My stepdaughter was interested from a young age in exploring religion, partly because her biological father was into it, partly because she was very social. Her unbelieving mother indulged her interest, got her a children's Bible and read to her from it, let her go to church with Dad, even attended with her now and then to show solidarity (although she was asked to stop, as she could not help but dissolve in gales of barely-repressed laughter during the service; my wife grew up in Berkeley and the sight of white people trying to do "happy-clappy" black spirituals was hilarious to her juvenile sense of humor. LOVE that woman!)

At any rate, this went on for years until in the daughter's senior year in HS she was in a catechism class where they made a show of "objectively" looking at the "evidence" for god and letting them "make their own choice". She was the only one who decided at the end of the class that god isn't real. She scandalized the whole class. She just shrugged and said that was her analysis of the "evidence". She hasn't gone to church since.

All this despite that she's had a very fractious, prickly relationship with her mother (to say the least) and is in no mood to emulate her, to this day (she's in her mid 20s now).

So I think that my wife's attitude that she'd let her kids make up their own minds was validated. Her other child, BTW, never was interested, and is an open atheist.

Of course ... this is just one of the possible outcomes, but I think caring too hard and trying too much to control such things probably causes more problems on balance than it solves. Another factor is the kind of church they're exploring, this was Presbyterian, not Baptist or something. I would have concerns about exposing my children to the most toxic forms of religion. It would have to be a religious format that's not significantly authoritarian and shame-based; otherwise it's not sporting and fair.

I find it especially infuriating to see babies being brought to church so the brainwashing can begin even before the child can understand words or religious concepts.

My younger son (now over 50) went to a congregational church preschool in Connecticut ages 3-5. There was no religion involved in the experience, the teachers were great, and he actually learned a lot. As a Jewish atheist, I wasn't sure at the time if it was the best choice, but it definitely was! He is now a liberal atheist attorney. I couldn't be prouder of him!

They hurry to get them hooked while they're still young!

A few years ago, I accepted to be the godfather in the christening of a baby kid in the family of one of my ex-girlfriends. Boy did I regretted this. Standing in front of people in a catholic church, holding a candle in my hand, having to endure all those praises to god and the "welcoming of a new member in the catholic family". Why did I say yes to that!?
A few years later, I refused to be the godfather of my own nephew, the son of my brother, to the complete dismay of my whole family. But I never had any regrets about this. I sure didn't want to be a part of that whole crap all over again.

I have no stepchildren. However, I feel sorry for the children in churches who are brainwashed into believing that myths are reality. Such brainwashing really messed me up as a child, and it took a couple of decades to get over it.

Watching my ex do it to my own kids.

I feel the same way with all children of any religion.

Yea. I don't understand how people pull themselves back to this weird "yea... But i believe it anyway" position. It is just so perplexing.

No I get pissed even when adults are so stupid to join churches its like they think they have to or else.