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I just thought this issue was pretty neat cause it pertains to kids razz

"Teaching Wicca to Children

I was talking to my daughter (now 25) about teaching Wicca to children. Her dad, Herne, believed that being a Wiccan or Witch meant you were a healer, a teacher, a seeker, a giver, and a protector of all things. He felt that walking the old paths meant "...being in the presence of Mother Earth's nature and being humbled in reverence." For us, teaching Wicca to children is not about teaching them spells and rituals. It's about helping them connect with our mother Earth. We feel the focus should be on teaching nature's cycles and rhythms, and helping children learn to respect, honor and work with all living things.

Our ancestors did this by celebrating Sabbats and Esbats throughout the year.
The eight Sabbats, (solar celebrations), occur at the beginning and middle of each season and are the most widely celebrated.
Some also enjoy participating in rituals on one or more of the Esbats or full moons. In my humble opinion, HOW we celebrate is not as important as WHY we celebrate. We should not be so concerned about following the exact details of a ritual or tradition, that the joy of the celebration is lost.

As I began to write about this topic, it occurred to me that no one knows more about having fun and celebrating the moment than a child. My favorite book on connecting with nature was written by a child. After reading a few paragraphs from this book to my daughter, she commented that maybe my article should have been on what children could teach adults about following a nature-based magical path.

Below are excerpts from this child's writing. She grew up in the woods of western Oregon and in her diary (written when she was 6 - 7 years old) she recorded a world alive with creatures, fairies, talking trees, and singing creeks. Here are her words:

The wind ... calls to me to come go exploring. It sings of the things that are to be found under leaves. It whispers the dreams of the tall fir trees. It does pipe the gentle song the forest sings on gray days. I hear all the voices calling me. I listen...

The wind does have many things to tell. He does toss back one's curls so he can whisper things in one's ears. Today he did push back my curls three times, that I might better hear what he did have to say.

By-and-by I came to a log. It was a nice little log. ...I climbed upon it. I so did to look more looks about. The wind did blow in a real quick way. He made music all around. I danced on the log. It is so much a big amount of joy to dance on a log when the wind does play the harps in the forest. Then do I dance on tiptoe. I wave greetings to the plant-bush folks that do dance all about. Today a grand pine tree did wave its arms to me. And the bush branches patted my cheek in a friendly way.

Raindrops were beginning to come down from the sky. Their coming was in a gentle way. I had longs to be out with them. I so do like to feel the raindrops patter on my head and I like to run runs and hold out my hands to meet them.

For this little girl, something magical was always happening right outside her front door. Most children experience this enthusiasm for the natural world. We should think of ourselves as Leaders of Learning when we explore our Mother Earth's gifts with them. If we are lucky, as we share our knowledge of the old traditions, moon lore and nature's changing seasons with our children, they might teach US something about the true spirit and magic at the heart of these wonderful celebrations!

Below is a brief summary of the Wheel of the Year and Sabbats, followed by a list of links to more information on the holidays, specific activities for children and Moon lore.

The Wheel of the Year is a Neopagan term used to describe the annual cycle of the Earth's seasons, and it tells the story of the life of the God and Goddess. In most traditions, the Goddess or Mother Earth is the God's Consort or companion. In the Wheel of the Year the God (Sun) is reborn each Yule, (Winter Solstice) after the longest night of the year. As the days become longer, he grows in power and warms the cold Earth. She awakens from her slumber to renew and flourish. Then on Litha (Summer Solstice), the God dies again and the days begin to grow shorter. As the Sun's power fades, the Earth falls asleep and waits for his rebirth on the next Winter Solstice.

Yule, Ostara, Litha, and Mabon fall on different days from year to year, as they occur on the Solar Equinoxes and Solstices. Equinoxes are the beginning of Spring and Autumn, and day and night are of equal length on these days. Winter Solstice is the longest night, while Summer Solstice is the longest day

Yule (Dec 20-23) - Winter Solstice. As mentioned above, Yule is the longest night of the year. On this Sabbat we celebrate the Sun's rebirth, as the days begin to grow longer.

Imbolc (Feb. 2) - Imbolc falls halfway between Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox. The God (Sun) is growing in strength and reunites with the Goddess. We see the first signs of spring as the Earth awakens from her winter sleep.

Ostara (March 20-23) - The Vernal (or Spring) Equinox Ostara is a celebration of fertility. Spring is here, and the Earth's cycle of renewal is in full force. It's a great time to plant seeds and start a magical herb garden!

Beltane (May 1) - Beltane, or Mayday, is a celebration of the sacred union between the God and Goddess. Flowers and plants are now thriving and it's mating season for many animals. Beltane activities included Maypole dances, bonfires, and making wreaths and bouquets from the spring flowers.

Litha (June 20-23) - The Summer Solstice Litha is the longest day of the year. Traditionally it was a day of work as it often coincided with the start of the harvest season. Activities would last from dawn to dusk, as our ancestors labored to bring in the first harvests of the year.

Lammas (July 31) - Lammas is the first of the Harvest festivals and we begin to see the results of our efforts for this season. Traditional foods for this sabbat include berries and bread made from the first grain harvest.

Mabon (Sept 20-23) - Autumn (Fall) Equinox This is the Second Harvest festival. Winter is approaching and it's time to finish your outdoor tasks and prepare for the cold months ahead.

Samhain (Oct 31) - Samhain marks the third and final harvest of the year. It's also a time to celebrate and remember those who have passed on. Some believe it's easier to communicate with spirits on this night as the barriers between the worlds of the living and the dead are thinner.

For more about children's activities for specific Pagan holidays visit:
http://wicca.com/celtic/akasha/childindex.htm

For additional information on Pagan holiday celebrations go to:
http://wicca.com/celtic/akasha/index0.htm

Moon phases and Moon lore information can be found at:
http://wicca.com/celtic/newmoons.html "

Let me know if you want me to post more! smile

You can teach your children whatever you choose to. There is no boundary nor limit nor one particular thing that they must learn and it is not for one person to tell parents what they can teach they're children.

FYI
you are mis-informed and for disrespecting my guild members you are now removed from this guilds

sorry guys

Hello,

I'm new here and don't want to break the rules. Was it Calelith's tone/word choice or the information that got her banned?

I'm Wiccan (initiated into a coven) and from what I have read and was taught by my HP and HPS, Wicca was Gerald Gardener Tradition based on older practices. So Witchcraft is old, Wicca is very new in the scheme of things.