When is someone too young to learn about witchcraft? Many witches have families, and just like with any family, it’s normal to want to teach your kids about your knowledge, culture and beliefs. It’s normal to want to find something to bond over with your kids, and it’s normal to want to build a spiritual family tradition. After all, it’s perfectly acceptable to bring children up in mainstream religion, right? Let’s talk about it.

Witchcraft scares people

Even though religions like Wicca are becoming more accepted by the mainstream, most of us still live in a society dominated by Christianity. And while there are modern, more progressive Christians out there, there is still an overwhelming number who are fearful of any kind of spirituality that doesn’t involve the worship of their Christian god. These people are everywhere in our society from the people who live in your neighborhood to the doctors that treat you and your loved ones. They’re also in law enforcement and in agencies that are known for removing children from their parents on any number of reasons.

Children also mimic and repeat what they’re taught, and in public school settings they can be just as mean and judgmental as their parents when it comes to religion. I personally grew up in the so-called “Bible Belt” and I was singled out for wearing a simple Yin and Yang pendant in the 5th grade. I wasn’t even an “out” pagan until a year later, but since it was clearly not a “Christian” symbol, it triggered some of my peers. Now imagine if I had been raised to be an open witch instead of nonreligious? My experience is far from the only one out there, back in the year 2000, an Oklahoma girl named Brandi Blackbear was expelled from school for being a practicing Wiccan.

Teaching your children witchcraft can be used against you

There are numerous reports of bitter custody disputes becoming nastier with accusations of witchcraft being flung by one parent or the other. There are also reports of parents even losing their children due to these witchcraft accusations. No, these reports aren’t in the distant past, nor did they take place in some random countries. These cases happened right in the United States.

In 2013, police were legitimately called to a house on accusations that the father of a teenage girl was a practicing witch. The mother of the girl, along with other family members, called the police several times making the father’s faith as a pagan the center of their concerns for the girl who was living there. When police arrived, they became aware that this was nothing more than a bitter custody issue and that the teenager had been living with her father for quite a time. The police did not arrest anyone, but the case was noted — and the fact that they even responded to the calls is troubling. Of course, this was 2013 — but it was in Washington State of all places. Between the years 1990 and 2015, there appeared to be a great deal of cases of mothers and fathers having their parental rights taken away on grounds of their spirituality and lifestyle. Fortunately there are fewer and fewer cases like the aforementioned as time progresses — but that can always change.

It can cause family drama

Not only can divorces turn ugly when a parent’s spirituality is brought into question, but family drama can happen in general when you involve your children in your witchcraft practice. The child’s other parent may have something against it, or their own immediate family members might take issue with it. You might also even get pushback from your own parents or relatives that are otherwise involved in your life. This kind of stress is amplified when you have super religious Christian family members — and it’s even worse when you all have to live together.

It’s still your right as a parent

If you’re prepared to face all the possibilities that comes with it, there’s truly nothing wrong with teaching your children about witchcraft or pagan spirituality. Most children are already brought up with the spirituality and cultures that dominate our society — and if there is nothing wrong with that, then there is nothing wrong with raising little witchlings. Nonetheless, it can be a touchy and even controversial topic for some.

Fortunately, there is a growing amount of child-friendly literature focusing on pagan spirituality, so there is no doubt that it is becoming a less controversial idea. Hopefully in time, topics like these won’t even need to be discussed.

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