How old are your kids?

All Christian denominations practice a method of baptism ritual or initiation. Even the Indian Sikhs and some Gnostic groups, too.

Could you please tell us what specific church group you are with? (I pray you won't say, "Baptist" I'll fall off my chair! LOL , just a joke, pardon me.)

I always have this "Honor thy father and mother" in my mind. But that's exclusively for the most intelligent and most broad-minded persons - with all apologies to the sensitivities of the rest of humanity.

you should do what you want, they are your kids not your moms

First this, then what? By appeasing her, you set a bad precedent.

You have the correct idea. Let your kids grow up, and then they make their own decision.

It's up to you... and your kids. Your kids are yours, not your mom's. I personally think that parents should wait and let their kids decide (having been baptized a time or two).

No you should stand up for your children in my opinion. That is something I am against anyway. Children cannot validly make that choice. If they choose to do so as adults, then it is THEIR choice. The choice tho is not hers or yours. It is theirs.

your children are always watching---just as you were when you wee small. How you act is important---they see when you tell them one thing then do something else. This is the answer to your question....how do you want them to be raised? Are you going to let them find out about the hypocrisy of religion or do you want them to grow up believing God is watching their every move..that he knows what they are thinking, what is in their heart. If you did not know the answer you probably would not be on this site.

Make a desicion for yourself.

Depends on how you get along with her

No! Do everything you can to support them in rational evidence-based thinking.

Toss a little water on my kid's forehead to get my mom to shut up.....hmmm. I'm pretty sure I would pick the splash of water. This is different, it's not like you're altering body parts or indoctrinating them into a religion. My mom had me baptised I'm still an atheist. In the end, you have to go with your gut.

Of course not, you may respect your parents, but that doesn't mean that they have the right to force you to make decisions against your will. Complaining for her is a way to influence you. Actually, it means violation of the fact that they raised you as a conscious person. They try to invade your personality.

No! My ex's gma made me swear I would baptize my kids before she died against my beliefs. I looked into it but it didnt happen. I feel bad I didnt do it but at the same time im glad I didnt do it. Im sick of the connotation that im a bad person for not being baptised n I'm glad it's becoming more common. Baptism is just another forced religious aspect n im sick of following that line.

We did not raise our two kids with religion except the xmas and easter were celebrated with gifts and candy. No christ rising from the dead. So my daughter meets a guy becomes a christian and baptises our grandson. I just try to ignore the whole deal.I really feel she caved to keep the guy to get married.

This kind of browbeating is why some many people are religious in the first place. If you go along with something you don’t agree with, you’re part of the problem.

Ditto, Craig Peterson, well spoken! As long as the child is young enough not to develop any lasting memory of the ceremonial ablution I wouldn't make a big deal about it. You'd let them be a flower-child or ring-bearer in a dear friend's church wedding ceremony, wouldn't you? I allowed my kids to be baptized in our home by their maternal grandfather, who happened to be a very non-judgmental Episcopal Priest. I wed his daughter before a priest but in an orchard behind the church by torchlight (most fun wedding I've ever attended) because I wouldn't enter a church for 18 years after my best buddy was killed in my place in Vietnam. Ceremonies are not what affect us, the good examples of family are.

No, do not. Your kids might look back on their forced baptism as being a part of their identity, and that could cause them to turn to religion later in life. It's best, once the kids are of a mature age like 14 or 15, to let them decide on their own whether or not they want to be religious. As a moral person, you should let the kid get a baptism before they become an adult if they so wish, but you should not force a helpless baby to get a baptism, because, like I said, this forced ceremony could become a part of their identity later in life. Also, choose to be an individual whose beliefs have just as much legitimacy as any Christian's. They are your kids. Honestly, religion is a burden, so each child that is raised without it is a hope for the world. However, I would also like to point out that "no religion" does not mean "no values". You must raise your kids with structure and some level of moral boundaries besides their age, or else as soon as they are an adult (or even before) they could turn to a life of immorality, addiction, and misery. When they are an adult you can't be afraid of exerting some form of disapproval over any of their choices that you view as immoral and counterproductive in life, despite them being an adult. You are freeing your kids from a forced indoctrination of religion, but you are still their parent and must teach and expect things of them; shame is a forgotten virtue in today's world.

I was dedicated back in the 70s. I particiated in religon when i had my first son, he was baptised but my youngest son was, I always joked my older son won't go to hell but my youngest will..A JOKE please understand in MY MIND. My oldest refuses to be part of religoin he thinks its a cult and a joke now...my youngest is slowly following, they are non belivers..

I would say no because I am not hiding who I am anymore. If I plan to raise my children as atheists, then I would need to start being honest about it from the get go. I would have to stand up to my mother eventually so why not start at the beginning. I would explain very patiently and kindly that they are my children and I will raise them the best way I know how and this is what I believe and this is what my spouse and I want for them. At some point, I would need to make it clear to her that I expect her to respect my wishes and not talk about her religious beliefs when around my children, but that talk could wait for another day. Putting off a difficult task to a later date does not make the task any easier, in fact, in my opinion it gets harder as we have longer to dread it. There's a quote that goes something like, to not face a fear means that you will face it a thousand times.

It is your child, not hers. How you raise your child is your business, not hers. She raised her kid(s) already. It is your time.
Just my thoughts.

It comes down to you and your mother’s relationship. You have every right to raise your children in whichever manner you see best, but your mother is.. well your mother lol Some will tell you not to concede to your mother’s request since you’re irreligious, but like I said, it depends on the relationship between you and your mom. I would personally do it just to appease my mom and make her happy even if I don’t personally believe in it. I see it as doing no harm. Your children will still have the freedom to choose their own path regarding piety/spirituality.

I'd tell her to mind her own affairs. If she can't accept or respect your decisions as a rational adult then your relationship is not a good one.

I had endured this conversation almost weekly with my mother when my kids where young. She finally stopped and I noticed a bottle of holy water in her fridge. I asked her what it was for. She said it was for blessing the new house. I suspect she poured some on my kids as a "close enough" type deal. It's just water and it made her feel better. The whole ceremony at the church was never going to happen though.

Nooooooooo! Be true to your beliefs.
I went through this years ago and stuck to my beliefs that people should be mature and then decide where their faith leads them. Maybe they choose religion or don't, that's their choice.

I understand those who say it's just a splash of water that won't do any harm. But in many denominations of Christianity, pledges are expected from the parents and witnesses/godparents to raise the children within the faith. If a public declaration of intent to raise the children in the faith is expected, then how can Yvette comply with that without "bearing false witness"? I think it would depend on what is expected from Yvette whether the splash of water is acceptable.