Children and Parenting, SCN or not SCN? I am curious about how other parents ...

[frhidden]

When I introduced myself in my first post I included this:

"LRH, Scientology 8-8008 Lectures [1953], pages 149-150 in transcript

"[True friends...]

""For one thing they stand up for one, give him counsel, they help him in

adversity, they safeguard his reputation, won’t hear ill of him, share his

triumphs, ignore his faults."

"I felt that Scientology was a friend so I could ignore many of its faults."

So until about 7 years ago I could overlook the faults in the CofS and play along somewhat. Even if the final services seven years ago where okay, after them I decided that I was finished. The services were quite okay but not good enough. My only real long lasting bad experiences in SCN were financial. Too much money spent.

So about 20 years ago we (wife and I) had our first child and then two more.

The question was, How to raise them? SCN or no SCN?

In practice, I left that SCN was an adult subject and should be an adult choice. Therefore for the most part I kept my children away from SCN. They could decide for themselves when they were old enough, whenever that would be.

I was a little sorry that they would not get the benefit from the knowledge in SCN but delighted that SCN would have no hold over them.

As they grew up I could see they were just not open to a subject like SCN, each of the three not open in their own way.

I did attempt to impart to then that they are basically spiritual and not their body. I always encouraged them to, "think for yourself".

As a parent, I partly succeed and partly fail. Therefore I am happy that their mother, hopefully, fills in the many gaps and holes and failures from my parenting. She is definitely a more "good" mother than I am a "good" father.

They have seen the SCN books and tapes around the house all these years but receive negative news on SCN from their environment. In balance they now scoff at SCN. One of them took me aside a couple of years ago and emphasized that I was not to try and force SCN on him. I replied, Of course not.

In the not so distant past, I learned from some people I know their experiences in the Sea Org as children. I was horrified at what they experienced.

Only once in my life did I have a SO member shout at me. I turned towards them and expressed my calm astonishment at their behavior. That ended that episode as far as I was concerned. I would hate to think any of my children would experience abuse from someone without addressing it immediately.

I am curious about how other parents here on ESMB approached their children on the subject of SCN.

(What "saved" me from the CofS was that family ties were always more important than the CofS. I wanted them to align. And where they did not, I picked family. Also I would never have accepted a disconnection order with regard a family member.)

[uniquemand]

Well, sounds pretty sane.

My kids were raised with scientology environment. They took some basic course room stuff when they wanted to. Aside from that, I ran some objectives sometimes when they were crying (after I had checked the diaper, fed them, and determined they were not sick or something). Encouraged them to study at their own pace, and come to me with any questions. Aside from that, until their mother took them beyond my reach, things were pretty normal. After that, reports from my kids are that they moved a lot, and that they were pretty broke, but that life was pretty good. Their mother didn't push the subject on them.

Not an SO situation.

[frhidden]

Well, sounds pretty sane.

My kids were raised with scientology environment. They took some basic course room stuff when they wanted to. Aside from that, I ran some objectives sometimes when they were crying (after I had checked the diaper, fed them, and determined they were not sick or something). Encouraged them to study at their own pace, and come to me with any questions. Aside from that, until their mother took them beyond my reach, things were pretty normal. After that, reports from my kids are that they moved a lot, and that they were pretty broke, but that life was pretty good. Their mother didn't push the subject on them.

Not an SO situation.

Thank you for your input on your children and your approach with them.

Seems to me your children were/are more open to help than mine ever were. Mine always seemed resistive to me.

Yes, I also checked the basics when when they were young and in trouble: hunger, sleep, illness, comfort.

[Free to shine]

I'd like to write a long post about this subject but not right at this moment. It's still a subject I am working through, check my blog in my sig line.

Being a 'generational' scientologist brings raising children within in to a new level, as you are completely surrounded by the values of the subject. Just briefly, I did raise my kids to be independent and experience things for themselves. Unfortunately that did include some traumatic times for one of them when she joined staff briefly and the others in ways that were not so obvious. I made sure they were not recruited for the SO though....

I'll try and add some more to this thread later.

[frhidden]

I'd like to write a long post about this subject but not right at this moment. It's still a subject I am working through, check my blog in my sig line.

Being a 'generational' scientologist brings raising children within in to a new level, as you are completely surrounded by the values of the subject. Just briefly, I did raise my kids to be independent and experience things for themselves. Unfortunately that did include some traumatic times for one of them when she joined staff briefly and the others in ways that were not so obvious. I made sure they were not recruited for the SO though....

I'll try and add some more to this thread later.

Wow! Free To Shine. Earlier today, I scanned through the articles in your signature. I will reread them tomorrow more thoroughly. The content impressed me. I am looking forward to anything further you can add to this thread. Especially, how did you avoid your children being sucked into the SO?

Your brother can also write well.