Mindfulness Parenting, Friday March 5th
7-10pm, Mayfair Library branch (602 – 33rd Street West)
As a parent, how do we survive the daily-ness of it all? How do we get past the guilt of our “bad mother” or “bad father” moments, and focus on the positives of parenting? This month we’ll discuss this post on mindfulness parenting from the Greater Good Institute, and and we’ll swap stories about the good and ugly moments of parenting we’ve all been through.
As always, feel free to bring your kids, partner, or anyone interested in the issues of secular parenting.
See you there!
Raising ethical, happy, freethinking kids!
Recently the British Humanist Association started a “Don’t Label Me” campaign to encourage parents to allow their children the choice of “who they want to be” whenever they grow up. A great example of freethinking parenting in action!
From the ad campaign’s FAQ:
- Don’t we influence children one way or the other whatever we do?
Yes, and it’s quite correct that parents should try and educate their children, including education on moral and personal matters.
However there is a spectrum of influence. On the one hand some parents insist children share their beliefs, preventing them from learning about other beliefs and ‘protecting’ them from external influences that might undermine those beliefs. On the other hand there are parents explaining what they believe, perhaps encouraging their children to share those beliefs but leaving option open without prejudice that their children won’t share those beliefs, being open about the fact that other people (good people) have different beliefs, and encouraging them to find out about those too, and to respect other people’s rights to their beliefs.
Sometimes it’s difficult to know what counts as education and what counts as indoctrination. But in the case of labelling children as if they innately hold a particular religion or ideology, or claiming that they “belong” to a particular religion, this is clearly over that line. Anyone truly interested in the autonomy and freedom of their children should avoid labelling them. Even if instilling “faith” is your goal, what does that faith really mean if it is first presumed and then reinforced by repeated use of labelling?
About Us
We meet monthly on a Friday night, at the Mayfair library on 33rd St. We’re working our way through Dale McGowan’s book, Parenting Beyond Belief.
You can join through our Secular Parenting Facebook page or contact us.
Come out and join us!
