Quaker Parenting
Is parenting or the nurturing of others part of your spiritual journey? Are you wondering how to support your children in these turbulent times? What does Quakerism have to offer? On Sunday, April 30, 2017,we were visited by noted Quaker parenting author and lecturer, Harriet Heath, psychologist, author, and coordinator of the Quaker Parenting Initiative since its inception in 2002. I hope you had a chance to attend either the forum or workshop she led. Perhaps you’ve wondered if parenting is any part of your spiritual journey—or identified with those who come to our meetings looking for a spiritual home for their children and are also looking for themselves. Together, we explored how our Quaker faith can support us. We learned how to frame queries that point the way to grounded, thoughtful, parenting strategies. We tried to understand what the psychological literature suggests we can do, too. Each of us was encouraged to develop a plan that suits our individual families.
Harriet is trying to facilitate conversations around parenting though the prism of Quakerism. One such way do this is through her Virtual Quaker Parent Discussion Groups. These groups are a way to connect Quakers together from around the country to continue these important discussions. I have attached a copy of the information Harriet gave me in support of the next series starting on Wednesday, May 17, 2017. I hope that you take advantage of this unique opportunity. If you had questions or concerns about Quaker parenting or want to make connections with other Quaker parents, please contact Ray Aucoin at youthministries@fmcquaker.org