| Magick for Kids To children magick comes naturally. Rituals and other elements of magick are found in children's natural play. Another reason magick is easy for children is because they haven't been taught that magick "isn't real" or any other things our socitey teaches children, they don't sperate dreams from "reality" as the rest of socitey does. Also, because they haven't been conditioned any psychic gifts they may have (we all have them but over time we are taught they are not real and block them out) will be easily accessable. It is easy to train children to use their magick because for them it is natural and extremly easy. However, teaching children magick comes with more difficulties and repsonibilites than teaching an older student. First, you cannot teach children unless they are your own. Even in the case of older children I wouldn't reccomend it even with parental consent because of the legalities. If you teach another's child something and they harm themself or someone else attempting to do it then you are legally responsible for whatever harm occured, also you could be accused of many things and I've even heard of being accused of "running a cult" and trying to draw the minor in. Also, children do not have the disipline and self control *most* adults and some older children possess. In magick this can be a very bad thing because all traditions of magick in some way require disicpline and self control to prevent the pracitioners from harming themselves and others. Because children lack this we must be careful what we teach our children. I'd reccomend staying away from herbs and other potentially dangerous aspects until they are at least 15 or so. Afterall, many children act before they think and do not always think though to the consequences of giving someone a "special" potion they have mixed full of those things you have told them are poision. Of course, if you often work with herbs keep them up and away from children and certainly teach them not to mess about with them. Another thing that is different about working with children is that they have short attention spans, even when they are very interested in a subject. This is why elementary school classrooms often are colours and have a varitey of ways to teach a certain skill. This means you will have to be creative in how you teach the child, and also try to keep your "lessons" short. It is also helpful to be able to teach on demand so to speak. When your child has lost an item is a good time to teach them scrying or when they are asking a question about something you don't necessarily have the answer to is a good time to teach them about tarot cards. Be creative! Always remember not all children learn the same way. If your daughter enjoys you telling her how to do things or likes reading and writing stuff down your son may not and may prefer you show him how to do something instead of just tell or someone illustrate what you are trying to get across to him, or even sing it. It is also a good idea to start off small but with an area your child is interested in. If they have no interest in what you are trying to teach them it is not likely they will remember it and make an effort to do it. It is not horribly hard to teach children, but please use discretion. This is not a task to be undertaken lightly and once you have begun it will be hard to stop. Even if you do not want to sit down with your children and teach explain everything about magick they will see you doing things and you may end up inadvertantly teaching them more than you will realise. The really difficult task is how to teach them and teach them not to be afraid to use it and that is it is bad or "evil" but also not to talk to their friends or teachers about it. In some cases this could get your child laughed at or even accuesed of lying and making things up, which can get your child a bad reputation among parents and playmates alike but can bring legal issues with teachers as well. It is a sad fact that there are many people who feel pagans and witches are "unfit" parents when they teach these beautiful traditions to young ones and some people will go so far as to take legal action. Teach your children, but teach them well, it is not an easy task or something that you can start and stop you must make a desicion fairly early one to teach or not to teach. |