I used to be really anti-religion, much to the chagrin of my parents. It finally took 2 things to get me to church- needing to spend a bit of time away from my very clingy 2 youngest kids without having to pay a babysitter, and an excellent preschool that filled up with church members before I could enroll my daughter.

Yeah, not exactly the purest motives to get to church, but I think most people would agree that the hardest part of getting people to church is just getting them in the doors. For me, that really was the hardest part. I went to one church for awhile, felt out of place as my parents call it "Our Lady Of The Cadillac" and dropped off the church scene for awhile. Then my parents started going to a new, non-Cadillacy church, and eventually once I got over the bizarre music, I started going and actually enjoying it. The best part was when I really started "feeling" it.

Now, not all religions or churches suit all people. My suggestion is to find a church or temple or synagogue that suits you best. But most all religions and churches suit the 7 reasons to take your kid to church. Here they are.

1. Spend some time away from your kids without having to worry about them. You can call any prospective church to find out what their policies are regarding staff and pick-up of children. My church, for example, requires a background check of any individuals wishing to work in the children's or youth areas of the church. While this isn't failproof, it certainly does go a long way toward making me feel better. Additionally, there's a minimum of two adults per class, so nobody's on their own with the kids. Finally, they have a pick-up system in place so nobody can come in and take your kid- you have to match with your kid's sticker.

You can't just leave your kids and go shopping or anything, but I know many parents who would give anything for an hour without a bunch of screaming kids. This was one of the biggest reasons I even started attending church in the first place. I just needed a break.

2. Member benefits for joining a church. The first church I went to had an amazing preschool. Members got to sign their kids up for the preschool before they opened it up to the public. Usually, there wasn't a chance for the public to enroll their kids because the school was so popular. This also applies to many Catholic schools- parishioners get a discount on the school. I seriously considered being Catholic so I could send my kids to Catholic school. I was raised Methodist, though, and I really feel more comfy in a Methodist church.

3. Meet other cool parents with kids. Somehow, it becomes a lot harder to make friends when you become an adult with children. I've made several new friends from meeting the parents of my kids' friends at church.

4. Make your kids realize how lucky they are. My son hangs out with the preacher's son and some other kids from church. They absolutely envy how much freedom my son has to choose his own music and video games and movies. My son said to me the other day, "Man, I had no idea you were so cool." Indeed.

5. Your kids will learn a bunch of basic cultural knowledge and references. Many common sayings and themes are in the Bible. My cousin, who didn't attend church as a child, doesn't know who Abraham was. My kids know all about him. It's like an extra history lesson every week, and because it's presented in a fun way, it's completely painless.

6. Your kids will have fun. Well, usually. I hated church as a kid, but it appears that most churches have now gone out of their way to make Sunday School more fun for kids. My daughter has a blast dancing, making crafts, and all the other fun stuff each Sunday at church. Teen youth group seems to be pretty fun as well- at my church, the youth group has a pool table, a ping pong table, a Wii, and a bunch of other fun stuff. Add to that the neat music, and it's a blast for them.

7. Help your kids find their spirituality. Once my kids are old enough to stay home alone, they can choose not to go to church. My oldest son, interestingly, is more religious than I am and pushes me to go to church even when I don't feel like it. I've let him study as much as he wants about other religions, and he chooses willingly to be a Christian. My other kids may be different, but by going to church in a religion of your choice does help give a leg up for your choice.