Raising Muslim children in the West to have an aversion to pigs
Question

                In my country in the west, pigs are a big part of the culture. Not only in eating but also in stories for children, cartoons en dolls or othing play things. Is it forbidden or at the least not recommended to make my child familiar with the pig? Should I avoid my child seeing this animal.
Praise be to Allah.
    Undoubtedly the 
    concepts and ideas that a child learns about and experiences in the early 
    stages of his upbringing will have an impact on him for much longer than the 
    parents and teachers of the child themselves realise, and that does not go 
    away once that stage is passed; rather they will remain and form an 
    important part of his make-up and thinking, and will have a clear impact on 
    the formation of his identity and culture. 

    In Saheeh 
    al-Bukhaari (6130) and Muslim (2440) it is narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may 
    Allah be pleased with her) said: I used to play with dolls in the house of 
    the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and I had friends 
    who would play with me, and when the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace 
    of Allah be upon him) came in, they would hide away from him, but he would 
    send them one after another to play with me. 

    The scholars 
    stated that Islam only granted a concession to children to play with such 
    toys, even though it forbids images and the making of images, because of the 
    role that playing with such toys plays in preparing the child mentally for 
    what he will do in the future. 

    Al-Haafiz Ibn 
    Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

    An exception is 
    made for this from the prohibition on keeping images. This was stated 
    definitively by ‘Iyaad and was narrated from the majority. They regarded it 
    as permissible to sell toys to girls to train them from an early age in 
    caring for their houses and children.

    End quote from 
    Fath al-Baari, 10/527 

    Undoubtedly the 
    pig is not only an impure animal or something that is haraam to eat, or 
    other things that are said about it or other Islamic rulings that have to do 
    with it; it is also a cultural element of the Christian West, and part of 
    the identity of those nations. 

    In Saheeh 
    al-Bukhaari (2222) and Saheeh Muslim (155), it is narrated that 
    Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah 
    (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: 
    “By 
    the One in Whose hand is my soul, soon the Son of Maryam) will descend among 
    you as a just judge, he will break the cross, kill the pigs and abolish the 
    jizyah, and wealth will become so abundant that no one will accept it.”

    Ibn Battaal (may 
    Allah have mercy on him) said: 

    The reason for 
    breaking the cross and killing the pigs is because they are part of the 
    religion of the Christians who are fabricators and transgressors. Hence the 
    Prophet told us that ‘Eesa will change what they attributed to him, as 
    Muhammad changed it and told them that they were following falsehood in that 
    regard. This indicates that ‘Eesa will come to confirm the corrections 
    introduced by the law of Muhammad, and will judge with justice between 
    people.

    End quote from 
    Sharh Saheeh al-Bukhaari, by Ibn Battaal, 6/604 

    An-Nawawi (may 
    Allah have mercy on him) said: 

    This indicates we 
    should object to evil deeds and remove them, and remove the symbols of evil, 
    and killing the pigs comes under this heading. It is also indicative of the 
    view favoured by our madhhab and that of the majority, which is that if we 
    find a pig in non-Muslim lands or elsewhere, and we are able to kill it, we 
    should kill it; and it proves false the odd opinion held by some of our 
    companions and others, who said that pigs should be left alone if they are 
    not causing any harm.

    End quote from 
    Sharh Muslim, 11/221 

    To sum up:

    Pigs are an animal 
    that is not respected, and one of the symbols of disbelief and lies against 
    Allah, may He be exalted. So it is not right for a Muslim to raise his 
    children to like them or pay attention to them or be fond of them, whether 
    that is in a picture book or a toy or a cartoon and so on. Rather what is 
    prescribed is to point out that they are connected to their false religion 
    and are one of its symbols, and that they have no protection or sanctity in 
    sharee‘ah, and we should explain that according to the child’s level of 
    understanding, so that when he grows up, he will have a proper understanding 
    of the shar‘i rulings having to do with them. 

    With regard to 
    making your children avoid seeing pigs, if what is meant by that is a 
    passing glance or seeing a picture of a pig in passing, this is something 
    that is difficult to do, and we do not think that it is necessary. Rather 
    all that is required is that the child should not become used to them or 
    care about them or pay any attention to them. 

    And Allah knows 
    best.