I've dealt with this issue before with the boys (yes boys!) at the group home I worked at. It was a bit of a hassle because my husband and I LOVED Buffy the Vampire Slayer and we let the boys watch it and the later seasons do get heavily involved with witchcraft.

Now mind you -- I do believe there is a difference between witchcraft and being a Wicca. And currently I'm talking about witchcraft and kids that would like to use it because, IMO, it would make them stronger. At least with the two I dealt with.

We actually had to nix Buffy and no longer allowed it to be watched in our home. I took the two kids that were living with me at the time to Barnes and Noble and they were allowed (by their parents) to purchase a few books. Luckily, those books had to go through me before they could be bought. You know if I let those two practice spells that the first one they would practice on was me! I went over to check on them and they both pull out all of these witchcraft books! It was the only time those two ever got along -- who says witchcraft can't bring ones together?

Now later on we actually had a kid that was a Wicca. And that was OK -- it was his religion and his parents did not consider it a bad thing. And he was fine with it.

But maybe there isn't a difference ... any thoughts on the matter?

If my children ever want to practice witchcraft, then it will have to be in their own home, because they won't be doing it in our home.

I think it's probably natural to be curious about something so off the beaten path . I remember when I was in high school I used to read a lot baout other religions including wicca and judism. I'm Christian and am grateful my parents gave me the freedom to learn and come to it on my own. KWIM?

On the other hand, it's a different world from when I was in high school. My kids are 8 and 1 so I have a while before I have to deal with such issues.

Good luck!

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Sarah

We tell our children about Santa and the Easter Bunny. We treat them with the Tooth Fairy. We let them see non-real cartoon (ie: Dragon Tales and even Dora the Explorer). We tell them about God and Jesus and miracles. To a very concrete thinking little kid, praying for something to happen is about the same thing as performing a spell. How is a kid supposed to keep it all straight? Sometimes witchcraft seems like a natural progression.

DD loves the Dragon lore books. She also has the Wandmaker book and made her own wand which she is very serious about keeping safe.

As she grows I will help her sort out the details. She sees what works and doesn't work in her life. It will eventually make sense to her.

As for me, when I was in Jr High I had a special studies period. We could explore whatever topic that interested us (very new-agey for a public school). I chose witchcraft only because I didn't think the library had much material on it so I'd get off easy. My mistake!

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I used a Ouija board when I was visiting a friends house when I was in jr high. I told my mom about it not thinking it was bad because it was a Parker Brothers game. She told me if she caught me using one again she would kick me out. I was also at one point interested in astrology and she found my books and threw them out. I know these things arent exactly witchcraft. I think if I had showed an interest in that she would have had a coronary.

I would not be that extreme with my children but I would not encourage it and I wouldn't allow it in my house.

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I was very curious about witchcraft and all as a teenager, trying to figure out who I was. It was a phase. However, as far as "practicing" it, I think we all did the seance thing as kids. But I think I was always too superstitious and afraid of God to really do anything. Little minor things that I tried worked, and that made me fear bigger things, as I'd read too many times of things getting out of control.

I think it would be good to talk about, because you just never know. And you don't know without dialogue how far the curiosity is going. But be ready to draw a line for safety's sake if it seems to go beyond mild curiosity. There are those who just take it too far and a young teenager is ripe prey.

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My thought with most teenagers is that it is a phase -- just like other interests they explore. As Desertmom said, it's a way of finding out who they are. I think if parents carefully monitor and discuss concerns, it might be a non-issue eventually.

I also think that reacting in an extreme way will only prompt them to want to do it more! I remember searching out banned books to see why they were banned . . . .

Marlene

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I guess it is not something that has ever come up and I really don't ever expect it to come up. I suppose if it did, I would let them read up on it and see how far they really wanted to go before I worried about it. I would bet it would just be curiosity.

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