Read: Raising Freethinkers

This summer I've been getting into reading books for my own enjoyment and it's been awesome! It's so nice to read for the sake of reading and not just for school. I just finished the book Raising Freethinkers and I really enjoyed it. Religion isn't something I've ever discussed here, but that's mostly because I don't have one. I respect the diversity of people and their beliefs, as long as they don't cause harm. But I personally don't believe in any god, or deity, or universal intelligence... And while I admit that I am human and would prefer for Gavin to share my beliefs, I want him to make up his own mind about it all. If he decides to take another path then I will always support him (as long as he is causing no harm to himself and others).

Raising Freethinkers is a practical guide, mainly in a question & answer format, to parenting kids without a specific religion. The main goal is to encourage children to use critical thinking skills and figure out their own path in life. It doesn't suggest that parents should shield their kids from religion, but instead expose them to the many flavours of it. There is a focus on secular morals and ethics because, believe it or not, people without religion are perfectly capable of being as moral and ethical as anyone else. It also addresses some of the subjects that religion provides easy explanations for, like death, and others that religion (in my opinion) provides poor explanations for, like sexuality. 


I think this book, as well as the companion book Parenting Beyond Belief, are great resources for parents who want their kids to grow up without having their religious beliefs (or lack thereof) prescribed for them.






P.S. - if this stuff interests you, you might want to check out the author's blog, the parenting beyond belief forum and their recommended resources