Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
A rapidly growing demographic cohort in America, secular parents are at the forefront of a major and unprecedented cultural shift. Unable to fall back on what they were taught as children, many of these parents are struggling, or simply failing, to address issues of God, religion and faith with their children in ways that promote honesty, curiosity, kindness and independence. The author sifts through hard data, including the results of a survey of 1,000 nonreligious parents, and delivers gentle but straightforward advice to both non-believers and open-minded believers. With a thoughtful voice infused with humor, Russell seamlessly merges scientific thought, scholarly research and everyday experience with respect for a full range of ways to view the world. Wendy Thomas Russell seamlessly merges scientific thought, scholarly research, and everyday experience in a book that gives nonreligious and progressively religious parents a toolkit to assist with their unique and complex issues. Among the topics included in the book: How to talk to kids about death without the comforts of religion; how to talk to kids about your beliefs without indoctrinating them into your way of thinking; how to navigate touchy issues with extended family members and religious friends; what to do if your child gets threatened with hell; what to say (and what not to say) so that your child will feel both capable and free to make up his or her own mind about what to believe. Interspersed throughout the book are anecdotes from Russell's own experience, providing both inspiration and plenty of comic relief. And at the end is an invaluable Cheat Sheet to World Religions, along with a guide to popular religious holidays. Says True Parent Magazine: "'Relax: It's Just God' is valuable for so many reasons. The book offers helpful timelines for how to talk to kids about religion at every age and includes a handy appendix with the CliffsNotes version of each major religion of the world, along with ways to observe their holidays in a secular way. The book's full of useful tools that you and your kids can use when confronted by religious peers and well-meaning family members. Best of all, it handles a potentially heavy topic with a lighthearted sense of humor, giving the reader the sense that we really can relax about it."
Synopsis
Gold-medal winner of a Next Generation Book Award, silver-medal winner of the Independent Publishers Book Award. As featured on the PBS NewsHour "A gem of a book." -- LIBRARY JOURNAL (STARRED REVIEW) A step-by-step guide to raising confident, open-minded kids in an age of religious intolerance. Relax, It's Just God offers parents fresh, practical and honest ways to address issues of God and faith with children while promoting curiosity and kindness. A rapidly growing demographic cohort in America, secular parents are at the forefront of a major and unprecedented cultural shift. Unable to fall back on what they were taught as children, many of these parents are struggling, or simply failing, to address issues of God, religion and faith with their children in ways that promote honesty, curiosity, kindness and independence. The author sifts through hard data, including the results of a survey of 1,000 nonreligious parents, and delivers gentle but straightforward advice to both non-believers and open-minded believers. With a thoughtful voice infused with humor, Russell seamlessly merges scientific thought, scholarly research and everyday experience with respect for a full range of ways to view the world. Relax, It's Just God goes beyond the numbers to assist parents (and grandparents) who may be struggling to find the right time place, tone and language with which to talk about God, spirituality and organized religion. It encourages parents to promote religious literacy and understanding and to support kids as they explore religion on their own -- ensuring that each child makes up his or her own mind about what to believe (or not believe) and extends love and respect to those who may not agree with them. Subjects covered include: - Talking openly about our beliefs without indoctrinating kids - Making religious literacy fun and engaging - Talking about death without the comforts of heaven - Navigating religious differences with extended family members - What to do when kids get threatened with hell
Synopsis
Featured on the PBS NewsHour A step-by-step guide to raising confident, open-minded, tolerant kids
Relax, It's Just God delivers a refreshingly compassionate and light-hearted approach to addressing issues of faith in secular families. For anyone looking to raise critically thinking, religiously literate, and highly tolerant kids capable of making up their own minds about what to believe, Relax, It's Just God may well be considered the secular equivalent of a godsend.
A rapidly growing demographic cohort in America, secular parents are at the forefront of a major and unprecedented cultural shift. Unable to fall back on what they were taught as children, many of these parents are struggling, or simply failing, to address issues of God, religion and faith with their children in ways that promote honesty, curiosity, kindness and independence.
Author Wendy Thomas Russell sifts through hard data, including the results of a survey of 1,000 nonreligious parents, and delivers gentle but straightforward advice to both non-believers and open-minded believers. With a thoughtful voice infused with humor, Russell seamlessly merges scientific thought, scholarly research and everyday experience with respect for a full range of ways to view the world.
Relax, It's Just God goes beyond the numbers to assist parents (and grandparents) who may be struggling to find the right time, place, tone and language with which to talk about God, spirituality and organized religion. It encourages parents to promote religious literacy and understanding and to support kids as they explore religion on their own -- ensuring that each child makes up his or her own mind about what to believe (or not believe) and extends love and respect to those who may not agree with them.
Subjects covered include:
- Talking openly about our beliefs without indoctrinating kids
- Making religious literacy fun and engaging
- Talking about death without the comforts of heaven
- Navigating religious differences with extended family members
- What to do when kids get threatened with hell