their children from the most sinister fantasy of all, Religion. At the earliest age Santa should be presented for exactly what he is, a symbol. "People tell stories about a magical elf who rides a sled pulled by reindeer and distributes gifts to all the children of the world. But many children receive no gifts. The gifts you find under the tree for you on Christmas morning are gifts from your father and I and all of those who love you. We are moved by the spirit of the season which is represented by the quaint character of Santa Claus. Never believe things with your heart that your brain tells you cannot be true. As you get older you will hear many other myths including one about another magical elf called god who lives in the sky and controls all of us below. It is a lie and you must resist anyone who tells you otherwise."

be honest with them, let them see both sides to the argument and let them decide, guide them by all means but if your arguments are reasonable and honest then the choices they make will be the right ones, this is how everything should be taught, it will have more meaning to them they will learn valuable reasoning skills which will aid them for their entire lives

Growing up as a child of a proseletysing religious family worked wonders for inoculating me against all forms of religion

I would trick my kids all the time. Afterwards, quiz them. I would also teach them about Santa and the Easter bunny as if they were real. Convince them they are real. Then drop the cold-hearted truth about their non-existence. Teach them about all the major and minor religions. Enforce the importance of evidence. To ask and question everything! Doing this will make them the best skeptics imo.

While I believe that exposure is vital to child growth and development, I'd encourage many discussions on ethics, logic and reasoning, prior to any about religion. It may seem presumptuous, but comprehension of the impact of theology and philosophy, is just as important as exposure to it. Of course nothing is guaranteed, but I'm inclined to believe that 'progressive' exposure can help avoid indoctrination. Experience may be a good teacher, but evaluated experience is even better.

I would assume that any good parent would support their child's beliefs. I guess the best way to go would be to answer any of your child's questions, like why they feel the need to take comfort in a fictional being. If all else fails support them like a good parent.