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6 non-religious reasons we desperately need religion taught in schools
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Teaching about religions in school can broaden your childrens educatiosn and help them see the value of religion. These six reasons why it needs to happen may open your eyes. - photo by Gary and Joy Lundberg
Teaching religion and teaching about religion are two different things. We know that public school educators cannot teach a particular religion, nor can they, due to a 1963 Supreme Court ruling, lead a class in prayer. However, according to that same ruling, teachers have always been allowed to teach about religion. Because many teachers misunderstand this, they avoid discussing anything about religion in the classroom. Thats a loss to the children.

Because religion plays a major role in the lives of so many citizens, it needs to be part of every childs education. Here are a few reasons why.

1. It stops religious bullying

Understanding a persons religious beliefs will likely stop bullying because of someones religion. Most bullying occurs because of misunderstanding. For instance, if a child understands why a Jewish family worships in a synagogue on Saturday instead of in a church on Sunday, Jewish school mates will not be ridiculed for being different in that regard.

As students learn about a religion and why it is culturally different, they will learn to appreciate those differences and be less likely to insult or make fun of a classmate.

2. It opens a window on the world

There is so much rich heritage taught in the religions of the world. When children understand that many find comfort and peace by following the precepts taught in religious scriptures, they become more accepting of others. Most children dont know that all religions have their own holy writ. Christians have the Bible, Jews have the Torah, Islamists have the Quran, and Buddhists have the Tripitaka, to name but a few.

Knowing some of what these religious writings contain and why they are sacred to those belonging to these different sects is important. They may be pleasantly surprised to find love, peace and kindness taught in all of them.

3. It creates a respect for sacred places

To be able to study the beautiful architecture and design of cathedrals, churches, temples and other religious buildings is an education in itself. When they study what it took to build these, including some built at great sacrifice of believers, students gain a deeper respect for them and those who worship there.

As they learn about the art of creating a beautiful stained glass window, or why a statue or painting means so much to a religion, their horizons are broadened. A field trip to visit some of these beautiful edifices could provide even more reason to reverence them, instead of defiling them with graffiti or scoffing at them.

4. It provides a greater knowledge of our countrys history

Records show that "52 of the 55 signers of The Declaration of Independence were orthodox, deeply committed Christians. The other three all believed in God, but had not declared for a specific church.

The same delegates legislated the establishment of the American Bible Society.

"In 1782, the United States Congress approved a resolution which stated: 'The congress of the United I States recommends and approves the Holy Bible for use in all schools. They purchased and imported 20,000 Bibles to be made available to the American people.'"

Religion played an important role in the establishment of the United States of America, making sure that all religions were welcomed. Our children deserve to know this part of our history.

5. It creates a respect for the beliefs of others

By inviting priests, bishops, rabbis, imams, and other qualified representatives of religions into the classroom to explain tenets of their religion, the students will gain a greater respect for them and their beliefs. These members of clergy or similar representatives are the ones who should be explaining their beliefs.

To have someone who is not a follower of a certain religion explain its beliefs is like having a Toyota dealer explaining the qualities of a Cadillac. You need the right representative to get the proper information. The purpose of their visit should be to educate, never to proselyte.

6. It helps them discover the importance of having values

Learning the values that religions teach helps a child form his own base for personal values. Parents need to ask themselves if they are teaching the religious values they believe in to their own children. When parents do this it helps their children understand and appreciate what others believe, while giving them a firm foundation on which to build their own lives.

Parents can encourage their schools to augment their teaching by exposing students to other religions. In this we must make sure no other religions beliefs are thrust upon our children. We are simply suggesting that our childrens education can be enhanced by learning about other religious practices with the hope that this will create more understanding in a world of so much diversity.
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How to avoid 'sharenting' and other paparazzi parenting habits
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A recent study revealed parents often spend up to two hours staging a single photo of his or her child to post online. - photo by Amy Iverson
Before having kids, some people just dont appreciate their friends baby posts. But after having a child of their own, three fourths of new parents jump right on the parental social media bandwagon. If you have become a member of this group, there are some rules to follow for posting responsibly.

Much of a parents worry is how to teach their children to use social media responsibly. We talk with our kids about privacy, oversharing, and setting restrictions on their devices to keep them safe. But parents themselves need to look in the digital mirror once in a while. Before having children, it doesnt take as much effort to think about what to post online. Its up to us to decide what we share about our own lives. But once you become a parent, there are many questions to think about regarding what is appropriate to post about your kids on social media.

In a recent survey, kids clothing subscription company Mac and Mia surveyed 2000 new parents to find out how they are documenting their kids lives on social media, and what concerns they may have.

First of all, people without children seem to feel a bit differently about the onslaught of baby pictures online than those who are parents. 18 percent of people say before they had kids, they were annoyed by their friends baby posts. But after having children of their own, 73 percent admit they post progress pictures of their little ones every single month.

Not only are new parents letting the world know each time their baby is a month older, but they are posting about their kids every few days or so. Men and women report they post 6-7 times per month about their baby.

And while 70 percent of new parents say the benefit of using social media is how easy it is to help family and friends feel involved, there are some downsides. Here are a few tips to avoid the pitfall of becoming paparazzi parents.

Dont miss the moment

In the Mac and Mia survey, some parents admitted to spending up to two hours to get the perfect shot of their baby. That seems a little extreme. New and old parents alike should be careful about spending so much time taking pictures and videos that they dont enjoy the moment. Years ago, I decided to never live an experience through my phone. A study by Linda Henkel, a psychology professor at Fairfield University in Connecticut, found that when people took pictures of objects in an art museum, they didnt remember the objects as well as if they simply observed them.

This photo-taking impairment effect can happen to parents as well. If we are so consumed by getting the perfect photo, we can miss out on the moment all together, and our memory of it will suffer.

Dont forget about privacy

60 percent of couples say they have discussed rules and boundaries for posting their babys photos, according to the Mac and Mia survey. Even so, men are 34 percent more likely to publish baby posts on public accounts. If parents are concerned about their childrens privacy, keeping photos off of public accounts is a given.

In the Washington Post, Stacey Steinberg, a legal skills professor at the University of Florida, and Bahareh Keith, a Portland pediatrician, wrote that sharing too much information about kids online puts them at risk. They write that all that sharenting can make it easier for data thieves to target out kids for identity theft. Check that your privacy settings are where they should be and never share identifying information like full names and birth dates.

Dont be paparazzi parents

36 percent of parents say they take issue when their childs photo is posted online by someone else. Responsible social media users will always ask permission before posting a photo of another child. But parents should also think about whether their own children will take issue with their own posted photos a few years down the road.

When parents are constantly snapping pictures and throwing them on social media, it can be easy to forget to pause and make sure the post is appropriate. I always use the billboard example with my kids. I ask them to picture whatever they are posting going up on a billboard in our neighborhood. If they are okay with that, then their post is probably fine. Parents should ask themselves this same question when posting about their children. But they should also ask themselves if their child would be OK with this post on a billboard in 15 years. If it would cause embarrassment or humiliation, it might be best to keep it private.

Once children reach an appropriate age, parents should include them in the process of deciding what pictures are OK to post. Researchers at the University of Michigan surveyed 10- to 17-year-olds and found children believe their parents should ask permission more than parents think they should. The kids in the survey said sharing happy family moments, or accomplishments in sports, school and hobbies is fine. But when the post is negative (like when a child is disciplined) or embarrassing (think naked baby pictures or messy hair), kids say to keep it off social media.
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