G Skero:
Right now, JWs are in the "dating" phase with you and will be putting their best foot forward with metaphorical flowers and candy. They will give you lots of attention and seem like the most loving people on earth. Some of them will be sincere in doing so, but this practice has been nicknamed "loveboming". It's very hard to think through that. Once you are committed, things would change.
The study process is a low and slow process of indoctrination. There are insider doctrines that you will not be told until you are "ready". You are taught outsider doctrines first, spun and made palatable for outsiders. Slowly you will be introduced to less palatable, less believable teachings.
Example of an insider doctrine:
* In 1919, Jesus appointing the JW/Watchtower Governing Body as the Faithful and Discreet Slave as God's sole channel with mankind. A relationship with God is impossible without recognizing them as the Faithful and Discreet Slave.
* All non-JWs will be eternally destroyed at Armageddon.
* You should die rather than have a blood transfusion, but blood fractions are okay.
* All non-JWs are "bad assocation", so you should only have JW friends.
* Even if you are a JW, if you become inactive (don't go door to door each month), you are bloodguilty and be destroyed at Armageddon.
* Higher education is bad.* You should really consider pioneering...perhaps doing with less, taking a part time job, and do evangelizing activity for 70 hours each month.
* Anyone who decides not to be a JW anymore, or whom the elders expel, are to be completely shunned, not so much as a hello given to them.
* If you see or hear of anyone validating Watchtower rules (maybe celebrating holiday, attending another church, reading books like Crisis of Conscience, reading websites such as this), the matter must be reported to the elders immediately.
* Elders can form secretive investigative committees in regard members and investigate a person's behavior without their knowledge, questioning family and friends close to that person.
* Elders can form judicial committees, where they pull the member in a backroom because of violating Watchtower rules, or if it comes to light that they believe differently on a matter (such as whether Jesus invisible Presence began in 1914). Judicial committees are secret trails where no observers or recordings are allowed, no legal defense allowed and results (including being disfellowshipped and shunned) cannot be questioned.
I'm sorry your kids aren't speaking to you... that is what many of us former JWs have to contend with ourselves. Even being just inactive, my family has very little to do with me. If I were DFed or if I resigned, they would have NOTHING to do with me.
I encourage you to read Combating Cult Mind Control and make it a priority to reestablish a relationship with your family above all else.