Raising Freethinkers: A Practical Guide for Parenting Beyond Belief

“I raised my own freethinking sons not that long ago, and I had little choice but to do it without much practical support. This book is the best, most comprehensive com­pendium of secular parenting strategies and tips I can imagine. It shows how, without the aid of any supernatural overseer, you can raise kids who are moral, compassionate, curious,

and fully aware of the nuances of a truly civilized human society.”            — Susan K. Perry, Ph.D.,   social psychologist and author of Playing Smart and Loving in Flow, creativity blogger       for PsychologyToday.com, and advice columnist for Netscape.com and TheCradle.com

As a freethinking parent, you face a unique set of challenges in raising children with­out religious guidance. How will you help them understand issues like death, sexu­ality, morality, and religion itself, all while encouraging them to think for themselves?

Dale McGowan’s popular and compassionate guide Parenting Beyond Belief was the first comprehensive book to offer a general philosophy of nonreligious par­enting.  Raising Freethinkers is a practical sequel, providing specific answers to common ques­tions and more than 100 activities for parents and their children. Raising Freethinkers covers every topic nonreligious parents need to know to help their children with their own moral, intellectual, and emotional development, including sound advice on religious-extended-family issues, death and life, secular celebrations, wondering and questioning, and more.  Here parents will discover practical and effective ways to:

-           Help children achieve religious literacy without indoctrination

-           Explore life’s meaning and purpose

-           Promote a healthy perspective on sexuality and body image

-           Encourage ravenous curiosity

-           Help kids come to terms with death and loss

-           Find and create community

Complete with reviews of books, DVDs, curricula, educational toys, and online resources relevant to each chapter topic, Raising Freethinkers helps nonreligious parents raise their children with confidence.

Dale McGowan is a writer, editor, and parenting educator. He edited and coau­thored Parenting Beyond Belief and lives in Atlanta. Molleen Matsumura has been a humanist activist and writer for more than 20 years and has contributed to Free Inquiry and The New Humanist. Amanda Metskas is the President of Camp Quest. Jan Devor is Director of Religious Education for the First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis.

For more information and parent resources, visit www.ParentingBeyondBelief.com.

Praised by Newsweek as “a compelling read” and Library Journal as “accessible and down-to-earth,” Dale McGowan’s Parenting Beyond Belief offered freethinking parents everywhere a compassionate introduction to raising caring, ethical children without religious guidance. Now, for the more than 40 million people in the United States who identify themselves as nonreligious, Raising Freethinkers offers solutions to the unique challenges secular parents face and provides specific answers to common questions, as well as over 100 activities for both parents and their children. This book covers every important topic nonreligious parents need to know to help their children with their own moral and intellectual development, including advice on religious-extended-family issues, death and life, secular celebrations, wondering and questioning, and more.

Complete with reviews of books, DVDs, curricula, educational toys, and online resources relevant to each chapter topic, Raising Freethinkers helps parents raise their children with confidence.

CONTENTS

Preface

Acknowledgments

Chapter One: The Inquiring Mind

Dale McGowan

Chapter Two: Living and Teaching Ethics in Your Family

Molleen Matsumura

Chapter Three: Secular Family, Religious World

Jan Devor

Chapter Four: The Physical Self

Amanda Metskas

Chapter Five: Ingredients of a Life Worth Living

Molleen Matsumura

Chapter Six: Celebrating Life

Jan Devor

Chapter Seven: Death and Life

Dale McGowan

Chapter Eight: Finding and Creating Community

Amanda Metskas

Chapter Nine: The Grab Bag

Dale McGowan

Appendix I: Recommended Films by Category

Appendix II: Lists of Principles

Index