wrote:
Would you have a problem with your child being friends with an atheist,
or being friends with a child who's parents are atheists?

The reason I ask is that I am an atheist and I have a daughter who is
almost two and I live in a very religious area. Now that my daughter is
not really a baby anymore I am starting to think about these issues and
wondering if she is going to have trouble having friends.

I wouldn't have any problem with it whatsoever, so long as you were
respectful of our beliefs. (And we, of course, would do the same for
your beliefs.)

I think you have to recognize that as your daughter grows, there will
be questions by both your daughter and her playmates (*how come ...*),
there will be discussions, and there will be times when she feels
excluded (eg, when the other kids are discussing religious school or
services). That's all part of growing up, and part of teaching your
child to adhere to a belief system.

Barbara