Quote Originally Posted by steelblood
Quote Originally Posted by Shawn
I'm not sure I understand the distress over explaining unacceptable behavior by others. I try to raise my children by example and I explain there are many ways to live one's life. Some people choose illegal, violent, and sick ways to exist. These ways are not condusive to a happy, productive life. My gals nod their head. Who knows if they get it yet but I do try to explain contrast as the questions will come from somewhere. All you can do in the end is hope you were a good example and your children adhere to the values you taught.

It is distressing for some (most?) kids to try to begin understand sex, sexuality, and violence toward women all at once especially as they may be interrelated here. If keeping it simple for you works, that's great. But, these are complicated issues for my 8 and 10 year old. If you add into it that football happens to be a great passion for my boys, it becomes difficult for them to understand all of the motivations and urges involved. I can't get away with the "there is a bad path and a good path" speech here. It is a great starting point, but there are too many gray areas that they have questions about. Besides, most people do very good and very bad things in their lives.
life is complicated. take them to church. put the fear(love) of god into them.

we all strive to do what is right, but if you sexually assault someone or tell a little lie, you are turning away from god. and that has dire consequences, so we all need to repent and turn away from our sins to be closer to god. and all will be better.

this all would have made no sense to me for the majority of my life, but now it's the only thing that makes any sense to me.

any other explanation falls short of explaining life. i have a hard time accepting religion but when things are really messed up it makes more sense. i really wish we all had blind faith at birth to make life so much simpler.

having faith may be the best example a father can have for their child. my own lack of faith is one of the reasons i've chosen not to have kids yet. i feel for your struggle.