Reply To: Great??

“If you think you won’t harm your kids by letting them watch TV, no matter the rating, you’re making a big mistake. Their values are so far from Torah values that it’s impossible for there not to be bad hashkafos , even in seemingly innocent, “children’s” entertainment.

Now, instead of copping out, instill in your children a pride in their Yiddishkeit and an appreciation for it’s beauty, so that when temptation comes, they will not succumb.”

That would be amazing if they would be able to withstand temptation. That would be their choice. I would not tell my children they may never watch tv. If they want to, ok, if not, amazing! (Note: The key word here is let.)

I will do my best to instill in them a sense of pride and appreciation for Judaism. I will gently guide them on the right path. But I will never force. Obviously, I’m not going to buy my daughter a miniskirt or take my kids to movies. But I will never force them not to. It’s their choice to make. And that’s what makes their appreciation for Yiddishkeit even greater.

“You simply think you have a choice, and that is due to the way you were raised – which again, speaks to your second point but not your first.”

But I had more of a choice than they did.

Basically, what got lost in all my theoretical fluff is that I don’t believe in forcing kids to be frum. It’s their choice. I don’t think completely sheltering them from outside is a good idea but obviously I would never put outside temptations in their lives.