Learning to soar above the pains and hurts this world delivers.

Friday, October 23, 2015

Parenting in a secular world

Parenting is a tough job.
Parenting when your family runs outside the cultural norm is even harder.


It's no secret that we are a secular family. We don't believe in any religions or supernatural phenomena. We are raising free-thinkers who are skeptical of claims made by others and question everything. We are raising them to think for themselves, to think critically, and to most of all respect themselves enough to not just jump off of cliffs with everyone else doing it.


In this age we have a tremendous advantage that our previous secular parents didn't have.
THE INTERNET.
The internet has provided us a safe place to talk and learn, to find and commiserate with those who hold our same values and parenting styles. The internet has provided us a voice, it has shown us we aren't alone. The numerous atheist/secular/humanist/free-thinking books, groups, leaders, conferences, and more that are out and easy to find are showing us that we no longer have to be ashamed, we don't have to hide. There is safety in numbers and the secular community is growing.


When it comes to parenting as secularists, we have a whole different set of issues to face and overcome. We are raising the next generation. We have to teach our children to navigate and survive this world as a minority, as someone feared and misunderstood by the majority. We have to teach them discipline without the threat of a deity watching them who will punish them in fire forever if they are bad. That means they must learn to be good for goodness' sake, not God's or Santa's (even though some of us DO still do Santa heh.)


The point of this blog post was to share with those of you who are new or misguided or without any idea where to go to for help some resources. I'm going to share with you a list of books and websites that can help you figure out this whole secular parenting thing - because it's not an easy task! So without further verbosity, here you go!


BOOKS - General Parenting

BOOKS - Teaching Children
People (Celebrating diversity worldwide)


WEBSITES
Interactive Tree of Life: http://www.onezoom.org/index.htm
Atheist Parenting: http://www.atheistparents.org/
Raising Freethinkers: http://raisingfreethinkers.com/
Grateful to be of This World: http://gratefultobeofthisworld.blogspot.com/
Blogging the Bible: http://www.carpescriptura.com/

I'll leave it at that for now. I may make a part two in the future, but this is a great starting point I feel! Good luck on your secular parenting journey. You can always message me as well, I'm always ready to offer advice. :)

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