Did you raise your kids as witnesses?

by freedom96 16 Replies latest jw friends

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  freedom96

  My mom raised us as witnesses, and finally left the WTS after we grew up and left the house. My dad left after too.

  Now my mom is so sorry about it all, and how we had to live, with my father an elder, the strictness, and of course all the things that a good witness family could not do.

  How many of you raised your kids as witnesses? Are they still in, are they upset?

  My ex-wife and I divorced when my son was young. She still raises him as a witness, and it is hard to see him to have to go through the same crap. We live far away, so it is hard to impliment the good unWitness values I have learned. Curious as how others handled it all.
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  Farkel

  No. That's why they all turned out normal.

  Farkel
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  safe4kids

  Hey Freedom

  Ignore Brother Farkel...he has a strange sense of humor

  I was raised a witness and my mom is still in, as are all of my extended family members save my sister who posts here. I left about 5 years ago, when my kids were 6 and 4, respectively. I am SO GLAD that they do not have to live the childhood I lived, although they still remember going to meetings and missing out on school functions that were centered around the holidays.

  As an example of how confusing it is for children, I'll tell you something that just recently came to light. My son Justin, who is 11, just found out this year that it was okay for him to salute the flag in school! I had no idea that he didn't understand, but found out that he was continuing to stand but not say the words during the pledge of allegiance. We talked about it and his comment to me was: "but mom, I thought it was wrong". So we discussed it and I told him that it was entirely up to him, he was to do whatever he was comfortable with but that I saw nothing wrong with him saying the words if he was ok with that. I don't know how this particular issue fell through the cracks (my 9 year old daughter has been saying it all along) but that old training was still rearing its ugly head.

  My heart goes out to you and your son. It's so hard for a child to have to feel different from everyone else but don't give up hope, freedom! As your son grows, and you have opportunities to talk to him, as his ability to reason on things increases, I believe you will be able to help him see the fallacies in the WT teachings. Thank goodness he has you in his life to offer a counterbalance to his mom's belief system.

  Dana

  Edited by - safe4kids on 21 December 2002 20:21:42
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  IslandWoman

  Yes, I raised my kids as Witnesses. It, like most things, had its good and bad. I threw out the bad and kept the good.

  Yes, Farkel they are normal.

  IW
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  Mulan

  Yes, we raised all four as witnesses. They are now 39, 36, 33, and 23. All are ex JW's, and all are doing great. None are resentful of their upbringing, which is nice to hear. I regret it though. Their lives would have been so much nicer without that.
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  Blueblades

  Hi Freedom96! Yes I did. Their out now and are doing good.Blueblades

  Hi Farkel! What happened to your post numbers .They read 4471,not 7000 and up!The last time I read your post it was over 7000,right, how did it go back to 4471?Blueblades
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  LeslieV

  I raised my three girls as JW's until six years ago. They are now 21, 18 and 15. My 15 year old told me the other day that she was glad that I left because she would never have experienced growing up and making decisions. All three of my girls think the JW's are a cult, but all three are well adjusted independent strong young women. Two in college and the youngest a sophmore in HS. Thank God that I got them out when I did. Their father is a JW elder that has nothing whatsoever to do with anyone of them. For that I am thankful!!!!!!

  Leslie
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  bigfloppydog

  Yes I did raise my kids in the truth, my husband howeve was not and never will be a JW. When they reached a certain age and expressed to me that they did not want to go to hall with me, I never pressured them and said that was fine, the choice was theirs to do as they wanted. It was never a forced issue to me.
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  Skeptically Yours

  Freedom96,

  I was raised as a witness and I turned out quite alright! A law abiding citizen, if you will. Cant remember ever celebrating any birthdays or holidays. Still can't take part in any politics, which may upset some people.

  Consider myself a pretty nice, trustworthy person.

  Take care!
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  bikerchic

  My five kids were born JW's going to meetings as soon as Mom was re-couped enough to get them there. We did all the assemblies, traveling long distances to even our circuit assemblies. What a pain it was with five little ones I spent most of the time in the woman's lounge.

  They are all out now, raising their own families doing all the things they never got to do and having fun experiencing it vicariously through their children. I get such a joy listening to them relate all the latest goings on.

  Katie