As a person with deeply-held views on matters of faith and transcendence, I have long appreciated sincere, respectful discussions with people whose views and beliefs differ from my own. Regardless of what one's perspective is, there is value in learning to hear and respect others, and seek intersection points. I feel strongly enough about my own beliefs to hope that others may come to share them, as I would imagine anyone with strong beliefs might feel, but I certainly don't believe that scare and attack tactics are the way to promote authentic life transformation.
As natural as our faith is in our family life and the lives of our children, our balance has really been very similar to that of those of you on the other side of the faith spectrum: while allowing them to maintain their authentic selves, encouraging our children to be sensitive and respectful to others' beliefs.
blackcat, I am sorry that you did not feel that you were free to express your own beliefs and doubts as a child. I am thankful that I had parents who were comfortable enough in the foundations of their own beliefs to welcome learning about and grappling with the diversity of values and beliefs around us. Good for you that you have taken your personal experience and used it to give your children the latitude and self-determination to begin the process of thinking through their own beliefs and values. Every mature adult ought to thoughtfully examine and reflect on his or her beliefs throughout life; your children will have a better start on this than most.
And on a side note, neither my parents nor my partner and I have promoted belief in Santa or the Easter Bunny, which is, of course, why DC#2, then 4 years old, earnestly informed our horrified and equally little neighbor that "Santa is dead." (Meaning the historical Nicholas, Bishop of Ephesus, generally held to have been a major inspiration for the mythical Santa Claus.) I am hopeful that we may have progressed since then in our attempts to teach respect and sensitivity.
