Bringing up pagan kids... Books on?

scorplett

Apologies to anyone who has come across this message on other lists...

A friend of mine was asking about books on bringing up pagan kids, ones that could be read to a child, read by a child and (I'm sure the most common) books for the parent. As i have yet to know the joy's of motherhood ?? and most of those pagan parents raising pagan childers went on instinct and their own knowledge base I was at a loss, so I promised her I'd get some recommendations. I know I could just search the likes of amazon, but I never have trusted the recommendations on those sites.
Any recommendations out there??? (by the way it might be relevant, the kids are 11, 10 and 7 and have a loose idea of honoring gods (emphasis on the 's') etc but not much else) My friend likes the idea of introducing prayer and chant etc as an introduction to ritual and its foundation skills.
On the broader topic, what do ye all think on the wider subject of pagan parenting etc. I have had conversations before on the 'to bring them up as pagan or not' thread and appreciate the differing views in that sense, but more what i am asking is of technique tools and practices if the decision is to bring your kids up as pagan?

Sapien

There is no Pagan attitude towards the religious indoctrination of children, and I am no Pagan, but I am closer to being one than most, and so I will render my own opinion on this issue.

Most people who grow to practice Paganism do so after a process of self-discovery and spiritual experimentation. In this most would have met with animosity and difficulty from social norms, religious orthodoxy and the expectations of family members. As such I believe it is peculiarily important to Pagans that freedom of choice be emphasised in the raising of children with regard to matters spiritual. Is it any better to introduce Pagan concepts to young children than it is to baptise in infancy and commune in prepubescence?

Children should only be vaguely aware that a thing called religion exists. They should only learn about spirituality in answer to questions that they have asked independently. If your child is meant to be Pagan, your child will be. Spiritual ideas, by there very nature, have profound impact upon people, children more so than adults. Beware that you might be imposing your will upon a delicate and impressionable mind. Just as you have come to know thyself...

Rozie

Sapien wrote:

There is no Pagan attitude towards the religious indoctrination of children, and I am no Pagan, but I am closer to being one than most, and so I will render my own opinion on this issue.

Most people who grow to practice Paganism do so after a process of self-discovery and spiritual experimentation. In this most would have met with animosity and difficulty from social norms, religious orthodoxy and the expectations of family members. As such I believe it is peculiarily important to Pagans that freedom of choice be emphasised in the raising of children with regard to matters spiritual. Is it any better to introduce Pagan concepts to young children than it is to baptise in infancy and commune in prepubescence?

Children should only be vaguely aware that a thing called religion exists. They should only learn about spirituality in answer to questions that they have asked independently. If your child is meant to be Pagan, your child will be. Spiritual ideas, by there very nature, have profound impact upon people, children more so than adults. Beware that you might be imposing your will upon a delicate and impressionable mind. Just as you have come to know thyself...

I agree with that. I think that "bringing up" a Child into a particular religion ultimately only stunts their growth unnecessarily.

scorplett

scorplett wrote:

I have had conversations before on the 'to bring them up as pagan or not' thread and appreciate the differing views in that sense, but more what i am asking is of technique tools and practices if the decision is to bring your kids up as pagan?

nuf said

Rozie

scorplett wrote:

nuf said

The problem is because most people don't see things that way, you'd have a hard time either finding resources or people willing to link you to them.

Nevyn

I think you are wrong there Rozie.

scorplett I found Pagan Parenting by Kristin Madden to be a good read.
It can be hard as the fledgling pagan community in dublin and Ireland does not activley include childen.

I use these with my children

BEDTIME PRAYER
Gentle Goddess and peaceful God
Thankyou for helping me today
Watch over me as I sleep
And send your love my way
Keep me safe through the night
So I may rest peacefully
And be ready to learn and play tomorrow.
Blessed Be.

MORNING PRAYER
Goddess and God I greet you this morning
Fill me with your wisdom, love and laughter
So that I may learn and grow in your way.
Blessed Be!

And they also say the prayer they have learn in school but instead of saying
God our father we come to day , they day instead
'God and Goddess we come to say thank you for a wonderfull day',

There are a lot of rescourses out there on the web some good, some awful some middling.

http://www.technomom.com/home/paganparents.shtml
http://directory.google.com/Top/Society/Religion_and_Spirituality/Pagan/Parenting/

http://www.turningthewheel.org/familyraising.htm wrote:

Some ideas for your kids include:

1. Explore your backyard. Get a guidebook for local greenery from the library and get to know your backyard. Keep nature journals, make wall collages, or even leaf prints with paint or sun fabric. This is also helpful for the parents because this activity identifies plants of concern in your yard.

2. Have picnics outside as often as possible, even in your backyard.

3. Show your children the moon, in all its different phases.

4. Start gathering books on mythology for your kids, even if you are only pregnant. There is not a child I know that does not LOVE mythology. Find mythos that explain natural goings-on -- from changing of the seasons, to how/why the sun crosses the sky or how the moon/earth/nature/sun was created or even where people can from.

5. As your child gets older, focus on the similar storylines and deities in mythology. This can tie the world together and foster an interest in other cultures, and thus, respect.

6. Make a Wheel of the Year collage. You can put pictures or photos of things you have done each féile, natural items you have found or cuttings from magazines or newspapers....or even colouring book pages. Whatever your child associates with that féile is right. This is where family correspondences will come from.

7. Try to learn what element your child is really interested in. Teach him or her respect in for that element. Teach about that element, science and mythology, examples of that element. Teach your child simple chants for that element....to give strength, growth and power. Use the who, what, how, why and where lists to teach and work with these elements as well. Focus on opposites & similarities with the other elements.

8. Consider having your child's astrological birth chart done and learn from it. Do not view it as a self-fulfilling prophecy. Use it as information that may be what your child is made of.

Growing up in a Pagan household they will be full of questions about how and why they see thier parents doing things.
Giving each child thier own patch of earth to grown stuff in the garden or even a window box is great for them.

I often take my two children on mind adventures, great of miserible wet rainy days, I get them to lie with me on the rug and basically it is a guided mediation we go and visist places that we have been, the woods and the beach and the mountain tops are thier favourites so far.

I also encourage them to puzzle out and reason and research stuff for themselves, they are 5 and 7. This goes for everything religion included.
We celebrated Diwali as our 5 year old had read about it.

We recently had a great grandmother die and there were several converstaions about death and the soul and getting born again,
Nothing is beyond the understanding of children if you explain it in a way that
has relavance to them.

scorplett

Thanks a mil for that. I knew there had to be some decent resources out there. I'll pass those on and maybe report back with ideas/adaptations etc.
With your permission, may I pass some of this info on to other lists?
Thanks again ,
Blessings to you and yours.

Nevyn

Certainly.

The Gurriour

Have you tried the Pagan Federation

Sure someone there will be able to point you in right direction.






http://www.paganfed.org/index.php