Matter of priorities
Depends on whether the question is how to program a child to be an atheist. I'm all for protecting kids from theistic threats and blackmail, but to program an atheist is no different than programming a Communist, a Republican, or a Catholic. I think the anti-identification of atheism may be out of hand when people are looking to program children.
To the other, one of the problems you'll find in socialization among children is the need for conformity and selection. What an atheist needs to do is to give a child a vocabulary that is capable of discussing ideas without resorting to God.
Furthermore, how important is it to create division between people good 'n' early? Maybe you could hand out flyers at Baby GAP.
It's all idealistic, but I just took heat for months while losing a fight to give my daughter a name nobody else in her class would have. Conformity is just that important to some people. I mean, if something as fundamental as a name should be subject to conformist ideology, I doubt the atheist parent has much hope.
In such an instance, I point back to one of my very common criticisms of just about any philosophical identification that holds itself in the comparative with another:
Is it enough to be "just as good as" the people one criticizes, or does criticism and negativity invite the obligation of transcension?
In other words, is it about a label--atheism--or about creating the ideas necessary to transcend the petty needs of religious ideology? If the former, then it really doesn't matter. That is, if one is going to teach selective rejection, they will be in distinguished company among Christians, Muslims, Socialists, Republicans (GOP), Democrats (DNP) and others who teach that their label is more important than the ideas represented.
Take "gangsta style" as a comparison: Would it be offensive to someone if the child flashed a sign and said, "I'll be chillin' with the O.G."? And what would one do then? Denounce blacks? Denounce "gangstas"? Or perhaps offer a more coherent and useful method of expression?
If a parent tries too hard to cause any one result, they will generally get the exact opposite. Hell, my dad thought he was teaching me to despise Communism. That "they want to give everyone a home and a job" was intended to be a bad thing ... well, I missed it. And today I'm bleeding leftist.
Heck, look at the Drug War for another example.
thanx,
Tiassa